Two Pound Miracles

August 2011

Tanner Jozef: Born on May 17th, 2004. No one in the family even knew Sarah was pregnant. She is a petite young woman and suffered major developmental delays due to leukemia as a young child, multiple times. Due to her small figure and obliviousness to being pregnant, she was unable to receive the proper prenatal care. She was supposed to be due in August. I remember we got the phone call early in the morning, before I had to leave school - Sarah’s water had broke. She was in the hospital for days, Tanner for weeks. My brother and I had to lie about our age to even get into the special room for visiting our new baby cousin. Tyler and Tanner have the same birthday. The first time we got to visit, I remember praying for him to hold on; as Ty was talking to Tanner, he stuck out his tongue - probably as a natural reflex or baby movement, but I knew it was more than that. 

On an oxygen pump, weekly doctor checkups, fighting for his life.

Now: He loves dinosaurs, cars, fishing, and family. He is the biggest mama’s boy I know and will always protect her. My heart breaks for this boy. I love him to death and am so thankful God gave me such an amazing little cousin.

Breana Lyn:  After Tanner, nobody thought there was any chance Sarah would have more kids. We thought wrong. Breana Lyn was born September 28th of 2007. Once again, three months premature and many complications in the pregnancy. 

I remember visiting Bre in the hospital more clearly than Tanner. I had more hope since Tanner had made it through, but I was also more terrified something may go wrong. 

Now: She is almost ready for preschool; she loves animals, her big brother, and singing. She has the whole world ahead of her and will do amazing things with the gifts she has been given. I cannot wait to see where God takes her.

I don’t know how God does it, but He continually amazes me with His surprises and His love. Sometimes I guess it’s when you least expect it that He wants us to grow and learn and think. Watching my two cousins grow up from three months premature till now has dramatically increased my appreciation for family, and for the blessings God has given me. I never knew how much I was missing out on until these two kids were born. I am so very thankful and feel so incredibly blessed. Many children do not make it when born so early and when having such complications. 

Even though they were born a small two pounds and could fit in the palm of my hand, God is going to do something big with these two. They’re going to change the world.

They’ve already flipped mine upside down.