Happy Accidents

Today is my girl's birthday.  (Well, by the time I get this posted, it will be yesterday.)  Kacy Rae was born on Wednesday, July 24, 1985, in Escondido, California.  She was 7 pounds, 12 ounces of perfection.  For some reason, I thought I was destined to have all boys, so her lack of "equipment" was a big surprise to me.


Of course, there are no "bad babies," but Kacy was just SUCH a good baby.  She was sweet and happy and precious... people just couldn't help but smile at her and tell us how cute she was.  She stayed tiny for a long time.  In fact, she only weighed 14 pounds, 9 ounces on her first birthday, so it was odd to see her walking.  Her huge, dark eyes just drew you in.  She so easily could have manipulated everyone, but she was so sweet.  When other kids would take a toy from her, she would just move to something else... I had to actually encourage her to stand up for herself.  That spirit stayed with her, and she grew into a sweet, giving woman.


But before I fast forward to that, I have to admit something.  Kacy was not "planned."  When I became pregnant with her, Kyle was seven months old, Dennis was out of work, and we were uninsured.  We had purchased our first home before the "unemployed thing" happened, and we were struggling.  In fact, when I first realized I was "late," I didn't even tell Dennis.  I figured I had my dates mixed up or something, and my first thoughts were not giddy-happy-baby thoughts, I'm ashamed to say.  I don't think I prayed one way or the other, but in my arrogance, I probably suggested to God that this wasn't the right time for a second child.  Right now, that very thought sickens me.


But over the next few days, I guess God softened my heart.  Without being too graphic... every woman who has ever wondered if she could be pregnant knows what I'm talking about... but every time I'd go to the bathroom, it was about "checking."  And within about 24 hours, each "check" resulted in a sigh of relief, rather than a groan of dread.  By the time I told Dennis, and took a pregnancy test, I was so happy about this child.


I just can't imagine my life without her.  In fact, I can't imagine any member of our family without Kacy's influence.  She was Kyle and Brad's strongest supporter, and honestly, most of the good in Bonnie comes from Kacy.  Anyone she loves, she loves thoroughly... her Daddy, her cousins, her aunts and uncles, her grandparents and great grandparents.  I can't even start to mention her relationship with my Mom without fighting tears.  She is tenderhearted and funny and kind... she is a far better person than I am, and sometimes I'm baffled as to how that happened.  I admire her in so many ways.


So, fast forward a few years.  She met her Arick just before her senior year of high school.  She had already decided she was going to attend Nebraska Christian College, and that's where he was attending.  It was fairly soon that we realized that this was probably "the one."  If she could have skipped her senior year of high school, she would have, in a heartbeat.  That year was rough, but she survived, and then off to college she went, 2 hours from home. At Christmastime, Kacy and Arick were engaged... she was 18 years old.  Wow.  Yes, she was young, but we felt like the most important thing was that she made the right choice, and it was obvious that Arick was the right choice.  So, she turned 19 on July 24, and was married a week later.  


Around her birthday that year, I wrote a little poem about her.  I suppose I was just feeling all the emotion of wedding-planning, and everything it entails, but I had really been reflecting on how much joy she brought me, and how we hadn't exactly been planning for that joy when she was conceived.  Somehow, I cannot find the completed poem (Kacy has it somewhere, but couldn't put her hands on it today when I asked), but I do have my hand-written "rough draft" right here.  So, I'll close with the poem (and hope to edit this post to include the real final draft later), and I hope you all remember that sometimes the best things that happen to you are happy accidents.


Happy Accident
by Susan South


The stick was blue
A baby was due
This is certainly not what we'd planned.


One babe in the fold
Just seven months old
How could we face the demand?


Attitude change
So much to arrange,
And that belly just grew and grew.


Though work was scarce
And the mortgage was fierce
In July, she made her debut.


Our tiny surprise,
With huge hazel eyes
Is Mommy and Daddy's pride.


Diapers and toys 
Turn to dating and boys
In a heartbeat, my baby's a bride.


She found him so soon,
Her affable groom,
Their happiness told the tale.


Focused above,
Sharing laughter and love,
Now her face is beneath a white veil.


Hazel eyes glowing,
While Mommy is knowing
Childhood's moments are spent.


My girl, you can bet,
Not a single regret,
For the happiest accident.


If we'd got what we'd wanted,
Our lives, perhaps haunted,
Might have been so cheerless and bland.


But the stick turned blue,
And the baby was due,
She's exactly what God had planned.




I love you, my Schwummy-girl!

1 comments:

wyn said...

She has been a blessing to many of us! I'm so glad things went "according to plan"...if not yours, then God's.

Post a Comment