Eve-Maire entered this world purple and barely alive. Throughout the labor Sarah had to lay down. The baby’s neck was noosed in her own umbilical cord and standing up caused a worrying drop in heart rate. The moments immediately following birth dragged into a tense eternity when the nurses pulled the baby from her mothers sight in order to clean her. Panicked and heartbroken, Sarah wondered is she dead? Then she heard Eve-Marie cry.
Today we celebrated Eve-Marie’s seventh birthday by going out for donuts. At breakfast Sarah shared the story of Evie’s birth. She said, “Your cries were the most beautiful sound I’d ever heard because then I knew you were alive.”
I wouldn’t know what that feels like.
I wasn’t there.
I didn’t come into Eve-Marie’s life until 5 years later. After her mother and I had met on eharmony.com, after we’d built a friendship that turned into a relationship, after we’d dated secretly telling Eve-Maire this guy from the computer that mommy hangs out with was, “just a friend,” to protect her fragile heart in the event that things didn’t work out.
At breakfast this morning I told the story of the first time I met Eve-Marie.
That first day I sat cross-legged on the floor as she showed me the toys in her bedroom. She turned around, looked at me in those fresh moments of our relationship, crawled into my lap, wrapped her arms around my neck and whispered, “You’d be just perfect for my daddy.”
Then she asked, “What’s wrong with your eyes?”
I’d fallen in love with Sarah before I’d ever met Eve-Marie. I’d been praying over pictures of her for months seeking God’s will desperately and the moment was too much for me to handle. As I wiped away tears Evie ran to tell Sarah, “I have an idea who could be my daddy, he could be my daddy.”
When I proposed to Sarah I gave Eve-Marie a ring too. When we wrote our wedding vows I committed myself to Sarah as a husband and to Eve-Marie as a father.
I love my little girl.
Billy, this was a lovely story. Very, very nice, my friend.
i am completely jaw dropped and speechless and weeping. moved to tears. how blessed your girls are! how proud our Father must be with you!
Today, I’m the one who has something wrong with my eyes.
Thank you for loving Eve-Marie as deeply as you do. Thank you for the hard work you’ve put into being her daddy.
We both love you like crazy.
Dude, are you jackin’ me? Is this a Hallmark TV special? I’m getting all emo and weepy checking my blogs on Saturday morning.
More power to you. Thanks for being one of the real men. The world needs more like you.
Beatiful story Billy, thank you for wharing
Sorry meant sharing
That’s such a fantastic testimony. Thank you Sarah, Billy and Eve-Marie for sharing that with us all!
I’m sure my God smiled at that. Lord, spread your love as we live, and make us open for opportunities to share your grace. In Jesus name amen.
amazing story….thats awesome
Mom and Dad,
I can whare beautiful stories only because of the love you whared with me all those years š
I heard a minister the other day say something when she was preaching about Ruth and Naomi and it has stuck with me. I was reminded of it when I read your writing… She asked the question, “What is God doing in your life that you don’t know anything about?”
I loved your testimony and I believe that God has wonders for each of us as we seek Him and follow after Him. He makes all things beautiful in His time!
Billy,
What a touching story! I can relate a little bit, Stephanie and I met on Yahoo! Personals. We hit it off immediately! Here we are three years later, married, home owners, parents. WOW! Maybe the net isn’t such a bad thing after all?!
Every child is a blessing. I’m sure you cherish her just as much as I cherish Ryan. Thank you GOD!