A child being born is always a special and brilliant miracle. An unusual, life-changing event that parents experience and that always changes their lives. At times, what happens is so unusual that even the doctors are left shocked.
Hythe, Alberta’s Bethani and Tim Webb always looked forward to having children. Two years after meeting, Jay and Bethani got married. In September 2015, just three months afterward, she got pregnant. Things were going smoothly until a basic ultrasound led to a new discovery.
At the beginning of the appointment, the nurse remained looking at the screen and did not move. She looked puzzled at the couple, as if she was seeing them for the first time. It wasn’t just two babies in Bethani’s womb, but four. Four identical baby girls. This pregnancy happened spontaneously, without any assisted fertility procedures or a history of multiples in the family. The odds of this happening? About one in 15 million.
“I could not believe it. I was in such shock. Bethani explained that at first, she thought the ultrasound technician was just joking.
In June 2016, at 33 weeks, Bethani had her baby delivered by C-section. Abigail, McKayla, Grace, and Emily all came home healthy. Telling them apart? Not so easy. Since all four babies looked the same from above, the couple painted their toenails with different colors to help tell them apart.
Having quadruplets means no two days are ever the same. Changing diapers all the time was hard work, as the girls use around 48 a day on average. Having four children meant all the hard work, nursing, and spending was that much greater. The Webbs realized from the start that they lacked the capacity to do the project alone.
Luckily, the people of their town came to their rescue. Volunteers stopped by weekly to help, and thanks to the neighbors’ contributions, the family was able to get a vehicle that could carry all of them comfortably. Sometimes, they lived with Tim’s mom, and she was very happy to help look after the girls when they were little.
“It’s incredible, considering it would be impossible for us to manage on our own,” Bethani confessed.
There were times when work became very intense, and I couldn’t get enough sleep. Even so, the Webbs maintained a spirit of gratitude throughout. In spite of the obstacles they faced, they kept one idea clear in their minds. they were blessed.
Sometimes life throws us a curveball, and other times it brings us unexpected joy. This story reminds us that when life takes us in another direction, it can bring about something truly amazing.
