Time Period: A Flashback
Date: 12-15-1958
Special Event: Meredith and Lewis are set up on a blind date
Scene 1: The Shepherds' Household
Action: The doorbell rings and Stanley Shepherd (Meredith's father who happens to be a pastor) answers the door. A young Lewis Connor stands shivering on the front porch.
Stanley (ushering Lewis into the house): Hello, Jonathan. Please do come inside the house. My daughter Meredith has been waiting for you.
Lewis: You can call me John or Lewis for short. My friends and family call me Lewis.
Stanley (handing Meredith off to Lewis): Behold, your date for tonight.
Lewis (falling deep in love with Meredith): Meredith, you are a beautiful young woman. My name is Jonathan Lewis Connor. You can call me John or Lewis for short. I attend your family's church every Sunday and Wednesday.
Meredith (playing hard to get): Lewis, I am only home for Christmas. I am not actively looking for a boyfriend or a husband. My parents are forcing me to go out with you. They believe you are a good match for me. They are desperate for grandchildren.
Lewis: OH I See
Anne Shepherd (to Meredith): Meryl, please give Lewis a chance.
Meredith: Mom, I will give Lewis a chance for your sake.
Anne: Thanks
(Stanley and Anne pray for Lewis and Meredith before they leave for a drive in movie production. Lewis treats Meredith like a queen. Meredith feels happy and safe with Lewis. Who knew they would end up getting married two years later on 9-4-1960? Unfortunately, Lewis discovers he will be deployed overseas to fight in The Vietnam War on 9-22-1960. Lewis' mission begins 10-29-1960 and ends 2-14-1964)
Time Period: A Flashback
Date: 10-29-1960
Scene: An Airport
Situation: A newly married Lewis Connor is being deployed overseas. He has been recruited to fight in The Vietnam War.
Meredith (choked up): Lewis, we are newly married. I don't understand why Uncle Sam has to take you away from me.
Lewis (touching Meredith's cheek): I will return home and then we can start trying for a baby.
Meredith (fighting back tears): What if you die?
Lewis: I have made provisions for you even in the event of my death
An Army Sergeant (to Lewis): Jonathan Lewis Connor, we are boarding the airplane right now. Kiss and hug your wife goodbye.
(Lewis hugs and kisses Meredith goodbye. Lewis vows to write and send Meredith letters every day. Meredith promises to do the same thing. Lewis comes back home four years later on February 14, 1964).
Time Period: A Flashback
Date: 2-14-1964
Scene: Lewis and Meredith's house
Situation: Lewis returns home after fighting in The Vietnam War for four years
Lewis (relieved): Home Sweet Home
Meredith (hanging up Lewis' coat in the coat closet): Do you know what is special about today?
Lewis (placing a necklace around Meredith's neck): Today is Valentines Day
Meredith (leading Lewis upstairs to their bedroom): I thank you for necklace. I also have a gift for you. Do you know what I mean?
(From that moment on, Lewis and Meredith tried for a baby. They discovered that they are expecting in April. Unfortunately, complications occurred with Meredith's pregnancy. Meredith delivered their son two months early on October 3, 1964).
Time Period: A Flashback
Date: 10-3-1964
Scene: A Hospital
Lewis (anxious, he paces and prays): Please save my wife and our baby, Lord
A Doctor (approaching Lewis): Mr. Connor
Lewis (panicky): My wife was due in December. We weren't ready for our baby's arrival. He arrived two months early.
The Doctor: Your wife survived her ordeal. My team and I couldn't save your son. I am so sorry.
(Lewis takes the loss really hard because he lost his son. Meredith is broken beyond repair).
Time Period: A Flashback
Date: 3-17-1965
Scene: The Shepherds Residence- A Living Room
Action: Olivia (pregnant with Sarah), Deacon, Meredith, and Lewis have a meeting
Meredith (choked up): Lewis and I have been struggling to have a baby. We desire to adopt your baby, Olivia.
Lewis (squeezing Meredith's hand): Meryl and I believe we can provide for him or her
Olivia (rubbing her stomach): You can adopt my baby then
Meredith (crying and hugging Olivia): Thank you
Olivia (choked up): You are welcome
Deacon: I like it how we are going to keep Sarah's adoption all in the family
Time Period: A Flashback
Date: 10-3-1965
Special Event: Sarah's birth
Scene 1: A Church Service
A concerned female choir member (whispering to Olivia (age 16)): Liv, you are not singing. What is the matter?
Olivia (clutching her stomach, she quickly exits the stage and heads to the bathroom): I must go. I am sorry. Something is wrong.
Scene 2: The bathroom
Anne (checking on her daughter (Olivia)): Olivia, I can hear you crying. How may I help you?
Olivia (distraught, she exits the bathroom stall): Something is wrong with my baby. My bag of water has broken. I am afraid because my baby is arriving six weeks early.
Anne (embracing Olivia): We will get through this together.
Olivia (experiencing painful contractions): Mom, we must go to the hospital right now.
(Anne informs Stanley (her husband and the church's pastor) about Olivia's condition and the church service is put on hold until other wise)
Scene 2: The Car Ride to The Hospital
Deacon (speaking to the baby inside Olivia's stomach): Please stay inside your mother. Now is not the time for you to come.
Olivia (resisting the urge to push): I have been resisting the urge to push. I don't know how much longer my body can contain Sarah.
Anne: Olivia, we are almost to the hospital. Please hold on.
Olivia (contracting nonstop): UGH...Hurry Up
Deacon (rubbing Olivia's stomach): Just breathe and relax, honey
Olivia (crossing her legs): The pain and pressure are unbearable
Anne: OH MY GOD
Stanley: Do I need to pull the car over to the side of the road?
Olivia: Please keep on driving, dad.
Stanley: OK
(Olivia's sister Meredith and her husband meet the family at the hospital. Anne and Meredith join Olivia in the delivery room while the men wait in the lobby)
Scene 3: The delivery room
Olivia (transitioning over to the pushing stage yet again): Meryl
Meredith (holding Olivia's hand): Yes dear
Olivia (choked up): I apologize for letting you and Lewis down. You deserve a healthy baby.
Meredith: You haven't let us down: We shouldn't give up on Sarah quite yet. Lewis and I will adopt and love Sarah no matter what.
Olivia (holding her legs wide open and bearing down): AHA...AHA...AHA..
Anne (adjusting the pillows behind Olivia's back): You got this
Olivia (pushing along with her contractions): AHA...AHA...AHA...AHA
The Doctor (witnessing the baby crown): Thats a good push, Olivia
Olivia (exhausted): How many more pushes?
The Doctor: Just a few more pushes
(Olivia uses her remaining strength to push out Sarah. Olivia is torn between delivering the after birth and worrying about Sarah who has been transported to the NICU. Eventually Sarah (weighed five pounds at birth) does make a full recovery and goes home with her parents (Meredith and Lewis). Olivia and Deacon love their "niece" from afar).
Time Period: A Flashback
Situation: Sarah is born six weeks early
Date: 10-3-1965
Scene: Stanley's Car
Action: The Long Drive to The Hospital
Olivia (in active labor): My body can't contain the baby much longer
Deacon (sitting in the back seat with Olivia, he touches her stomach): How bad is it?
Olivia (trying to keep her legs closed): I might give birth in the car
Deacon (panicky): OH MY GOD
Olivia (experiencing painful contractions): OH HE
Anne: Please hold on, Olivia. We are almost to the hospital.
Olivia (experiencing a lot of pressure and discomfort): It is coming and it hurts, mom
Stanley: Do I need to pull the car over to the side of the road?
Olivia (regaining her composure): No, Father. I am fine for now. You can keep on driving.
Scenario: What if Olivia and her family never made it to the hospital? What if Sarah was born on the side of the road?
Anne (helping Olivia to lay down the car seat): Liv, I want you to lay down on the seat. I must check you.
Olivia (laying down and writhing in pain on the back car seat): Hummm..
Anne (checking Olivia): You are fully dilated and ready to push
Olivia (frightened): Sarah is arriving six weeks early
Anne (to Deacon): You can provide Olivia with extra body support as she pushes
Deacon: But it is unsanitary for men to witness women give birth
Anne: The rules have changed today
Deacon (providing extra body support for Olivia): Ok
Olivia (panting): Deacon
Deacon: I understand that the Sarah is super close
Olivia (quite abruptly and instinctively, she begins to bear down and push): AHA...AHA...AHA
Anne (witnessing Sarah emerge from Olivia's opening): The baby is emerging
Olivia (crying and screaming): AHA...AHA...AHA
Stanley (choked up): My baby is having a baby
(In reality, Sarah is born at the hospital. Sarah enjoys a Lazer Light show with her family in celebration of her 56th birthday).
Date: 10-3-2013 (Sarah's 48th birthday)
Situation: Sarah receives a big revelation (pertaining to her birth) during a zoom meeting with her parents and aunt+ uncle
Date: 10-3-2021
Situation: Sarah is treated to a fun day of surprises and gifts by her family.
Time Period: A Flashback
Date: 10-3-1965
Situation: Sarah's birth (occurring six weeks early)
Place: The Hospital- A Delivery Room
Olivia (writhing in pain on the bed): AHA
A Nurse (monitoring Olivia's contractions): Your body transitioning over to the pushing stage
Olivia (experiencing a lot of pressure): I must push
The Same Nurse (touching Olivia's stomach): You can't push right now because you are not fully dilated. You will give birth soon though. The doctor will examine you when he is done with his other patients.
You shouldn't put any unnecessary stress on the baby especially in her present condition.
Olivia (clutching her stomach out of fear): What is wrong with my precious baby girl?
The nurse: Your labor has started early because your daughter has PROM.
Olivia (distraught): What is PROM?
Nurse: PROM stands for Premature Rupture of Membranes. There is a chance that you will have a stillborn.
Olivia (devastated): NO!
(Meredith and Anne walk enter room after taking a lunch break. They assume Olivia's emotional breakdown is due to the long and difficult labor. Olivia and the nurse explain the heartbreaking situation to them. Miraculously, Sarah is born alive and healthy all thanks to prayer and tender loving care).
Time Period: The Present Reality
Date: 10-3-2021 (Sarah's 56th birthday)
Action: Sarah is attending a Lazer Show with her family. She realizes her life and her kids' lives are miracles.
Time Period: A Flashback
Place: Central America- The Woods
Action: Kyle (Jai Courtney) and Arnold (Pops) help a pregnant Sarah (Emilia) to deliver John
Sarah (bending over in pain, she drops her book bag on accident): OUCH!
Kyle (rushing to help Sarah): My Love
Sarah (leaning against the tree): I am fine. It was a false contraction.
Pops (studying Sarah): You don't appear fine. I am going to keep a close eye on you.
Sarah (looking down at her wet dress): My bag of water has broken. John is coming six weeks early.
Kyle (frantic): OH MY GOD!
Pops (preparing for the birth): We should prepare ourselves for the birth
(Sarah spent seventeen hours in labor with John. The difficult and long labor took a huge toll on her body. She feared ohn and herself won't survive the delivery)
Pops (checking Sarah): You are fully dilated ten centimeters at last. You can start pushing.
Sarah (trying to ignore her body's need to push): I can't do this. I will not do this. I am not strong enough.
Kyle (providing extra body for Sarah): I know you are tired. You have been in labor for a very time. I don't doubt your ability to bring John into this world.
Sarah (quite suddenly and abruptly, she squats and begins pushing): GRR...AHA...AHA
Kyle (helping Sarah to keep her balance): I got you
Sarah (bearing down and pushing really hard): AHA...AHA..AHA
Pops (focusing on Sarah's opening): The crowning part can take a while. Keep on pushing, Sarah.
Sarah (feeling uncomfortable): I am experiencing stretching and a burning sensation. John is ripping through my insides like a bear.
Pops (witnessing John crown): John's head is emerging
(With one last push and scream, Sarah delivers her baby bear and beloved little buddy aka John)
Time Period: A Flash back
Place: A Hospital Delivery Room
Situation: Kitty's birth
Sarah (Lena) whispering to Kyle): I am having a baby five days before Christmas. Love and magic are indeed in the air today.
Kyle (rubbing Sarah's stomach): I am looking forward to holding our Christmas baby doll
A nurse (timing Sarah's contractions): You are having another contraction. You can push again with this one.
Sarah (giving into her pain again): OK
Kyle (squeezing Sarah's hand): You can do this
(Kyle and Sarah embrace their Christmas baby doll aka Kitty with open hearts. Chance who is born two years later (2011) is affectionately known as Bubba, Buddy or Bambi)
Time Period: A Flashback
Date: 10-3-2021
Special Event: Sarah's 56th birthday
Scene: Home after The Lazer Light Show- Sarah and Kyle's bedroom
Kyle (preparing for bed): Did you enjoy the Lazer Light show tonight?
Sarah (preparing for bed): Yes
Kyle (pulling Sarah close to his body): I am glad to know you had fun on your birthday
Sarah: Today, October 3rd, is not actually my birthday. I was born six weeks early. My original due date was sometime in November.
Kyle (touching Sarah's cheek): You are alive right now and I am very thankful
Sarah (getting into the bed): John's birthday is not actually February 28th. He was born six weeks early. Premature birth has been an endless cycle for our family.
Kyle (touching Sarah's stomach): I remember when John was born. You and John have always been warriors and survivors.
Sarah: What about our precious little angels?
Kyle: Kitty and Chance are as strong as you
Sarah: Their birthdays are coming up really soon.
Kyle: I am looking forward to November 11th and December 20th.