God Visits The Cobles

When Lori and Chris Coble lost their three young children -- two girls and a boy -- when a semi rear-ended their minivan, our neighboring town of Ladera mourned with them, with sets of two pink and one blue bows adorning seemingly every tree and light pole in the community.

Now the town must be experiencing a massive communal set of goosebumps with the news that Lori Coble is pregnant.

With triplets.

Two girls and one boy.

Skeptic and agnostic readers might even sense the hand of God in this one.

Here's the OC Reg:

Lori and Chris Coble now have hope for the future.

Just a few weeks ago, the Cobles found out that triplets – two girls and a boy – are expected to come into their life next May.

"It's kind of a two-sided coin," said Chris Coble, 36, Tuesday evening. "We feel amazed that it's happening but at the same time we're still mourning Kyle, Emma and Katie. Nothing will ever replace them. We feel joy for what's happening but we're crying and missing the kids."

The Coble children – Kyle, 5, Emma, 4, and Katie, 2, — died after the big-rig, loaded with more than 40,000 pounds of electronics, struck the family's Chrysler minivan May 4 on I-5 in Mission Viejo. The minivan was stopped in the slow lane of traffic. Lori Coble, 30, who was driving, and her mother, Cynthia Maestri, 60, were injured. ...

Lori and Chris Coble have been focused on adding to their family since the accident took their children. From the minute they were married seven years ago they couldn't imagine their lives without children. Then they had decided on three. Now they get a second chance.

The Cobles opted for in vitro fertilization .... Fourteen eggs were taken from Lori and 10 were fertilized. Tests were run to check for chromosomal abnormalities and defects. A test – which also gives information on the baby's gender – was run and showed three of the embryos were viable and could be used for implantation.

Thirty minutes before Lori, 30, was to be implanted with the embryos, the couple found out that two were girls and one was a boy. Initially, [their doctor] only wanted to put in two of the embryos considering the higher risk in a triplet pregnancy. But the Cobles convinced him to do all three.

Incredible Daughter Number 2 was in Ladera on Halloween and saw three pumpkins on a park bench -- two with pink ribbons -- with Kyle, Emma and Katie carved on them.

The town hasn't forgotten their lost children -- and I can't wait to see how they welcome the new Coble kids when they come home from the hospital in May.