Amber and I had a nice quiet day together. So with that, I’ve decided to write about something else that’s been on my mind.

In the Pre-Op room on Thursday, we were introduced to the head nurse that would be in with Amber during her procedure. Her name was Beata. Beata, as it turns out, was the one that also took care of baby Lily (and Cutie) in the OR, adorning her head in wrappings and ports, to match Amber. Beata and Amber’s team did not have to do this extra thing, these extra steps. It most likely set the nurses and doctors back from their next appointments, and they probably fell behind in their schedule a bit. But instead, these doctors and nurses went above and beyond to take Amber’s comfort to the next level, to have her baby come out safe and sound with the same exact recovery as Amber herself. This sentiment speaks volumes of the hospital.

For me however, the sentiment goes further. Amber’s head nurse that day was Beata, as I mentioned earlier. When we were introduced to her and she told us her name, my mind immediately went to the word: Beatitudes. I took a mental note to look those up later because at this particular point, it was go time and I was able to go in the OR with Amber while she fell asleep. Later, in the waiting room, after I said my prayers in the hospital’s chapel, I finally got to look up the Beatitudes. You see, I couldn’t quite remember on my own what these were because it’s been a long time since my CCD and CYO classes.

According to Wikipedia, The Beatitudes are eight blessings recounted by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in the gospel of Matthew. The eight Beatitudes are:

* (1) Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
* (2) Blessed are those who mourn: for they will be comforted.
* (3) Blessed are the meek: for they will inherit the earth.
* (4) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they will be filled.
* (5) Blessed are the merciful: for they will be shown mercy.
* (6) Blessed are the pure in heart: for they will see God.
* (7) Blessed are the peacemakers: for they will be called children of God.
* (8) Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Reading further into #5 about mercy, there is another notable devotion associated with the works of mercy, the Divine Mercy — which are reputed to be related to the apparitions of Jesus Christ that appeared to Saint Faustina Kowalska. I can’t help but think about how we prayed with Amber a few weeks ago with Saint Faustina’s relic . . .

Which brings me back to Beata. The name Beata, which derives from Latin and means beatus, or blessed. God blessed us with Beata watching over Amber, and Lily. Amber is blessed by God with her recovery thus far. And we are blessed for so much; Amber, the nurses, doctors, staff at CCMC, our families, our friends, our aquaintences. We are at the mercy of God in all of this — from the beginning to the end.