No Christmas Baby

“You’re going to have a Christmas baby,” the obstetrician told Elle. “Oh no I’m not.” responded Elle. Determination often overcomes obstacles and Elle did not want her baby to be born on Christmas day. Christmas competition was not going to be the lot of her child and besides she wouldn’t miss all the Christmas visiting and festivities with family by being hospitalized. She had to wait to deliver her baby until the sequence of December and January Sunday events with her mother’s siblings had all been enjoyed.

Elle and George attended every holiday gathering and every time Elle coughed or made a sigh all her uncles would gather round her. “Are you alright?” they’d all chime in at once. “Do you need to go the hospital?”  “I’m fine,” Elle would day every time they expressed concern. Having a baby was a family matter and when Elle finally did deliver her baby there was extended family rejoicing.

Finally several weeks after Christmas Elle was ready to go to the hospital to have her baby. Some relatives said it was definitely a boy. Elle took a blue and pink outfit- one of each with her to the hospital for either surprise. Her mother Mildred had also been busy sewing and crocheting blue and pink baby jackets and hats.

This would be the first grandchild of Mildred’s only child. As it would turn out Elle would also have only one child. She had another pregnancy but lost the baby. Sometimes people believe that without contraception everyone would multiply “like rabbits.” This is amusing since there are countless examples throughout history bearing evidence to the contrary.  Human life is not something we can so easily always bring into being. Just visit your local infertility clinic and watch the people going in just for one day. I am convinced that God is the author of life and sometimes we merely receive the gift of children on loan to us for a season. As with any gift we can squander or treasure it. Most of us do the best we can.

Complications developed that left surgery the only option if Elle and the baby were going to make it. After a seeming endless haze of struggle and exhaustion, she finally awakened from her surgical sleep and was told “It’s a girl.” As she drifted in and out of anesthesia sleep Elle felt enormous relief and happiness.