Happy Birthday Crystal

It's been a long time, but I remember it like it was yesterday. I had been having contractions for over two weeks. A week and a half ago, my doctor had told me he didn't think I would last but a couple more days, because I was dialated to a three. I remember crying when that couple of days went by and I was still pregnant and miserable. I remember going to a barbecue the night before and my aunt telling me that I had at least another week to go because my baby had not even dropped - so even more tears.

I was nineteen years old, huge pregnant, miserable and I wanted to hold my baby. I didn't know what I was going to have, way back then, they didn't do ultrasounds (my cousin had given birth a few months before and she didn't even know she was going to have twins until she was in labor and they did an x-ray!!). I went to bed on July 18 and was still having contractions, but I had been having them for weeks, so nothing was different - I had been to the hospital two times and nothing had happened, so why would tonight be any different?

I will never forget that feeling. TUG TUG POP!! I will remember it forever. TUG TUG POP!! Then gush!!! My water broke and it was about 3:00 in the morning. I woke up Crystal's father and told him my water broke and he got up and showered. I remember being a little irritated that he was showering, because I had watched movies and I knew that this baby was going to come out any second now!! I was nineteen. We got into the truck and headed to the hospital, got checked in and waited. OK, this hurts!!! I remember the nurse coming in and I was in huge pain and telling me that it couldn't hurt that bad I was just starting (IT HURT BAD). A couple hours later, my blood pressure had sky rocketed. Still don't know why it did it. They started putting oxygen masks on me. They started giving me these HUGE shots in my hips to try and bring it down. I don't know how long that lasted, because labor really wasn't that long. My water broke around 3:00 and this beautiful baby was born at 8:40 a.m. Crystal Dawn was 8 pounds even, was born rather bald, had a beautiful round face and she was MY baby!! She was gorgeous. We spent about four days in the hospital, because she developed a bad case of jaundice. We have been bonded so strongly since that moment so many years ago.

That was 29 years ago. How can it have been 29 years ago?? I still feel like that 19 year old child that gave birth that day!! Crystal and I have been through so many things together. I always felt that it was her and I against the world. I divorced her (biological) father and it was the two of us. When her dad died, it was the two of us again who raised her brother and sister. Her brother and sister are the outstanding people they are because she was there for them. I am the person I am because she has always been there for me. She is raising two of the most amazing people in the world, and they will be amazing because she is there for them. I have never known anyone quite like her - she really makes a difference in people's lives. She makes people better just because she knows them.

You are an awesome, amazing, talented, sweet, loving, sensitive and adorable person. I am glad that maybe I helped make you that way. I love you and happy birthday.