Belly Button

Tonight Eliza nad I were eating a normal "Mommy/Daughter Dinner" of fish, mix veggies and some lentil soup for little Ms. Eliza and as Eliza was finishing dinner, she pulls up her shirt and exposes her oh... so cute belly button. I don't think much of it at first... she loves to show her Daddy her belly in hopes that he will blow raspberries on it. When her daddy blows on her belly she then laughs uncontrollably. It is super cute and the giggle is that of pure joy and the laugh is infectious. But tonight there was no daddy so her belly was full and and when she has a full belly it sticks out. I look away to nawsh on my dinner and next thing you know she is pulling out her "innie" belly button out. It was on the longer side and it stuck right out. I was kindof grossed out about it at first. Telling ELiza to put it back in. She played with it for a few more seconds. In my disgust (mind you I could never be a nurse), I started hysterically crying, that was a belly button of a child who was taken from her mothers womb. It looked to be hand cut. Then the flood of emotions started running through me. Did her birth mom have to cut the cord in haste? Did she have help cutting the cord? Did she have thoughts of doing something else to her instead of saving her life so she could become my earthly daughter? What risk did her mom have to take to keep her alive? Was her mom able to see her. Folks, let me be honest. That belly button cord does not look like it was cut by a doctor. That cord is the tell tail sign that it probably was not done in a hospital and that her birth mom did not have prenatal care. My little Eliza is a survivior at her young age of 21 months. That cute belly button reminded to be thankful everyday for the blessings of her. So, now I reframe my thinking and that of disgust is now a belly button of courage. I love this little girl more and more every day.