What I have learned this year . . .

This has been a hard year but a year full of lessons.  I've grown as a woman as I've learned to be a mother.  I've lost my rose-colored glasses but am wiser.  I've lost a friend but I'm grateful for the ones in my life.
I feel like my lesson this year was to be grateful.  Grateful for each moment.  Life is short and my next moment is not promised.  I won't let this lesson go.  I'll hold it next to my heart always.
Even when I'm tried from lack of sleep.  Even when I'm exhausted and my daughter wants to play instead of sleep.  Even when I want sex but am too tired, I know I'm blessed.  God has blessed me in so many ways.
Do I have money?  No.  Am I in lots of debt? Yes.  Do I have a car built in this century? No.  Do I own my own house? No.  Am I happy?  Yes.  Am I healthy? Yes.  Am I in love with my husband of 9 years? Yes.  Is my daughter the light of my life? Yes.
God has blessed me in so many ways and I've really learned to be grateful for all of this.  Life is good.

Late Wordless Wednesday: From Start to now

 This one is blurry but it's the first picture of Audrey.  I'm not even sure we knew it was Audrey yet.  It took us awhile to check.

Audrey's first day and right after her second time on the breast.

This is Miss Audrey's official birthday picture.  I can't believe she's one!

48 hours and . . .

So at 6pm Wed Dec 16, I was offically 48 hrs post water breaking.  It was time for some decision to be made.  So far the baby was doing well and I was doing just fine.  I had had a few false starts to a full on active labor.  Tuesday from 12 am -2 am had me walking the floor and watching Love Actually just knowing that Bud was going to be born on Dec 16th.  No such luck, labor stopped and I headed to bed.

Apparently I was the talk of the school Christmas party.  There was much debate if my waiting at home instead of heading to the hospital was really a good idea.  I think there were a couple of times that some of my friends actually threaten to forcible take me.  But we decided to trust Debbie and to trust Bud.

Debbie was over at the house at about 6pm and talked to us.  As long as everyone was doing well and resting we could just stay at home and wait.  If I couldn't handle it anymore or if infection set in then we had to head to the hospital.  She left a doppler with us so we could check the baby's heartbeat.  Anything weird, any signs of stress and we were to head to the hospital.  I think my labor really started during that visit.  There were several times that I had to get onto my knees and breath thur the contractions.

I knew that even if my labor was really starting that there was no point to panic and for all of us to get to sleep if we could.  Debbie headed home.  We headed to bed at 9pm to sleep.  I was so tired and ready for a good nights rest.  Baby Bud had a different plan . . .