Six Years a Miracle

Some people say that miracles don't happen anymore.

But they do.

I have proof.

See this girlie?

She's my proof.  She's my miracle.

By all medical view points she shouldn't be here.

But God had a better plan.

And we got to keep her.

This darling red head is my niece. 
And I love her.

I love her freckles.

Her little nose.

Her sweet smile.

The way she runs.

The way she is always happy.

How she does a cartwheel every few steps.

I love.love.love. this girl.  And all these things I love about her?  Are miracles too. 

Madalyn Joie was born 6 years ago on April 2nd.  She was only 24 weeks gestation and weighed 1 pound 12 ounces.  Yep. 4 ounces shy of 2 pounds.  Weigh something that amount.  I dare you.  You'll be amazed...

Her skin was transparent, you could see every little teeny artery and vein.  Her mama said she was the most beautiful baby ever.  And she was. 

She already had tuffs of red hair.  And we were excited.  Red heads are so rare, yet so common in our ancestry.  She was a fighter from the start, which saved her life in the end. 

This girlie was the one who made me an aunt for the very first time.  She is my sister's daughter.  And the daughter of your sister holds a special place in an auntie's heart.  I know she's not mine.  But I kinda wanna claim her anyhow.  'Cause I adore her.   

She's my daughter's best friend.  Neither girlie has a sister.  But they have each other.  Cousins make the best of friends.  

One of the things I adore the most about Maddie is her imagination.  This too is a miracle.  Her little brain is perfect. 

My uncle, who lives next door to my mom, has chickens.  These chickens are laying eggs that are fertilized.  Maddie found out and decided that she wanted some to hatch. 

She knew the egg needed to stay warm.  So she made a nest out of her pajamas.

Of course it needed to have something warm sit on it to hatch it.  So she got creative. 

And found a beanie baby.

She found the most appropriate one she could find.

A turkey.

I asked her if the egg would hatch into a baby turkey. 

Her response?

"No silly.  A chicken laid it so it HAS to be a chicken!"

While her egg sat protected by the turkey, she went out into the field with Rhianna and Reagan to gather grain.  "For when the chick hatches."

To my knowledge, the chick is still an egg.  But honestly?  I hope it hatches. 

Imagine her grin if it did?

Like the photos?  I do!  Check out more photos from A Glimpse in Time here .