Thank You Mom

I have always heard that once you have your own children, you will appreciate your mother in a whole new light. Now to be honest, I never quite understood that. I mean I think I've loved and appreciated my mother my whole life. I've been able to recognize the sacrifices she has made for me, the selflessness she often displays and the simple things like homemade cookies! But, until these past few weeks, I never truly knew what people were talking about. How could I "appreciate" my mother more?

Starting in about the 6th week of this pregnancy, I started getting really sick. My husband resorted to calling me his "bed wife" because most days I wouldn't leave my bed. The energy, strength and endurance this little growing life inside of me takes up is something I can not describe. I shamefully found myself thinking, "I am never going through this again! How can anyone possibly have multiple children?" My amazing mother, she had three. As I lay in bed body aching, stomach turning and head pounding, it hit me: THIS is what people were talking about.

This pregnancy thing is like nothing I could have ever imagined! Yes, a lot of my friends who have kids or who are pregnant tried to explain what it would be like but THIS is something else. The very act of just sitting up is a challenge. I find myself winded as if I just ran a marathon merely from walking up my stairs. My boobs sometimes feel like they are filled with heavy wet sand and I cringe if even my t-shirt brushes on them. And of course, there is the emotional part. I have cried driving in the car, at work, working out, in the shower at church...you name it, I've cried there. And I thought I was nuts before!

I have experienced a world of new emotions, feelings, symptoms and stresses just in a couple of weeks. I can't even begin to fathom what will happen in the remainder of my pregnancy or when the little peanut is actually here. I feel pulled in two different ways through this all, absolutely elated and over joyed for God's amazing little blessing, while at the same time ready to feel like myself again.

None the less, every single thing I have gone through makes me truly appreciate my mother. I can not believe she went through this three times! THREE! And each time she had another one, she was not only pregnant, she also had a toddler to look after. How in the world did she do it? The "simple" act of growing a human is the most significant thing I imagine I will do in my life and I am so thankful to my mother for giving me my life.

I already am in LOVE with little baby dubs (for W) :) And can't wait to meet him or her! I have been feeling so sick but I am so blessed, none the less!

Love and Blessings!