I'm back, but only to show you this video

Have you ever ran inside, saying to your husband, "I'm not 'back' yet--ignore me, I just have to get something!" And then you hide from your kids before they attack you with "mom requests"? Oh, you haven't? So I guess it's just me then.

Anyway, I'm not "back" yet. Still working on a few things and on some orders. But for those of you who remember my nephew Dominic, who only two months ago, was literally fighting for his life right after having a life-saving operation on his face and skull--I wanted to tell you that he's home and doing great. The Boston's Children Hospital did a great story on him and his medical situation, as sort of a teaching video that they use on their website, to help teach and inform parents of children like Dominic.

Dominic has been in the paper lately, and he was on the local news in WI. Of course, as his family, we are all busting out buttons with pride over the little guy, but even more than that, with every story written and every story told, we're brought back to the beginning of the journey--the beginning that you didn't get to see.

I was in the middle of my prayer time when my Mom first called to tell me the news that Mary's pregnancy would most likely end in miscarriage, due to some deformities that the baby had. I remember I cried like I hadn't cried since my Dad died. I was mourning the loss of a baby I didn't yet know and yet who was still alive--but would soon die. I was mourning for my sister, who felt every kick and squirm of Dominic.

I was at adoration later, praying for Mary and Dominic when Mary finally called me. She cried a little, but she was taking the news well, with a lot of spiritual insight. That was how a lot of pregnancy was spent--a lot of tears and sadness, but moments of joy and even hope. We would soon learn that Dominic had a chance to live after the pregnancy, but most likely only hours, at best. I spent Mary's pregnancy making novena after novena. Little Dominic was already on every prayer chain that familly and friends could find, the Schoenstatt Sisters, who literally live practically in my sister's backyard, prayed daily for Dominic. Mary became good friends with all the nuns over there; they were a great support to Mary and her family at that time.

About a month before Dominic was born, my family and I made the six hour drive to WI, to go see the new house that they had moved in a couple years before, see the family, but most of all--to see Dominic. I knew I wasn't going to be able to be there for his birth, though I really wanted to be. However, I knew that being with Dominic in his last hours were going be spent in private, with his parents. I know that that's how I would want it to be.

But, being the pro-life person that I am, :-) , seeing Dominic's little form in my sister's growing belly was good enough for me. I got to feel him move and kick; and I would silently whisper little prayers to him, but not so Mary could hear. It was prayers only me and Dominic could hear.

Leaving my sister was a little hard, though we said our good-byes in the usual casual manner as we always do. I told her I would pray for her and Dominic. That was all I could promise her. But I didn't tell even Dennis the sadness I was feeling in my heart after "seeing" Dominic for likely, the last time.

And the rest is history, as they say. He came out not only alive, but completely healthy. It was expected he would need help with breathing, but God formed things in a way that Dominic could breathe around the brain that sitting in his mouth. His apgar scores were 10---not even any of my kids ever were scored 10--or any other baby that I knew either.

He was smiley and happy; he couldn't see very well with his eyes so far apart, but he would "see" with his hands, touching the face of those who held him. Everyone who saw Dominic usually fell in love with him after a few minutes; he had a way of making you forget the "bubble" and pretty soon, all you saw and talked about was his smile.

 Dominic's deformities made things happen; it made him controversial and it made people talk. It made people debate over what a life is worth; and even though some of the comments that were said were hurtful, we could see that God was using Dominic's rare medical condition to show the miracle of life. People of all faiths, and even non-believers were praising God (whether they were aware of it or not, I don't know) that Dominic is alive today! They were amazed to see this baby with a brain literally in his mouth, able to breathe and eat and smile and giggle. They hungered for his story, and then, out of complete disbelief, they would pass it on, just for the sake of wanting to amaze someone else.

I know that there are a ton of kids out there with miraculous stories--and I hope to hear those stories too, as my own journey of life goes on. But the wonderful thing about this is that we know Dominic--we all consider him to be "ours" whether we are the mom or dad, the sister or brother, the grandparents, the uncle or aunt, or the friends. We were  there at the beginning--wondering amongst ourselves what on earth God was going to do with this, how it could possibly end well when it seemed that all it was doing was creating hurt and controversy.

I'm glad to say to the world that Dominic is not just a medical success story, but he is the pro-life message of what people are wanting to hear: that it's possible for a deformed baby to be completely loved, wanted, and happy.

Here is the video of Boston Children's Hospital, and how they are now passing on Dominic's story, to educate people that there is hope for babies like Dominic: