Heroes. They come in many shapes and sizes. But my most recent interaction with a hero came last Tuesday, January 9, 2018.
The day I met Kenna.
Kenna is a mom. An amazing mom. And that makes her strong. But that’s not why she’s a hero. She’s been married for 9 years to the love of her life, a man who selflessly serves our country in the United States Navy. She’s faced, with bravery and courage, four deployments, six moves, and the birth of two beautiful children. And while she has the love and support of her amazing husband, she often does it alone. The breakfasts, the lunches, the school drop offs. The bedtimes, the baths, the schedules. Most of us would fall apart at the seams, give up, crumble at the weight of it all. But she balances it with such grace and humility. Every single day.
And THAT’s why she’s a hero.
But even heroes grow weary from time to time. And that incredible strength and courage that she held so deep inside was put to the test, when she found out she was pregnant with their third child. It was bittersweet, as she knew that this would be the first time she’d welcome their child into the world without him. Without his support. Without her rock. Not only was he was stationed in Washington, but his ship was scheduled to be out to sea on her due date. Without knowledge of his exact location, she knew this meant little communication, if any at all, with her husband during the birth of their sweet baby, the one they had kept a surprise. But she kept her head up. She fought through the emotions of the months and weeks that followed. She knew she’d have her mom by her side during the birth, and that brought her comfort and peace.
But all of that comfort and peace was shattered when Kenna’s water broke at 2:00 a.m. on the morning of January 9, 2018.
The baby, not due for another three weeks.
Her husband stationed in Washington.
Her mom on a business trip in Canada.
So Grandma and Aunt came to the rescue. They brought her to the hospital and stayed with her as the sun rose on that beautiful January morning. They sat with her, laughed with her, and supported her. Until a miracle happened… (Well, actually a few of them.)
Mom found a 4 a.m. flight across the country, and was able to make it there in time to see the baby born.
And…her husband wasn’t on the ship yet. Which meant he would get to communicate with her throughout the day, getting the opportunity to “see” his beautiful son or daughter just moments after birth, rather than days or weeks later.
I got to witness SO many miracles that day. But the biggest one was witnessing the unwavering strength and courage of a mother and wife who, day in and day out, takes the trials that could so easily beat her down, and turns them into something beautiful. Incredibly beautiful.
Goodness…to say this woman is a hero is an understatement.
Like I said, heroes come in all shapes and sizes. But, to me…it doesn’t get much braver than this.
And…here is the documentary film of the birth. Grab your kleenexes!!
