Thankful // Thursday // Babies
I started watching the movie "Unexpected" last night and I remembered the fear and excitement of find out I was pregnant. Was I nervous about becoming a mother and providing for a human being? yes. Was I also incredibly excited to finally be doing what I had dreamed about for the past two decades? yes. I was finally fulfilling part of my purpose. I was finally doing something of value with my life: (for better or for worse) I am helping mold another human being.
I am thankful for my son. I am thankful because he taught me empathy.He taught me selflessness. Before him, I played loose and fast with the emotions of others, but seeing my innocent little baby sleeping next to me, I empathize. I am grateful for a lot of things and this first Thursday I am grateful for him, my pregnancy with him, and his birth.
I am grateful for being able to give birth at a small, low-risk hospital. While big hospitals have their advantages (like if a complication occurs they are more prepared to handle), there is something about being in a small hospital that makes the birthing experience more intimate. Houston Methodist St. John's was the optimal hosptial for us aand I am so grateful that we were able to give birth in such an intimate environment (I say we like someone else was pushing him out).
I am grateful for the nurses and hospital staff who helped with the birth and recovery. We were blessed that of the rotation of seven doctors on staff my OB/GYN was the doctor on call the say I went into labor. Being at a small Methodist hospital in Texas, the staff prayed with us on multiple occasions. I am so grateful to have brought our son into a prayer-filled environment. I am grateful for the nurses who told us stories of their children and birthing experiences. I am grateful for those women who prayed with us and cried with us through the most emotional forty-eight hours I'd had in my memory. I am grateful for the nurses for their humility and hearts for service. One of our nurses (who had a child the exact same age as me, born on the same day, but didn't look a day over thirty) ran her own clinic in Africa and she told us stories about her different experiences as a nurse. Another nurse (with a two year old daughter) shared her experiences as a mother and nurse. It was amazing to have a peek into their lives as they shared one of the most precious moments with us. It was a blessing to have them be there for us, even if it was only for forty-eight hours. I am grateful that they were not only experienced as nurses, but experienced as mothers also. I am thankful for all the little tips they gave us, like biting off the fingernails when we were too scared to use clippers on our newborn or ice diapers (oh wonders of wonders!).
I am grateful for a fast and easy labor. From the first gentle contractions that lulled me to sleep that night with my mountainous middle to the soft trickle that turned into a stream which was my water breaking, the first few hours gently nudged me to the sharp crescendo of labor. I am grateful for modern science with the drugs that make my feet tingle and the edges of the room a little softer. Drugs that make me smile about my husband coming back into the room instead of grimace as I wait for the anesthesiologist. I am grateful for the advice to take drugs from experienced parents. I am grateful for the patience to wait and take a nap before pushing. I am thankful for the advice to wait to push from so many knowledgeable mothers. I am grateful for the few, short pushes in the five minutes it took to finally see our son.
I am grateful for his first cry. I am grateful for a wise and skilled doctor with the experience to quickly and calmly unwrap his umbilical cord from around his neck. I am grateful for his piercing first cries and piercing blue eyes. I am thankful for his strong lungs, his strong legs, and his strong will. I am grateful for the days that his personality begins to peak through and I get a sneak at what his future will be one day. I am grateful for his first few breaths as he laid on my chest. I am grateful for the memories captured on film. I am grateful for the moments that my husband and I were able to share. I am so eternally grateful to the Creator who blessed us with one little miracle who has completely changed our lives and filled them with immeasurable joy.
On this first Thursday of November, I am thankful for a happy, healthy son with whom I get to share the world. I am grateful for the opportunity to leave behind a legacy. I am thankful for all the future opportunities I have to tell him about Jesus and to teach him about why the grass is green and the sky is blue. I look forward to the teaching moments when he learns about justice, mercy, love, and sacrifice. I see curiosity in his ever-greying blue eyes and I hope to never quench his thirst for knowledge. I am thankful that I can be a stepping stone for him on his search for Truth and I pray that as he grows I can nudge him in the right direction. As he grows I pray my skills as a mother grow with him. I pray that my love for him never stops expanding. I pray that I teach him by example and he sees the Lord's example for when we fail. I am thankful for this sweet child that I can hold in my arms and who loves to cuddle. I am grateful for early mornings when the world is silents. I am gratful for those cool grey mornings before the sun's rays have dipped the world in the warms hues of autumn where it feels like it is just him and me in the world. I am grateful for afternoons as his eyes dart curiously from one object to another and he soaks in a whole new world of stimulation that his eyes rest longer on me and I know he is beginning to know me, if only as the milk dispenser.
I am thankful for my son. I am thankful because he taught me empathy.He taught me selflessness. Before him, I played loose and fast with the emotions of others, but seeing my innocent little baby sleeping next to me, I empathize. I am grateful for a lot of things and this first Thursday I am grateful for him, my pregnancy with him, and his birth.
I am grateful for being able to give birth at a small, low-risk hospital. While big hospitals have their advantages (like if a complication occurs they are more prepared to handle), there is something about being in a small hospital that makes the birthing experience more intimate. Houston Methodist St. John's was the optimal hosptial for us aand I am so grateful that we were able to give birth in such an intimate environment (I say we like someone else was pushing him out).
I am grateful for the nurses and hospital staff who helped with the birth and recovery. We were blessed that of the rotation of seven doctors on staff my OB/GYN was the doctor on call the say I went into labor. Being at a small Methodist hospital in Texas, the staff prayed with us on multiple occasions. I am so grateful to have brought our son into a prayer-filled environment. I am grateful for the nurses who told us stories of their children and birthing experiences. I am grateful for those women who prayed with us and cried with us through the most emotional forty-eight hours I'd had in my memory. I am grateful for the nurses for their humility and hearts for service. One of our nurses (who had a child the exact same age as me, born on the same day, but didn't look a day over thirty) ran her own clinic in Africa and she told us stories about her different experiences as a nurse. Another nurse (with a two year old daughter) shared her experiences as a mother and nurse. It was amazing to have a peek into their lives as they shared one of the most precious moments with us. It was a blessing to have them be there for us, even if it was only for forty-eight hours. I am grateful that they were not only experienced as nurses, but experienced as mothers also. I am thankful for all the little tips they gave us, like biting off the fingernails when we were too scared to use clippers on our newborn or ice diapers (oh wonders of wonders!).
I am grateful for a fast and easy labor. From the first gentle contractions that lulled me to sleep that night with my mountainous middle to the soft trickle that turned into a stream which was my water breaking, the first few hours gently nudged me to the sharp crescendo of labor. I am grateful for modern science with the drugs that make my feet tingle and the edges of the room a little softer. Drugs that make me smile about my husband coming back into the room instead of grimace as I wait for the anesthesiologist. I am grateful for the advice to take drugs from experienced parents. I am grateful for the patience to wait and take a nap before pushing. I am thankful for the advice to wait to push from so many knowledgeable mothers. I am grateful for the few, short pushes in the five minutes it took to finally see our son.
I am grateful for his first cry. I am grateful for a wise and skilled doctor with the experience to quickly and calmly unwrap his umbilical cord from around his neck. I am grateful for his piercing first cries and piercing blue eyes. I am thankful for his strong lungs, his strong legs, and his strong will. I am grateful for the days that his personality begins to peak through and I get a sneak at what his future will be one day. I am grateful for his first few breaths as he laid on my chest. I am grateful for the memories captured on film. I am grateful for the moments that my husband and I were able to share. I am so eternally grateful to the Creator who blessed us with one little miracle who has completely changed our lives and filled them with immeasurable joy.
On this first Thursday of November, I am thankful for a happy, healthy son with whom I get to share the world. I am grateful for the opportunity to leave behind a legacy. I am thankful for all the future opportunities I have to tell him about Jesus and to teach him about why the grass is green and the sky is blue. I look forward to the teaching moments when he learns about justice, mercy, love, and sacrifice. I see curiosity in his ever-greying blue eyes and I hope to never quench his thirst for knowledge. I am thankful that I can be a stepping stone for him on his search for Truth and I pray that as he grows I can nudge him in the right direction. As he grows I pray my skills as a mother grow with him. I pray that my love for him never stops expanding. I pray that I teach him by example and he sees the Lord's example for when we fail. I am thankful for this sweet child that I can hold in my arms and who loves to cuddle. I am grateful for early mornings when the world is silents. I am gratful for those cool grey mornings before the sun's rays have dipped the world in the warms hues of autumn where it feels like it is just him and me in the world. I am grateful for afternoons as his eyes dart curiously from one object to another and he soaks in a whole new world of stimulation that his eyes rest longer on me and I know he is beginning to know me, if only as the milk dispenser.
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