Sunday, October 31, 2010

Sunday's Child



On a Sunday morning in the Amazon jungle, a precious baby girl was born. She was our firstborn and no first baby was ever more anticipated. 

We'd arrived in Ecuador 2 1/2 months earlier and were barely getting settled. Everyone told me that first babies were generally late, so when I awoke in the middle of the night, 10 days before my due date, I assumed it was nothing. 

After a few minutes I lit a candle (no electricity during the nighttime) and opened my childbirth/childrearing book to find out just what might be happening. I concluded I was in labour. 

I was hungry, so on our gas stove, Tim heated up a bowl of soup for me and I ate it at 5:30 am. Then we went to the hospital, in a borrowed car, since our vehicle was stuck in customs. Jostling 30 minutes down a pot-holed riddled gravel road gave me time to practice my breathing. 

I assumed the baby would be born many hours later and no one was more surprised (and relieved) than I when Cristal made her appearance at 8:30 am. There was one phone in town and it rarely worked. I lay in the hospital all that day and the next thinking that no one in our families knew about our beautiful baby girl. On Monday night I left the hospital and before returning to our home, stopped by another ex-pat's home to make a ham radio call to let our families know the news. 

And now, 29 years later, that beautiful baby is grown into a beautiful young woman. She delights me, makes me laugh, and I love spending time with her. 

Happy Birthday, sweetheart!

For Mosaic Monday I created a collage of photos of Cristal. For more mosaics, visit Dear Little Red House - from dish collections to stunning nature scenes, there's a mosaic to enjoy.

22 comments:

  1. WOW, what a story! Your daughter is beautiful, great mosaic!

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  2. What a sweet post! Sounds like an experience to remember. Happy Birthday to Cristal.

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  3. Happy Birthday to your dear daughter! What a beautiful story to pass down through the generations.

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  4. What a wonderful story! Happy Birthday to your daughter, she is beautiful.

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  5. Bonne anniversaire to your daughter! What an experience!

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  6. What a fab story. Happy birthday to your beautiful daughter. xx

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  7. Wonderful mosaic of precious loved ones and a beautiful daughter! Happiest Birthday wishes to her!

    Precious story!

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  8. Lorrie - I'm amazed by your courage in such unusual surroundings...it was an experience that makes me appreciate the hospitals that were close by when I was expecting. I enjoyed seeing the wonderful pictures in Cristal's birthday mosaic.

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  9. Happy Birthday to Cristal! Lovely tribute to your daughter.

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  10. hi lorrie,
    what a wonderful story!
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUR LOVELEY DAUGHTER!!
    hugs,regina

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  11. She has a great birthday story! Happy birthday to your lovely daughter.

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  12. What an interesting birth story she has! What faith you had, my dear, to be arriving in Ecuador knowing that you would deliver a baby there. Happy Birthday to your lovely daughter!

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  13. Hi Lorrie with two r's: My firstborn was also born this month (30 years ago) into a jungle, but it was a jungle of tubes and wires and monitors, not a real Amazon jungle. Like yours, mine has thrived and flourished despite the sketchy start. I loved your story and the photo collage is great!
    - another Laurrie with two r's

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  14. What a beautiful story about a much loved daughter!!! I loved your mosaic images!!!
    Have a wonderful week and wish your daughter Happy Birthday from Tennessee!!!

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  15. Great post and wonderful mosaic!

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  16. Happy Birthday to your sweet Cristal.

    Stop worrying about the link. I simply bin it.

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  17. I agree with you, Laurie, daughters are wonderful! Cheryl
    PS: Did you ever return to the gathering where you felt unwelcome?

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  18. Happy birthday to your beautiful daughter! She had a memorable entrance into the world and I think she'll be destined to do wonderful things in her life.

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  19. What an experience! And it turned out so well. :)

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  20. WOW! how lovely! In the Amazon? my goodness...what an adventure!
    ;-D
    Kathleen

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  21. A lovely birthday post and what a story.

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