On May 8, 2003, a small tornado touched down in Oklahoma City, OK. The residents of OKC and the surrounding areas all battened down the hatches and took cover. The patients at Lakeside Women’s Hospital continued laboring as if nothing was wrong. The path of the tornado that day* was far enough away that no precautions were necessary.
There in Lakeside Women’s Hospital, our own little tornado was born that day. She was #4 after a 4-year hiatus from having babies. At last, a baby was born when the other children in the house weren’t babies any more. Mom was feeling pretty old; Dad was feeling a little stressed. The three older siblings were just excited to have a new sister.
Today is 4 years since our little blonde girl was added to the family. We have enjoyed her smile and her laughs and the way she runs the show around here. She was a welcome change of pace to what was becoming our comfortable life. We are blessed by all our children, but today we say a special prayer of thanksgiving for our little tornado. She came in spinning, and she hasn’t stopped yet. Happy Birthday Charis!
*There was a tornado on May 9, 2003, that touched down close enough to the hospital that all of the new moms and babies had to be herded into the center hallway of the building. That was probably my strangest hospital experience in my 4 stays for childbirth.
What memories and what an exciting event! I remember huddling in the shelter of the Baptist church in Minco with Mark and the 3 older children the night of May 9, wondering how you and Charis were doing. How quickly the 4 years have passed. Happy Birthday Charis!
Happy Birthday indeed! What a cutie-pie! She has a killer smile! (That’s “killer” in a good way!)
Incidentally, on May 8th, 2003, I was driving through Oklahoma City to Mercy Hospital (my dad was having a defibrillator put into his chest) and unknowingly passed through the tornado’s pathway–I-35 in Moore–about an hour before the twister did. It surely was exciting!
How funny that I was very close in proximity to you! 🙂
Mom,
Yeah. On Charis’s birthday, Evangeline was reminiscing about how fun it was to go to the basement of the Baptist church in Minco during the tornado warning.
Angie,
How funny that you were in OKC that day! Re: the smile, she uses it to every advantage she can!
Just another informational note, big sister Evangeline chose the dress Charis wore on her birthday. And, the gift from Grandmommy and Granddaddy there on the table (18 inch Madame Alexander doll) was the source of great glee to both girls. E was excited because she and Charis could play dolls together.