My Best April 1st Ever

Today is April 1st. It's one of my favorite days! I love a good prank, so is today a favorite because of all of the great jokes that are played today? No, not at all, although it began that way.

Rewind to March, 1995. I had a six year old boy, an almost four year old boy, and was pregnant and due soon. I didn't know whether I was having a boy or a girl, but I was excited to be having the baby on April 1st. I thought having an April Fool's baby would be so much fun that I often told people, "This baby will be born on April 1st."

Our pastor's wife cautioned me, "Don't say that, it might happen."

I would reply, "I hope so, it will be so much fun!" I had plans to call my family and announce "It's a boy" or "It's a girl" followed by "April Fools!"

And, when I went into labor on March 31st, I was so happy. Sure enough on April 1st, early in the a.m., I met Emily Moriah Ward - my first girl. And did I call everyone and do the April Fool's joke?

No.

Emily was born with a significant birth defect and the joy we felt at the moment of delivery was quickly replaced with anxiety and apprehension as our tiny baby was examined and prepped for a colostomy. Instead of delivering punchlines, I was crying, praying, and basically melting down.

Friends and family rallied to our support and we prayed, listened to medical explanations, signed a surgical release (for a colostomy) and waited. We waited while more tests were run; we waited to visit in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; we waited for out-of-town relatives to arrive; and we waited to figure out "What next?"

Then, after Emily was taken to surgery, the most amazing thing happened. The surgeon returned from the colostomy way too early. Emily didn't need it after all. The surgeon was as perplexed as I was overjoyed. Just before he cut into Emily's abdomen, a nurse found a tiny opening that was somehow overlooked during all of previous extensive examinations. And despite having predicted that Emily was missing "innards" and lacked a fully connected intestinal tract, now it looked as if all her parts were there, in all the right places. Emily needed a quick fix surgery, but did not need the colostomy as originally diagnosed.

I experienced both my lowest low and highest high that day. I was so thankful that Jesus healed Emily even though I was convinced of the worst case scenario. It occurred to me that it was the best April Fool's joke ever. My "faith" didn't have anything to do with her healing - God ordained it and it pleased Him to do it for us.

Every April 1st, I think about that day - the worst day of my life that turned into the best day of my life - and I can't help but feel more thankful than the day it all happened. I have been blessed with a wonderful daughter that has only grown more and more dear as the years fly by.