Waiting for a birthday

What a week! One week ago tonight, while her husband attempted a nap on what appeared to be a cement slab, I was "sleeping" in the hospital bed with my daughter who was giving birth to twins the next morning, one day earlier than planned by the doctor. Her appointment that day had shown one twin's fluid measuring low, so the doctor sent her straight to the hospital, intent on delivering the babies ASAP. My daughter and son-in-law had been through five years of infertility, including last-ditch, herculean efforts, before this miracle occurred, so our anxiety was almost palpable on Monday night. In the years leading up to this momentous day, we had suffered failure after failure, disappointment after disappointment, sorrow after sorrow. We had all but forgotten the feeling of hope normally associated with the anticipation of children. But, on this night, we felt all the hope, as well as all the anxiety, a situation like ours could generate. Needless to say, "sleeping" was impossible. We could not wait!!