A Sweet Reunion

Something very special happened this weekend.

Ann Catherine got to see Marcy.

Marcy was one of Ann Catherine's primary nurses in the NICU. We had never met Marcy until June 1st, 2005. After that day, she became a very important person in our lives.

She was the one who went and got my mother to tell her Melissa had passed away.

She was the first person I saw when Chris took me to the NICU on June 2nd to see Ann Catherine. I will never forget it. She was at Ann Catherine's bedside taking care of her. We met and she explained to us what she was doing. Ann Catherine was so critical. She was less than two pounds and was on a ventilator. I was tired, scared and confused.

At that moment, Marcy said something to me and Chris that we never forgot. She said, "Don't you worry until I start to worry." We remembered that during our entire NICU stay. If Marcy wasn't worried, we didn't worry. And Marcy never worried.

Marcy was the one who told me one day, "You're going to give Ann Catherine a bath today." Ann Catherine was only 2 pounds and I was terrified. "No, I'm not," I said. "Yes, you are," she replied. "You are her mother and you are going to give her a bath."

I did, and while it was scary, it was also absolutely amazing.

Once we left NICU, Marcy would babysit Ann Catherine for me. One time last summer, Marcy came to keep Ann Catherine and I complained that every time I laid her down for a nap, she would wake up crying. That afternoon at nap time, Marcy found a little lamb on the floor. She grabbed it, handed it to Ann Catherine, rocked her and put it to bed with her.

To this day, Ann Catherine sleeps with "Lamby." It's her security.

Marcy and her husband live out of state now, but they came to Tuscaloosa for the Alabama/Tennessee game. We caught up so she could see the girls.

On the way to Tuscaloosa, Chris and I told Ann Catherine about Marcy. And it hit us, how strange that Marcy was such an integral part of Ann Catherine's life, but AC doesn't remember her.

Marcy cared for Ann Catherine - loved and rocked her when I wasn't there. They had quite a bond.

She may not remember Marcy now, but we'll make sure that she knows all about her. And about how this wonderful stranger came into our life at the most unexpected time - and became a cherished friend.