Annette Bassi, one of our most ardent supporters, talks about learning to understand God’s timing when it comes to motherhood.

When I was asked if I would like to write a reflection on motherhood for Room At The Inn, I was very excited. I’ve been married to my husband for 32 years now, and we have two daughters. My oldest daughter, Rebecca, is 39. She is actually my stepdaughter, but I’ve always referred to her as mine. My youngest daughter, Angelina, is 19, which makes the girls 20 years apart! My husband has always said that it was wise family planning!

Why so many years apart? Why wait 20 years between children? It really wasn’t my idea, but it was God’s great plan. Did I want children earlier in our marriage? Oh, yes! It just wasn’t meant to be in my time, but in God’s. We all know how this works! We are impatient, and think we are ready, and then we wait. We waited and waited and waited. I wasn’t very patient either; actually, it was an awful experience. I questioned everything, and I was angry. I kept thinking, “Why me?”

It wasn’t easy on our marriage either, to say the least. After many years, 12 to be exact, at age 38, I became pregnant! My husband, who is 10½ years older than me, was now 48 and financially responsible for a daughter who was 20. Without going into all the dynamics of what our life was like, things were now a bit more complicated.

I was so over the moon about being pregnant that nothing in the world was a challenge for me! I worked full time in a retail store where I had a tremendous amount of responsibility, my husband traveled the world for work, and I was caring for my mother who was being treated for ovarian cancer. Because of my age, I had to be monitored for everything. It didn’t matter how much I had to do because God granted me my greatest wish and desire. I was so grateful to be finally fulfilling my dream of motherhood.

Seven years ago, I was asked to be a guest at Room At The Inn’s fundraiser banquet. That night, I realized how important it was to support women who had been given the gift of pregnancy and yet had so many challenges ahead of them upon deciding to keep their babies. I understood the challenges. Mine were not the same as theirs, but I understood what was ahead for them—lack of money, jobs, family, husband, housing, food, transportation, medical treatment, clothing, toiletries … the list goes on. I knew I had to do something. So I began my journey with Room At The Inn. We not only support the fundraisers but consider our monthly giving the bread of life for these women who have chosen LIFE. We are just a small part of the many who support Room At The Inn. I pray that we will always be able to help and bring awareness to others of the needs of these courageous women who are open to letting God work in their lives. His timing is everything.

Annette Bassi is one of our volunteer extraordinaires! She and her husband, Albert, have supported Room At The Inn in many ways, including as table hosts at our banquet, and we are ever so grateful. Annette is responsible for the beautiful floral arrangements in this photo from our Spring Swing fundraiser earlier this year. She is pictured with Albert and her daughter, Angelina, who on occasion has lent her gorgeous singing voice to our events.