4 years of motherhood

I am sitting here tonight reflecting on what I was doing 4 years ago on Thursday, November 15, 2007.  I had worked all day at a job that I loved and had towards my whole career.  I was about 95% sure that I would walk out of the building and not be returning once Luke was born.  I had tears in my eyes as I left at 6:00p.m. and headed towards home and a future that I could not imagine. 

As I drove home down one of the bumpiest roads in Houston, I kept hoping that Luke would stay put until morning.  I was already dilated 3.5 cm and 90% effaced and the induction was scheduled for 7:00a.m. the next day.  I still had a little bit of stuff to do to get ready for the big day, important stuff like polishing my nails and talking to my cats one more time about the big changes that were coming our way.  So I took a long, hot shower while I had the luxury of doing so and then polished my nails and talked to Onyx and Sam. 

After a mostly sleepless night for both me and Andrew, we got up around 5:00a.m. to get ready to head to the hospital.  My cell phone rang around 5:30.  It was my brother calling from San Diego to wish me well.  That was pretty cool.  Anyway, we left the house in the dark at 6:00 and got all checked in at the hospital.  I will spare all the labor details but will say that the experience was really wonderful and our beautiful boy was born at 12:10 p.m.  The hospital stay was great and then on Sunday it was time to head home for a life that has been better, more wonderful and more precious than anything I could ever have imagined.

We found out I was pregnant on March 17, 2007.  That is the date that I really consider the beginning of the best job I have ever had and I have never regretted my decision to stay home with Luke and now with Katie.  Yes, some days are tough and yes, I am sometimes exhausted but hearing their sweet voices call out to me, feeling their arms wrapped around me in a hug and seeing their beautiful smiles all day, every day is what truly makes life worthwhile.  The four years since Luke was born have gone by quickly...and I have been here for almost every breath he's taken.  I imagine that time would have passed at warp speed if I had gone back to work and only had a precious few hours a day to spend with him.  I thank God and my wonderful Andrew that I have been given the opportunity to stay home.  I can't imagine any place on earth I would rather be.

So tomorrow there will be more presents for Luke (although we had his pirate party on Saturday and he received many fantastic gifts from very generous friends - pictures to follow) but I will speak for Andrew when I say that we have received the greatest gifts of all in Luke and Katie.