Winter Hope

Our Winter Hope turned 9 today. On January 13, 1999, Todd was holding our fifth child in his arms, staring at her tiny face in unbelief. Another miracle. The hospital was nearly shut down because of an ice storm that had closed roads and stores in the area. Nurses were doing double shifts. Todd and I were having trouble settling on a third girls' name, but as Todd was holding our new baby, he walked over to the window. He looked down at our baby's full head of white hair and quietly said, "Winter Hope."
That was it. The perfect name. We did not realize at the time, how perfect that name was for our precious one.
Later Todd had told me that as he looked out the window, he saw the beautiful shimmering ice coating the trees and wondered how something so beautiful could be so dangerous. Danger was only hours away from our beautiful new little baby.
The first night Winter Hope was home, she had been crying for hours, and I had finally gotten her quiet and put her in the crib for a few hours of sleep before the other children would be awake. It was 4 am, and I remember putting her down saying, "She's all yours, Lord," before I fell asleep. I woke 15 minutes later after a terrible dream about all of us scuba diving and our air tanks running out of air. The baby was quiet. Too quiet. When I went to check on her, she was blue and stiff. I picked up what felt like a feather-light board. I cried, I prayed, I rubbed her back, I panicked. It wasn't long before she began choking, then coughing, and finally crying. That began our days of "Weathering Winter."

Winter Hope turned nine years old today. Every birthday for Winter has been extra special for Todd and I. We shared some life-changing trials together with Winter, that only he seemed to fully understand....he went through these times with me. This was Winter's third birthday without Todd. I miss him tonight...alot. I pray Todd sees his little girl and wish so badly he were here to celebrate and thank God with me for her.

(Last birthday with Daddy)







Thank you, God, for these nine years with Winter Hope. Thank you for Winter and her life. And thank you for Todd and his support and help through those early years of her life. Remind him of my love for him. Please come quickly...