Her name was Anna Faith
She didn't have a name when she was born. She was born 37 years ago today in a big hospital about 10 miles from where she would have grown up with her two sisters. I never met her. I couldn't meet her. She was not born alive. I cried for her and mourned her.
After my father died a couple of years later my mom met someone new. She was "fixed up" that the term they used back then by my step grandmother, my grandfather's second wife. The man she fixed my mom up with was a friend of hers. He was short, looked much older then my mom and later I found out he was, he was thin and always wore boots with heels to make him taller and always some sort of hat or cap on his balding head. He was nice enough and even got us, my sister and I, Christmas gifts the same year that he met my mom. I got a pair of black pants and my sister a shirt. The pants didn't fit me though but I thanked him and then later gave the pants to my uncle's girlfriend at the time. My sister's shirt fit perfectly and she loved it.
So, a couple more years went by of them dating and then my mom told us she was expecting a baby. I wasn't surprised and neither was my sister. We somehow just knew that it would happen. My mom was young in her 30's and she always wanted a 3rd baby but she was not able to have that baby with our father who passed away before that could happen. As the months went by and my mom's stomach grew bigger with each passing month my sister and I did all we could to make life easier for her and we cooked dinner sometimes, and cleaned the house so she didn't have to.
When my mom's water broke I ran next door to get my aunt. My aunt came running like she was on fire and she and my mom talked in the bedroom. My sister and I stayed out of the room and out of the way. Then my aunt called 911 and an ambulance arrived within minutes and within minutes my mom was tucked inside an ambulance on the way to the hospital. I felt scared and worried. I just had a feeling something was going to happen but I didn't know what it was. My sister had the same feeling. My aunt told us to stay in the house and wait for word and she would be next door if we needed her. At the time I was 13 and my sister was 10. We did as we were told and stayed inside and waited. We waited until day turned into evening and then there was a knock on the door. We both looked at the chained and locked front door and asked in unison who it was. When we heard the voice of my grandmother we knew it was safe to open the door and that we did. My grandmother told us to pack some clothes and that we were going to go to her house and that she would take us to the hospital the next day to see our mom.
My grandmother helped us pack what we needed in a small suitcase and we took a couple of dolls and toys. We went to Nana's house and had dinner. My sister and I asked if my mom was okay and she said that she was and that was good enough for us at the time. In the morning we all packed in my grandmother's white Plymouth car and made the trip to the hospital where my mom was. It was a quiet eerie ride all the way there. Nobody spoke a word. When we got to hospital we went to the maternity floor and my grandmother told us to wait in the waiting room and she would be back. After a short conversation with a nurse at the front desk my grandmother disappeared down a short hallway. A few minutes later my mom and grandmother appeared in the waiting room where me and my sister were waiting. My mom was alone. She had braided her hair and was in a hospital gown and slippers. Her stomach still swollen from giving birth. My sister and I didn't know what to think. My mom sat down on the small couch that was in the waiting room and she told us that the baby girl she had didn't survive that the baby went to heaven. She was still born, not born alive. I didn't know what to say and I started crying instantly after I heard the news. I remember my mom trying to comfort me and then I asked her what the baby's name was and could I see my little sister.
My mom told me that I couldn't see her that they had taken her away. I asked where. My mom was not sure where but she said that she had seen the baby and held the baby and talked to her and told her that we all loved her. I was heartbroken that I hadn't been able to see, hold or touch my little sister. I asked my mom what her name was. My mom said that she hadn't gotten the chance to name her that she was going to name her after she was born like she had did with us. I then asked my mom if we could name her then. With tears in her eyes she said of course we could. My sister, mom, and grandmother picked out her name a few minutes later. We all like the name and it suited our angel perfectly.
Her name was Anna Faith. Although, Anna Faith is now in heaven now. I like to think with all the ones that have passed before her and looking and watching over us, I still think about her every year on her special day. She will always and forever have a special place in my heart.
My mom had another baby about a year later. My younger brother was born in July, healthy and happy.
After my father died a couple of years later my mom met someone new. She was "fixed up" that the term they used back then by my step grandmother, my grandfather's second wife. The man she fixed my mom up with was a friend of hers. He was short, looked much older then my mom and later I found out he was, he was thin and always wore boots with heels to make him taller and always some sort of hat or cap on his balding head. He was nice enough and even got us, my sister and I, Christmas gifts the same year that he met my mom. I got a pair of black pants and my sister a shirt. The pants didn't fit me though but I thanked him and then later gave the pants to my uncle's girlfriend at the time. My sister's shirt fit perfectly and she loved it.
So, a couple more years went by of them dating and then my mom told us she was expecting a baby. I wasn't surprised and neither was my sister. We somehow just knew that it would happen. My mom was young in her 30's and she always wanted a 3rd baby but she was not able to have that baby with our father who passed away before that could happen. As the months went by and my mom's stomach grew bigger with each passing month my sister and I did all we could to make life easier for her and we cooked dinner sometimes, and cleaned the house so she didn't have to.
When my mom's water broke I ran next door to get my aunt. My aunt came running like she was on fire and she and my mom talked in the bedroom. My sister and I stayed out of the room and out of the way. Then my aunt called 911 and an ambulance arrived within minutes and within minutes my mom was tucked inside an ambulance on the way to the hospital. I felt scared and worried. I just had a feeling something was going to happen but I didn't know what it was. My sister had the same feeling. My aunt told us to stay in the house and wait for word and she would be next door if we needed her. At the time I was 13 and my sister was 10. We did as we were told and stayed inside and waited. We waited until day turned into evening and then there was a knock on the door. We both looked at the chained and locked front door and asked in unison who it was. When we heard the voice of my grandmother we knew it was safe to open the door and that we did. My grandmother told us to pack some clothes and that we were going to go to her house and that she would take us to the hospital the next day to see our mom.
My grandmother helped us pack what we needed in a small suitcase and we took a couple of dolls and toys. We went to Nana's house and had dinner. My sister and I asked if my mom was okay and she said that she was and that was good enough for us at the time. In the morning we all packed in my grandmother's white Plymouth car and made the trip to the hospital where my mom was. It was a quiet eerie ride all the way there. Nobody spoke a word. When we got to hospital we went to the maternity floor and my grandmother told us to wait in the waiting room and she would be back. After a short conversation with a nurse at the front desk my grandmother disappeared down a short hallway. A few minutes later my mom and grandmother appeared in the waiting room where me and my sister were waiting. My mom was alone. She had braided her hair and was in a hospital gown and slippers. Her stomach still swollen from giving birth. My sister and I didn't know what to think. My mom sat down on the small couch that was in the waiting room and she told us that the baby girl she had didn't survive that the baby went to heaven. She was still born, not born alive. I didn't know what to say and I started crying instantly after I heard the news. I remember my mom trying to comfort me and then I asked her what the baby's name was and could I see my little sister.
My mom told me that I couldn't see her that they had taken her away. I asked where. My mom was not sure where but she said that she had seen the baby and held the baby and talked to her and told her that we all loved her. I was heartbroken that I hadn't been able to see, hold or touch my little sister. I asked my mom what her name was. My mom said that she hadn't gotten the chance to name her that she was going to name her after she was born like she had did with us. I then asked my mom if we could name her then. With tears in her eyes she said of course we could. My sister, mom, and grandmother picked out her name a few minutes later. We all like the name and it suited our angel perfectly.
Her name was Anna Faith. Although, Anna Faith is now in heaven now. I like to think with all the ones that have passed before her and looking and watching over us, I still think about her every year on her special day. She will always and forever have a special place in my heart.
My mom had another baby about a year later. My younger brother was born in July, healthy and happy.
Comments
Post a Comment