Poetry & More By LaDawn: Happy 7th Birthday, Justice!

I was talking to my mother the other day about how my pregnancy with my son was hard and miserable. As happy as I was about the miracle that was growing inside me, it wasn't a happy time in my life. My life had been turned upside down. Then there was this baby that many didn't even want to be born. I was encouraged to get an abortion by some and even one person said they were praying I would have a miscarriage. All of this was definitely added stress.

However, I am thankful for all those who stood by me, especially my parents, siblings, aunts and uncles, etc. but I am very thankful for a young little girl who wanted a little sister who fell in love with her baby brother before he was even born. Even though it was impossible to convince her that she was getting a little brother because she was dead set on getting a little sister. When we went for my ultrasound to see if I was having a boy or a girl, the radiologist said, "It's a

boy!" Destiny who was 5 years old at the time, replied to him, "No, it's not! It's a girl!" The radiologist laughed and said, "Well, I'm 99.9% sure that it's a boy!" Destiny was still dead set that I was having a girl though and I don't think she believed it until he was born.

On November 16, 2006, I and my parents woke up and went to the hospital. We left Destiny with Aunt Margaret and I promised that if she went to school that I would have her new baby brother for her when she got out of school. Justice being the stubborn and bullheaded little boy that he is, refused to come until he was ready. He was born at 5:16 pm and he weighed 8 pounds 1 ounce and was 20 inches long.

It's been a long road being a single parent and I know I have many more years of it ahead of me. Lord willing it won't be all by myself, but even if it is, I know God will take care of us because He already has been for the past 7+ years.