In 1999 we were sitting out around our pool in the spring when our oldest asked us if we could spend Christmas at the Greenwood Hospital that year.
My husband asked, “Why are you sick?” Our son said no but we will be having a baby then. THAT was our first little boy. Then over the next few years our girls gave birth to six more little boys. Then I became the Meme of three bonus boys and for several years we had a “football team.” A few years later, I inherited three beautiful girls but no girl babies. Little boys are WONDERFUL and they really love and take care of their Meme, but we all so longed for a little girl — ruffles, fluff, and big hair bows.
Well, our wants, wishes, dreams, and especially our prayers for a little girl have finally come true. After three years of waiting and praying, my daughter got the call. Our little girl was born January 7, my daughter and her husband’s anniversary. The baby’s date to make her appearance was the last week of January, but she was born four weeks early so plans were put into high gear. Airplane reservations, housing accommodations, clothes packed for at least 10 days, virtual school plans altered — and probably lots of tranquilizers — just to get to this little miracle.
They got there on a Saturday and because of this dreadful COVID, only my daughter could go into the hospital. As she walked into that baby, can you imagine the myriad of feelings she was carrying along with her? She knew she would be meeting our little girl for the first time, a miraculous meeting that could have only been fashioned by God.
Emmie Jo was waiting for her, all 6 lbs. 2oz. of love. She was much tinier than her boys, almost baby doll size, but full of personality and a head full of hair. They brought her home to us eight days later. Yes, she is our little miracle. She is a little tiny female in the middle of so many boys.
And, oh yes, I forgot to say her name is Emmie Jo and mine is Peggy Jo.
We love chicken and dumplings, but they are a master undertaking for me, so I have a really easy version here for you.
Easy Chicken and Dumplings
Pull chicken from a rotisserie chicken
1 stick of melted butter
1 cup milk
1 cup of self-rising flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
Spread chicken in a 9x13 sprayed dish. Pour butter over the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Whisk flour and milk and pour over chicken, no stirring. Mix chicken broth and chicken soup and pour overall. Do not stir.
Dumplings will form as it bakes.
Bake uncovered 45 minutes at 375 degrees. Let sit for five minutes as dumplings continue to form.
