by Carol Siverling
My early childhood was spent in Minneapolis. We lived three houses away from school, and as kids we played in the park. We moved to Bloomington when I entered 4th grade. I was a busy kid, rode horses in Shakopee, took gymnastic and dance lessons. In 9th grade, I joined the Bloomingtons Dance line. My senior year we danced for the Vikings. We went to Emmaus Church and took part in several activities.
I met my future husband in my senior year of high school. Mike was in college, studying computer science. We dated for three years before we got engaged. Mike was a Catholic, and before we got married, I went to classes and became a member of the Catholic Church.
Shortly after we were married we moved to Rochester. Mike was working for IBM. We went to Pax Christi Church where Mike sang in the choir and I taught children classes. We now wanted our first child. We were expecting our first child three years after we were married. I had a miscarriage at 3 months. We were devastated.
We waited a year and got pregnant again. The first 3 months I prayed every day and night. Our son Rick was born early, but healthy. We were thrilled. Rick was baptized in the Catholic Church and grew up with friends there. We waited until Rick was two before we decided to have another child.
The first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage at 3 months. It was a difficult time. Again we tried a year later and again we suffered another miscarriage. My faith at that time was being tested. Rick was in school at this time. We tried again for another child. We had lost 4 babies and I held my breath, until my third month and again we lost this baby. The clinic told us we should not try again.
I really didn’t understand why this kept happening and there were times when I was angry with God. I spent my days with Cub Scouts and school and church activities. Shortly after Rick’s 10th birthday I ended the emergency room. We went by ambulance. I experienced a tubal pregnancy and the right fallopian tube had ruptured. Emergency surgery and the surgeons removed the tube, my appendix, and my gall bladder. We were then told we would never have another child.
For me I was angry and upset with God. It took me a while, but I worked through it. I went back to college and started my nursing degree. I was busy with school and Rick when I realized something was wrong. So in the middle of finals I took a pregnancy test. It was positive. I called my doctor, and saw him the next day. I was almost 4 months along.
Needless to say, the clinic watched us very closely. We made it. Rick had just turned 14 and he was thrilled. In shop class, he made the baby a lamp. Alicia was born 9 days after his birthday. She was a perfect baby and weighed in at 6lbs and 3 ounces. I thanked God all the time I was waiting for her. He definitely decided when and how He would answer my prayers. The clinic never had answer as to how this happened. I do. I now have two beautiful granddaughters, Gracie and Rose.
Carol Siverling keeps busy knitting, crocheting, painting and walking her little dog. At Calvary, she participates in Renovare’s Prayer and Care, the Joy group, the Singles group, and on Sundays, the Reflections group at 9:30. This fall, her daughter and granddaughters are going to start crocheting together one Saturday a month.