The biggest surprise of a couple’s lives was learning they were having triplets. They thought they had finally recovered from their shock after a prolonged labor episode when the doctor gave them more unexpectedly upsetting news.

The idea of cuddling a tiny child and responding to all of their needs fills parents with enormous pleasure and satisfaction. The happiness that parents have when they hear their children say their first word or take their very first step is unmatched.

In reality, being a parent is nothing less than a crazy rollercoaster journey with twists and turns at every turn. But if it weren’t going to be worth it in the end, no parent would put up with the restless nights, trying days, and crazy evenings. In today’s story, a sweet surprise changes a couple’s lives for the better.

Kimberly and Craig Fugate, a delightful Mississippi-based couple, gave birth to Katelyn Fugate. In 2013, the couple learned they were expecting once again, and they were overjoyed. The Fugates later discovered that they were expecting identical triplets, which was yet another great surprise.

Kimberly claimed that on February 8, 2014, more than two months before her due date, she went through a tough cesarean section birth and intense labor, and that the event left her exhausted.

But the doctor interrupted her with more alarming information just as the mother from Mississippi was about to breathe a sigh of relief. He remarked, “I have more feet.” Kimberly was startled and puzzled by what was happening.

Her babies were born only one day before Kimberly turned 42, but that didn’t stop the family from celebrating four times as much.

In the end, a baby was still going to be born. The fourth baby was found by the University of Mississippi Medical Center after she appeared behind the other three children and managed to go undetected on the ultrasound. Kimberly could recall:

“More feet,” I just overheard them saying. After they had removed the three, they said, “More feet,” to which I said, “No.” Surprise after surprise follows.

Kimberly was expecting triplets but unexpectedly gave birth to identical quadruplets instead. In honor of their family, they were given the names Kenleigh Rosa, Kristen Sue, Kayleigh Pearl, and Kelsey Roxanne.

Even though the woman claimed to have given birth to her children at 28 weeks, it still seemed weird to deliver four newborns all at once. The premature babies, according to Kimberly, weighed between two and two and a half pounds and were in very bad health.

The “Fugate Fours” spent several months recuperating in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), where Kimberly revealed that their small lungs require ventilators to assist in breathing. As she marveled over her adorable angels, she exclaimed:

“Simply waking up in the morning and observing their smiles, hearing them coo at me, and listening to them babbling to one another is exhilarating. Every mother has a soft spot for her kids, but I think the smiles on my kids are the prettiest. Those dimplings, too”

Along with Kimberly, Craig and Katelyn were ecstatic to welcome the quadruplets into their house and hearts, and they helped Kimberly at every turn.

The birth of her children the day before Kimberly turned 42 multiplied the family’s celebration by four. According to the mother, while caring for her infants in the NICU, she stayed close by at the Ronald McDonald House, where the parents of other sick children began to resemble her family.

The Mississippian recounted that she first worried about her children’s safety for the first few months, but that gradually everything worked out. Before returning home in May, the little angels spent three months in the NICU, where their mother reported that they were healthy and happy. She added:

“I had the impression that God had picked me to be the mother of these quadruplets and that He would watch over them and make sure they survived. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have witnessed their progress.”

The Fugates stated they moved from their two-bedroom trailer in Jayess, Mississippi, to a four-bedroom, double-wide mobile home in order to offer the kids more space. The hospital’s isolette-retained infants reportedly began to socialize and give hugs as they grew accustomed to their new environment.

Kimberly stated she removed the name bracelets from the infants because she was worried they would eat them. The proud mother insisted that because of their distinctive personalities and physical characteristics, she had no trouble telling them apart.

According to Dr. James Bofill, a professor of maternal-fetal medicine at the Mississippi Hospital, the likelihood of conceiving identical quadruplets is extremely low—roughly one in 13 million—and there have only been 60 cases reported in medical history.

It was a lot of effort to take care of four infants, but fortunately, Kimberly claimed to have help.

“Katelyn, my 11-year-old daughter, is a huge help. In the evenings, she helps with feedings and bathing. She contributes to their sleep. She amuses them and keeps them happy. Additionally, I have family nearby that can help me if I need it.”

Do you have a memory of a touching miracle that provided you great joy? Please tell your loved ones about this mother’s motivational story and keep us updated with your thoughtful comments.