Free Bella's Gift by Rick Santorum Page B

that it was stories like this that had helped us keep the faith and fight the battle. Our God is a God of miracles.
    We held a huge celebration for Bella’s one-month birthday. Actually, it was a huge celebration in our hearts! Concerned about germs, we had a simple party with family and friends. I always say I’m so blessed to be walking through life with my family. It’s a great comfort going through everything together with family, and many of our friends have shared the journey of life with us for a very long time. We have had our babies together; prayed together; celebrated baptisms, first communions, and confirmations; done sports and piano recitals together; gone on retreats together; and shared all the ups and downs of life.
    God blessed us with such dear family and friends on this journey of life. Bella’s one-month birthday was a joyful celebration. We had food and wine and toasted to Bella’s life. We had a strawberries-and-cream cake with pink frosted roses for Bella, and almost seven years later we still have the same cake for Bella at every celebration for her. She has her own signature cake!
    We built a life that summer based on new hopes and small milestones. This was the summer of simple pleasures like neighborhood walks and baseball games. Peter and Patrick were playing Little League baseball, and Rick was their coach. Their team played well that year, and I had missed watching them play, so we packed up Bella and brought her to a few games.
    Bella’s diaper bag was unlike any other diaper bag. It was like a physician’s bag filled with gauze, syringes, tubing, and a tiny portable pulse oximetry finger probe. Standing away from the crowded bleachers, under the shade, I swayed her backand forth. Smelling clipped grass and cooking hamburgers, I smiled as I gratefully shared these peaceful moments with my little one. She was dressed in a pink dress and a sunhat as I cradled my little love tenderly. This was one of the first outfits I had bought her that wasn’t a preemie size. Her wearing it was a little milestone. It sounds silly, but I was proud of her. Maybe she knew. I smiled as she cooed sweetly to herself. She loved to coo when she was drowsy, singing herself to sleep.
    Peter was a catcher, and as soon as he saw me standing there with Bella, he took off his mask and grinned. Patrick spotted us from the outfield and almost ran over during the game! Rick waved him back, reminding him to keep his eye on the ball. I laughed at their sweet reactions. Peter and Patrick lost the first game Bella attended. We think they might have been a little distracted, but we had our own victories to celebrate.
    Since arriving home, Bella always loved being outside. She responded to the warmth of the sun and the soft breezes. We went for walks every day, and Bella loved the birds’ songs. When she heard their sweet melodies, her little legs kicked and her eyes lit up. Occasionally, she liked to sing with them, cooing and squealing her own little harmony. The walks were good for her and therapeutic for me. Frustrations and concerns were left on the side of the road.
    Since being in the NICU, Psalm 23 had become my constant prayer. As I walked, I would thank God for bringing me out of the dark valley and into the light. We held Bella, sang to her, rocked her, and gave her massages. She especially loved foot massages. We would nestle her in a pillow and rub each of her feet with lavender oil while listening to the soundsof whales on her Sleep Sheep. Her feet were so tiny we only needed to massage them with one finger. Inevitably, she would relax and quickly drift off to sleep.
    As she grew out of the sleepy newborn-baby phase, Bella began to interact more with us. She loved to laugh, particularly if the boys tickled her tummy or chin. She’d pull her arms to her sides, tuck in her chin, and giggle until the boys relented. Afterward, she’d inhale and exhale very deeply, like any dramatic little sister.

    During these