One Day to Go: A Year Ago Today

A year ago today, I was a nervous wreck.  The doctors were concerned that Lydia was too small and that I might have inter-uterine growth restriction.  It was a Friday, and they told me that if I didn't go into labor over the weekend, they would induce me Monday morning.  Now, I am a hippy-dippy, new-agey, all-natural kind of girl when it comes to labor, so the word "induce" terrified me.  So I spent this whole day, the day before Lydia would come, walking.  I walked and walked and walked.  It was a 100+ plus degrees outside, but my mom was a trooper and walked right next to me.  I have no idea if the walking is what did it, but I went into labor that night.  Every woman must decide for herself what kind of labor she wants, and I think there is more than one right way to do it.  I just feel so blessed that I was able to have the labor I wanted.

I think those days leading up to the birth of a child are so anxiety-filled for pregnant mothers because we are so excited about that moment when we meet our child, the moment that everyone says was one of the best moments of their life.  It is like waiting for your wedding day to happen without knowing the exact time and date.  With both of my babies, The Moment has been exactly as awe-inspiring as I was told but couldn't possibly imagine.  The pain leading up to The Moment was excruciating, but The Moment, when it finally came after months of anticipation and hours of pain, was euphoric and as free of pain as my body has ever been.  Motherhood is so challenging and at times frustrating and flat-out scary, but there is something about thinking back on that first moment you beheld your child that constantly reminds you what a gift you have been given and what an amazing system of love and creativity God has put into place in his infinite wisdom and compassion.

I've been thinking about what I'm going to tell Shepherd when he asks me where babies come from.  Here is the plan: when a mommy and daddy love each other so much they hardly know what to do, God takes all of that love and makes a special little person with it.  He then gives that person to the mommy and daddy so that their love can be shared.  Shepherd and Lydia are mine and BJ's love.