The most beautiful artwork in the universe

I woke up at 4:33 this morning. I couldn't get back to sleep. I had that "Christmas morning" feel, the kind when you were a kid and there was something you really wanted and you had been good all year, or at least since Thanksgiving, and you lay awake staring at the ceiling listening to Feliz Navidad for the umpteenth time while waiting for 7:00 to come. Today I am going to see the most beautiful artwork in the universe.

Where might I find the most beautiful artwork in the universe? In Rome? Paris? New York? No, none of these. The most beautiful artwork in the universe will be found in a much simpler place; the 1960's-era DeWitt Army Hospital, on Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The last time I was there, two months ago now, my experience in the arts began with the most beautiful symphony in the universe; my baby's heartbeat. It's a good thing I was sitting down at that moment, because had I been standing, I soon would have been sitting anyway! At that time, Baby had a heartbeat of just under 150 beats per minute, making a very fast "whoosh whoosh whoosh" sound. We got to see Baby then, too. At that time Baby was the size of a postage stamp and even at 400% life size, you had to squint to make out arms and legs.

On average, Baby should be a little bigger now, about six inches long and weighing around seven ounces. We'll know all the details for sure today. We did tests of every kind and they never called us. No news is good news, I guess. I can't wait to see that most beautiful artwork, all the intricacies formed and beginning to work together as they grow larger. I don't know how anyone could listen to their baby's heartbeat for the first time and then, after that point, decide to end that life.

I'm aware that I'm living in the middle of a miracle.