Mother’s Day Thanks
It’s Mother’s Day.
If I had my way, I would have had at least six children. As it is, I had four.
Mirinda died a day after she was born.
Brandon was born next, then Cody and Will was our surprise package.
Brandon and Cody always wanted to rodeo. They started riding bulls when they were about twelve. Cody also roped. Over the years we have gone through getting a head stepped on by a bull, getting kicked in the head by a saddle bronc, getting trampled by a bull and blowing the back wall out of both intestines. Brandon nearly died from that one. The other injuries were definitely life threatening. Both of them have Y-shaped scars on the left side of their heads just above the ear.
Will had no desire to ride bulls so I gave a little prayer of thanks about that. One child I wouldn’t have to worry about all the time.
He joined the National Guard when he was seventeen and will be shipping to Iraq in a few months.
It’s not easy being a mom. With all four, I stayed deathly ill all the time I was pregnant. Being pregnant is akin to being poisoned for me. It just doesn’t agree with my system at all. I also have a tendency to flip into premature labor. With Will, it was an every other day thing. What we thought could be a medical disaster was actually a blessing as it kept him from “engaging” as the doctor said. So, between driving myself to the hospital from the country with contractions two minutes apart, hospital stays to stop labor, heaving violently every day, IV solutions to re-hydrate, and a problem with nerves in one leg that would cause me to collapse at times since the leg would simply buckle like it wasn’t there when I took a step, pregnancy wasn’t much fun.
The interesting phenomenon about pregnancy is no matter how hard the pregnancy and labor are, all of it instantly vanishes when they lay the baby on your stomach. Even before the delivery process was complete, I was so filled with wonder and love I couldn’t wait to do it again.
I even mentioned that to my husband and he asked the doctor if that was from the drugs. The doctor told him there weren’t any drugs. I’m sure my husband was convinced I was totally insane. The doctor should have told him I was drugged.
Being a mother is one of the greatest blessings in life. It can also be one of the greatest trials.
I have so very much to be thankful for. Three wonderful sons top the list.
Thank you, Lord.
Once again, beautiful, Julie! You made me very grateful–I have remarkably easy pregnancies. I just have to have c-sections to get them out, but that’s not a big deal these days.
I love your writing.
Thank you, Kiersten. I almost deleted this because I felt like I was whining, which I didn’t intend. I am just so grateful for my children.
Oh my gosh! That was lovely. I, too, have three beautiful sons and had the same love for them when they were born. What blessings! Thanks for the post.
Jessica, thank you. I’m glad I’m not the only crazy woman, though I rather doubted I was. It still amazes me that the instant you touch that baby all the pain is forgotten.