Louie and I had accepted the fact that we would have an only child. Our life was in order and everything was as it should be. Our focus was on Nathan and all his endeavors. Basketball, Baseball, Band and anything else he wanted to pursue. Life was calm, organized and "perfect" Just like I had always wanted it to be. Again, God had other plans.
My father (this will be another story) had suffered a stroke. Being a proud man who always took care of us, he had a hard time adjusting to being the one who needed care. As some of you know, it is hard to watch your parents go through the cycle of recovery. At this point in my story, Daddy was still trying to find a will to live his new life.
On March 13, 1996, Nathan's 13 birthday, I was told by my doctor that I was expecting a baby. After I grabbed him by his shirt and shook him begging him to tell me that it was not true, I cried. I do not know if it was because I knew my world would be turned upside down or that I was finally going to have another chance at having a baby girl. Either way, I just cried. When we wished Nathan a happy birthday and told him he would soon have a brother or sister.....he cried too. If I remember correctly his exact words were, "Couldn't you have just bought me a gift?!"
On the morning of November 1, 1996 Raychel came into this world and would change it forever. From the moment my dad held her, his will to live took him by force. We were older, wiser and better parents than we were when Nathan was born but that did not phase Raych. My organized and "perfect" life was no more. Louie and I had no idea what this little life would bring us but we knew she was a gift to our family directly from God. Raychel is blessed with more talent, faith and compassion than anyone I have ever known. It is as if God took the best parts of every family member and rolled them into one. When she walks into a room you know she is there because a light follows her wherever she goes.
My father loved her so much that is was almost painful to watch. They had this connection that left no room for anyone else. He made it a point to see her every day. Although I am so thankful for those two years that he had with her I am sad for her because other than God, she will never again have someone love her the way that he did. It is not possible. He told me the day she was born was the day the sun started shining again. People often ask me why we spell Raychel the way we do and my answer is always the same: "When there was darkness in our life God sent a magnificent "ray" of sun to shine and she was named "Ray"chel. I, however, call her Sunshine."
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