My BEAUTIFUL birthday girl!

 

This day reminds me of the PURE joy I felt 31 years ago today! Today, Jan.22, is Natalie Ruth Fry Horne's birthday!!!!! I will NEVER forget this day! I went to the hospital that morning  sent off with the love and hugs from my adorable and precious little boys---Charles (age 3) and Michael (age 2). I just KNEW I would be coming home from the hospital with another little boy (ANDREW?)a brother, for them. I wouldn't/COULDN'T even think of the remote possiblity that I could/would have a little girl---a little SISTER for those cutie boys to love and protect. But, OH, how I secretly wanted one!!! I would ask the doctor every visit, "Do you think it's a boy or girl?" He would laugh and say, "50/50 chance of girl!" He also knew I wanted one! HAHA~!  I secretly placed in my suitcase , under all my clothes, some teensy tiny little ribbons. JUST IN CASE!!! (I was determined to put ribbons in my little baby girl's hair if it was a GIRL). Labor was longer than the boys labors! It was hard and I was tired! I was ready for this baby---! FINALLY, I remember sitting up in the labor room and telling MIMI (She was in there with me at that time), "The baby is coming!" She freaked out and ran and got the nurse! The wheeled me into the delivery room and THE BABY was coming! The doctor was calm but I was NOT!!! I was freaking out! FINALLY , out the baby popped! "WHAT IS IT?!" The doctor , who was Egyptian said,

 "IT is a little girl!" WHAT?????????????????? WHAT DID HE SAY?????????????? I freaked out! I shut my eyes and remember thinking I was just dreaming. I sat up and screamed, "WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" He said, "it is a girl!" I kept saying, "I don't believe you!" Finally he brought the most beautiful creature I'd ever seen over to me and said, "SEE?! IT'S A GIRL!" I cried and cried and CRIED!

How could God be that good to me? To have blessed me with 2 beautiful little sons and now, the icing on the cake, a DAUGHTER???????? ! I was astounded/shocked/grateful/emotional! Terry was even worse!!! He kept saying, "Janice, she's BEAUTIFUL!" We hadn't really talked about names that much, ANDREW was the name of choice b/c I just knew it was boy number three for me! BUT, I always loved the name Natalie. Terry was holding her and said, "She looks like a NATALIE". I was thrilled! I've never seen a name fit such a person before as hers did/does. The name is just beautiful and so is Natalie. Not to BRAG (haha!), but she was and IS so beautiful. ALways has been!!! Everywhere I would go, people would stop  me and say something about her! Now, just add a beautiful VOICE to that face and you have STARDOM!!! That girl---she came into the world SINGING and she hasn't stopped yet!!!

Sometimes when I see her singing on Sunday mornings, I have to look away because she still takes my breath away. Just like the night, January 22--1976 that she did the very first time I laid eyes on her. She is breathtaking! I am STILL grateful to God that He blessed me with a daughter.  I didn't know it then, but TWO  beautiful daughters!!!!!). She has been everything I hoped for/desired and prayed for!.......

I LOVE YOU, NATALIE and wish for you the happiest year ever!!!!!!!!!