But, But....You're so Pretty.....

I write that title with tongue in cheek totally!  

I am NOT little miss pretty at all but you'll see why I wrote it shortly and why it is so funny.

A few years ago, well quite a few years ago because I am getting old, we lost our last baby. We have lost 8. Yes, 8 precious souls in miscarriage. I had pituitary issues along with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome that went un-diagnosed for many years leading to hormone problems. Thankfully, we also had 8 healthy babies!  

After we lost Emmaline we were at the funeral home picking out a headstone. They were so gracious and donated a plot as they do for all babies. I thought that was the nicest gesture. It is in a beautiful part of the cemetery with a large heart stone where all the babies are. As we searched the catalogues for the perfect stone we were visiting with the gal who was lovely but quite the talker. It was fine but as we talked a light bulb came on. 

She was asking us how many children we had and we told her 8. As her eyes popped out of her head (not an unusual reaction for us) she said, "You know, I have this family on my loop where I live that take a walk every day and they all sing. We call them the Von Trapp Children. They carry sticks and chase each other around and scream and yell. They're all so cute." 

I hit Ed's leg under the table and asked where she lived and she said, "Oh, in so-and-so on such-and-such street". I smiled and told her where we lived and she said those are YOUR kids??? 

BUT.....BUT....YOU'RE  SO....P...P...PRETTY!    AND.....HE's....SO HANDSOME!  

All of this with an incredulous face!  It was the most hysterical thing EVER!  For such a sad reason to be there, it made our day. It was so darn funny. This poor woman, I mean what did she expect? A toothless, insane, ratty lady with a pot-bellied old ugly guy and snotty ragged kids?  I don't know. I don't think she did either. 

We had a lovely conversation, picked our stone with a beautiful picture of Jesus and an inscription. We put all our babies' names on it because we did not get to have all of their remains when each of them died. It was a true blessing. 

The other blessing was that we got to share with this gal that there are happy families and good men. She did not know we knew who she was in our neighborhood. She had terrible challenges, terrible things that had happened to her.  There are wonderful, holy, sacrificial men out there. Men who cherish and protect women and do not hurt them.  I happen to have one. She watched him. 

This was why she was incredulous as to why we would have so many children. Why would a woman put herself at such risk? This was all over her face. She had trusted and it had not gone well. It was why she was so prying and why we were not defensive towards her. She was wounded...badly.

 I am so glad it turned out to be so funny. And we really did laugh heartily together, we were there for 3 hours that day. I still just smile so big when I think back on it. It is still a really good memory of Emmaline's passing. The gal is not in our neighborhood anymore, the many scars on her face will always be there, the husband is in prison. I hope she is doing well and is blessed with a good life.

God is so good.

~Blessings~

Lisa