By: Avis Coleman - Savannah

This portrait of my child and me has a special place in my heart. It?s the only one I ever had done of me with one of my children. At about 20 ?22 months, I took each of them to Lori Grice Studios for their portrait in their matching green linen outfits. It was always stressful trying to get my little darlings to cooperate but the results were always incredible and well worth the effort.

When Lori asked me if I wanted to take one with Grace while I was there for her turn in front of the camera, I don?t know why I did, but I said ?yes? and I?m thrilled that I did.

I said yes another time in my life, and that time it was to God. That is why this wonderful, beautiful child is in my life and I will be forever grateful.

I was 42 years old, in the throes of my third painful, difficult pregnancy and was facing the struggles of raising four children (the first set are twins) under the age of three with a husband whose job kept him away from home more than either of us would like. In my eighth month, I signed the papers to have my tubes tied, justifying my decision based on many factors ? my advancing age, the dangers associated with so many C-Sections, and of course, the four young children who needed so much attention and care.

I had converted to Catholicism after visiting with husband for several years, but still didn?t quite understand the birth control issue. Surely God would understand with all these children and all the risks I faced at my age, that I might chose to prevent any more.

I was wrong and I thank God every day that some voice tugging at my heart convinced me to talk to someone about my decision. Father Tim McKeown was a fairly new parish priest and had only been at our church a few months but he was available and willing to talk to anyone about Catholic beliefs and the will and purpose of our Heavenly Father. Again, I expected full dispensation for what I was about to do, but it wasn?t coming from this staunchly faithful, dedicated young priest.

He explained to me that our bodies are pallets that God uses to create his masterpieces. Father Tim asked me how I would feel if I learned that I could have created the person who could bring about world peace or cure Aids. What if I prevented from coming into this world the child that was supposed to take care of my husband and me in our advancing years? He was so spiritual and so faithful to the Word of God, I understood for the first time why our faith is so strongly against chemical or surgical birth control techniques.

Rubbing my huge, kicking tummy, I wanted to follow that faith, but still thought it might be nice to stop with this one if that was God?s plan for my life. Father Tim sent me home with literature and a cassette to learn about the church?s only approved form of control which is Natural Family Planning. This system calls for counting the days, watching temperature changes, and a few other measures.

Brendan, Coleman baby number 4, was born three weeks later and my astonished obstetrician left my reproductive system intact, though shaking his head at my change of heart.

My husband and I had no trouble following the Natural Family Planning protocol and were very successful!

For five months.

In October 2002, we learned that our fifth child was on the way. We wondered how this could happen! We were so careful from days 11 through 19 like we were supposed to be. But the very precise ultrasound we had during those first few weeks clearly showed that the baby was conceived on an unheard-of day 23!

While we didn?t look forward to all the shots, the back pain, and the epidural, we were overjoyed at the thought of yet another baby. How could we have ever thought we didn?t need any more?

Our joy multiplied exponentially when our 20 week ultrasound revealed that this miracle baby was another girl. I was finally giving my older daughter, Addie, the one gift in life that I never had ? a sister! We couldn?t believe our luck and thanked God every day for our fifth blessing and prayed that she would be healthy and strong like her four older siblings.

We named her Mary Grace Coleman ? Mary after her wonderful grandmother who had died four years before, and Grace because we truly felt the ?Grace? of God was responsible for this incredible miracle.

John and I say at least once a week how very, very blessed we are to have these five incredible, beautiful children. And we laugh hysterically at all their antics, but especially Grace?s. She has a hilarious personality and a charm that amazes everyone who meets her. I know God sent me to see Father Tim and I know that she is here for a reason. We don?t know what she will do with her life when she grows up, but all of us know that she is special. She is a precious addition to our life and she is here because of God?s glorious and amazing Grace.