Karaline's story....

There are a few events in your life that get seared in your brain and every detail stands out.  Such is the journey of little Karaline into our lives.  I wanted to get it wrote down, so Karaline will be able to read it someday.

   Rich and I had been on a cruise and just got back.  Regan showed up at my house unexpectedly.  I remember she walked into the kitchen.  She said, "Mom, I'm pregnant.......but I lost the baby".  All in a matter of seconds, the happiest moment of my life, turned into the deepest sadness I had ever felt.  I couldn't comprehend it.  She said she wanted to wait until I got back from vacation, but she had severe cramping and bleeding last night and she lost the baby.  She had called the Dr. and the Dr. said it was early in the pregnancy and that there was nothing they could do.  She was still having cramping, so she needed to go get checked.  After lots of crying and hugging, I took her to the hospital.  When we got there, she told the nurse and Dr. what had happened.  They were going to do a DNC on her, but the Dr. said, just to be sure, let's do an ultrasound first.  Regan was taken away and I was left by myself.  I hadn't even called Rich yet and told him.  That was a phone call I didn't want to make.  I called him and told him like I was told, " Rich, Regan is pregnant, but she lost the baby".  Shock and silence is how I know he felt, for I was feeling it too.  Greatest joy and then the greatest sorrow all in a matter of seconds.  I told him she was fine, but I knew better...Regan wanted this baby so much.  While I sat alone in that room, I don't think I ever felt sadder or more alone.  All of a sudden, I hear this laughter.  It sounds like Regan laughing.  I think to myself, what the heck is she laughing about.  They wheel her into the room and she hands me a strip of ultrasound pictures...she says, "Mom, we're having a baby, I'm still pregnant".  I couldn't believe it...my emotions have been on a roller coaster.  I screamed and cried for joy, like I have never cried before.  To come from the darkest place I have ever been to the happiest, was beyond belief.  I then called Rich back and said, "You're gonna be a Grandpa, she didn't lose the baby after all".  The Dr. said she had a tear in her sac around the baby in her uterus.  We still weren't out of danger yet.  The next few weeks would be critical.  Either the tear would heal itself, or she would lose the baby.  I guess, I didn't really hear those words at first, because in my mind, that baby was gonna make it and be just fine.  The next month was a really scary time, but every week that went by, the better her chances were.  So, Karaline was born Oct 5, 2005.  Rich and I were there to witness her birth.  I took the still pictures and Rich took the movie film.  The movie film is so awesome for so many reasons, but for me, it was hearing Rich laugh, this nervous excited laugh the whole time.  She came out of her so fast that the Dr. almost didn't have time to catch her.  Our little diva was born.  She was perfect in every way.  That first grandchild, will always be special, not because they are loved anymore, but because you never knew you could love anything that much.  I have told people having grandchildren takes love to another level.  You love your own children so much and everything that they do makes you so proud and love them more.  Well, when they give you that grandchild, that is the ultimate thing that they can do.  It is better than anything else they have ever done and that love you have for your child is then past on to the grandchild a 100 times more.  Well, that is the story of Karaline's journey into our life.  Today marks 6 yrs. that we have had that little girl in our life.  I have watched Karaline full time since she was 8 weeks old.  We have always been inseparable.  She is alot like me in her likes.  Regan was never a girly girl like I was, so when Karaline fell in love with Barbie's, I finally got my girly girl.  Regan has learned to appreciate Barbie's and dolls now that she is Karaline's Mom.  She had no use for them when she was a little girl.  So Karaline, if you are reading this someday, I hope you know how much you are loved.  I am so looking forward to watching you grow up and become a beautiful young lady.