As this year comes to an end, looking back on what was an extremely hard first half of the year, having a family member loose their precious little daughter to debilitating Batten Disease, and myself getting through my 3rd pregnancy with Hyperemesis Gravidarum, we lost our twin pregnancy 3 months in, but having made it through the first six month of the year down 17 lbs and surviving daily IV therapy and rejoicing on days when I was able to eat a portion of a baked potato that day and actually keep down 8 oz of fluids I have become incredibly grateful for the 2 beautiful blessings in my life and my family. When marrying my sweet husband 14 years ago, neither of us every anticipated the struggle we would have to go through to grow our family, him coming from a family of 6 kids and myself from a family of 5 kids.
After 6 years of fertility drugs, artificial insemination's, 3 rounds of IVF and 2 1/2 pregnancies, all encompassing Hyperemesis Gravidarum the entire duration and weight loss of 18 lbs the first time, 17lbs the second, I have spent the last half of this year growing more grateful each day for my sweet babies who hung in there so strongly and fought with me to get here. I find even on the days when everything seems overwhelming and life seems to rush by, I'm drawn to those memories and, while it used to give me anxiety attacks to think back on the experiences, now I look on it with an increased appreciation for them and what I went through to get them here.
You always tend to roll your eyes when others go on and on and on and on ....you know the ones- wink wink... about how wonderful it is to be a mother and have children. But what has surprised me about it all, esp since coming out of my last pregnancy, is what a huge place in your heart feels so full of love towards your children, that you never knew or could imagine you had.
So to all that, I say hold and treasure your little ones while you can. Because tomorrow is an uncertain day and they're only little once and no one wants to live with the regrets of "I wish I had...."
Children...the biggest blessingyou never realized your life was missing.
Merry Christmas!!
Thank you for the wonderful stories of your sweet Grandmother. She truly loved every single one of her children and grandchildren to have made those beautiful stockings which I know you will treasure forever.
ReplyDeleteThe story of your family was both heartbreaking and wonderful at the same time. All you went through, but now you and your husband have the ideal family. I know it was all worth it.
Thank you for sharing such personal stories.
Tavette - S. Fla.