When she was about 14 months old, during the night I was awakened with an unusual urgency to go check on Mary Katherine. (Her guardian angel woke me, no doubt! )

I found her all wrapped up in several thickness of blankets, smothering! I quickly flipped her out of the blankets. She never moved or wiggled at all. She wasn't breathing. I gently pounced in her little chest several times. But nothing... I did it again, then I could barely hear a faint little whimper. Gradually she revived completely. Oh, how I thanked God! That was the second time God gave her to me.

A few months later she got intestinal flu. The doctor didn't put her in the local hospital because she'd get fine care at home and I was still nursing her. The doctor called several times a day and came by every morning and evening to check on her.

He had given her several children's antibiotics, but there was no improvement. After several days of high fever, diarrhea and vomiting, she was as weak as a lifeless kitten. She was dehydrated and had lost a lot of weight.

The doctor said, "Mom, I'm afraid we're going to loose her. All I know to do is give her a triple dose of adult strength antibiotic and pray for a miracle."

When he said that, I immediately gave her to God just like I did before, with Charlie.

Less than four hours later I made a call to the doctor. I told him, "Mary's fever broke and she's running through the house as if she'd never been sick."

He said, "Praise the Lord, we got our miracle, didn't we?" Again, I thanked God for giving her to me, a third time.

When Mary was almost twenty, she was in her second year of college, on a scholarship. She planned to be a pediatrician. She was engaged to a fine young man and she seemed to have the world by the tail. She planned to have five children and had already picked out a couple names for her hoped for babies.

But on November 6, 1995 Mary was killed in an automobile accident. My baby was gone. I was shocked.

It took only a few minutes for me to mentally list some of the major things that I would never get to enjoy.

I thought about how she had sketched the formal she wanted me to make for her Senior Prom. I remembered cutting the pattern and making it. I thought about how dazzlingly she was in that creation which she had designed.  It was right then that I decided to bury her in her prom dress.  I recalled her telling me that she had a more elaborate design in mind for her wedding gown. I realized I'd never even get to see a sketch of it much less get to make it for her. And I'd never see her walk down the isle in that gown..

I was instantly aware I'd be deprived of seeing her enjoy the anticipation of her babies arrival. She loved babies and she was so good with them.  I'd never see her teaching, training or loving her babies.  She'd never give me grandbabies.  I'd never get to hold them or watch them grow.

All those thoughts were difficult, but I was a mother who always wanted the best for my children.  Therefore,  I found great comfort in knowing that now Mary has the best, the ultimate!

Mary has reached her Heavenly Home with Jesus.