Miracles happen.

John Paul Charles Karlen with big brother Peter

Last week, Matt shared with you all that my wife Laura and I welcomed a baby boy (John Paul Charles Karlen) into the world, thanks be to God. I'd now like to take just a moment or two to share some of the miraculous circumstances that surrounded our son's arrival.

Our first son Peter was born in 2007--just two months and eight days shy of our first anniversary. Off to a great start, we just sort of assumed we'd raise one of these epic Catholic families and would need to start saving immediately for a "Catholic Van."

It wasn't to be. Two years of infertility were followed by heartache with an April, 2010 miscarriage, which I chronicled in Madison's Catholic Herald. After another year of infertility, we found out we were expecting again on Father's Day of 2011. Our first ultrasound appointment showed no heartbeat, and we were devastated again. This time (and as for why, your guess is as good as mine), I wrote about the pain of miscarriage on a Brewers blog and shortly thereafter packed our baby stuff in the attic assuming we'd never again need it.

We're getting to the good stuff now, I promise. 

Matt had very graciously shared with me that we might have the opportunity to venerate the relics of St. Gianna at the Shrine in La Crosse--a practice that has, from time to time through the Mercy of God, led to the conception and birth of miracle babies.

My wife's hands are the same size as St. Gianna's. How playa is that?

On December 21, we made our pilgrimage to the Shrine and venerated the relics. I suggested we put our money where our mouth is and that if we truly trusted that the Lord could work a miracle, perhaps Laura might take a month off of her fertility medications. She did. And she was pregnant by early January.

BUT WAIT; THERE'S MORE. 

Around that same time, we also began another devotion. A friend we met while coordinating Madison's 40 Days for Life vigil mailed us a curious gift. He had just returned from the Holy Land and had made a pilgrimage to Bethlehem's Milk Grotto--where according to tradition, the Holy Family found refuge during Herod's slaughter of the innocents. The tradition says that a drop of the Blessed Mother's Milk touched the ground here, turning the cave white and leaving behind a white powder.

Our friend sent us a packet of this powder and instructions for the unique devotion: From January through our last night before heading to the hospital, we mixed a small bit of the powder in a glass of water, drank it together, and prayed the third joyful mystery of the Rosary.

Still, we didn't know what the Lord's Will held and remained anxious about whether we'd miscarry. Those fears seemed like they'd be realized in February when we got a call from our doctor that for the second time in a row Laura's progesterone (a critical pregnancy hormone) levels were decreasing. It appeared that we had lost another baby, and we were advised to get an ultrasound the next day to confirm.

With heavy hearts, we headed for our appointment. Before the ultrasound tech could say a word we both saw the unmistakable flicker of that tiny beating heart. The very best day of my life.

The rest of the pregnancy was no cakewalk. Hormone levels were up. Then down. Then up. Then way down. They back to normal. Laura had mild contractions way earlier than expected. Trouble always seemed like it was just around the corner. But in His Mercy, the Lord blessed us with the baby we'd desired for years.

Miracles happen.

My soul proclaims the Greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior....the Almighty has done great things for me and Holy is His Name.

I'd be remiss at this point if I failed to note one other important way the Lord helped us with this pregnancy and delivery. For the last couple years, we've been patients at Madison's Our Lady of Hope Clinic (which deserves a post of its own). Dr. Michael Kloess, who has made immeasurable sacrifices to open an authentically Catholic clinic, was instrumental in providing Laura with excellent care, facilitating John Paul's safe arrival.