James and Letha Hall were ecstatic when they received the news that they would be welcoming their first born baby on January 7, 1977. However, when that date came and went, the young couple were vigilant. Observant of every unfamiliar pain and discomfort. ”Back then they didn’t induce so it was almost two weeks later before I gave birth.” Letha explained. On January 23, the wait was over and Letha went into labor. Because James was at work, Letha’s mom, Isabelle Bradham, took her to the hospital. As Letha was taken to labor and delivery, the entire family began to gather in the waiting room. “My water didn’t break until I got to the hospital. Momma and I thought that it was false labor, because the contractions weren’t that bad.” But approximately 16 hours later, Letha gave birth to her son, Christopher Michael “Chris” Hall, whom she jokingly described as being “Perfect in every way, weighing in at 9 lbs. and 7 oz. of pure colic,” But, the story doesn’t end there. As unexpectedly as his arrival happened, the date and time is what truly makes their story remarkable. Chris was born on January 23rd at 10 p.m. while on this same day, 19 years and 90 minutes earlier, his mother Letha was born. Forever sharing this special day with his mom. Letha says that sharing her birthday with her son is the best present that she’s ever received. “When he was placed in my arms, I remember thinking how blessed I was to have given birth to him on my birthday.” Having a child on your birthday is not very common and the statistics show that only 1 in every 365 babies are born on their mom’s birthday. Like so many other modern traditions, birthdays are celebrated with candles, presents and especially parties. However, Letha admits that when Chris was a baby, birthday celebrations for herself were more of a challenge. “He became my main focus, so I had to make sure that the day was perfect for him.” But as Chris got older, a new family tradition was born, making it a priority to celebrate their day together. “We always celebrate our birthdays together, now.” These days, Letha and Chris decide how they want to spend their day, which always involves their loved ones. “It does my heart good to get to share this day with Chris and have all of our family around us, as we celebrate each year.” A bond between a mother and child is unbreakable but to endlessly share a day like this with them is truly one in a million, or one in three-hundred-sixty-five to be more exact.
