88 days to go!

Last week I was rehearsing with the West Valley Chorale for a series of performances that are all happening this weekend. I actually contracted the strings for this gig. The contracting end of a gig always presents problems. The lady who was going to play concert master, AND my principal second violin, both backed out last month because of a conflict. At the last minute I ended up playing concert master, and hiring a lady named Vickie who I've never heard play, but comes highly recommended. I ended up asking her to be my stand partner, and I am so thankful I did! She's not only a fantastic violinist, but an incredibly nice woman.

She asked about my pregnancy at the first rehearsal and I told her how far along I was and that this baby was a girl, but we didn't go into much detail. The next rehearsal she had something to show me. Recent pictures of her sister's grandchild. In the NICU. Born at 28 weeks. The baby girl is healthy, and even gained 3 lbs in one week. She has hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, fingernails, and toenails. Her cheeks are chubby and pink. Vickie showed me the pictures and said, "this is your baby right now!" The only indication in these photos that this baby was not full term, were the machines she was hooked up to, and her mama's wedding ring that was slipped on her ANKLE. Such a perfect miracle.

All week, since seeing those pictures, I've been visualizing my Gracie. 88 days to go. Her little body is perfectly formed. She's just biding her time, fattening up. And I've been thinking about my sweet nieces, born at 32 weeks. I took this picture of them in the NICU several weeks after they were born...
When I finally made it to Texas to see the girls, they were one week from going home. And they were perfect. And they squeaked. The sweetest little sound. I love thinking that if I could hear Gracie today, she might squeak for me.