The Adventures of Two Girls and Their Mama: Gratitude

July was an interesting month...a month full of things in which I am grateful.

My family left shortly after we brought Freya home from the hospital and Josh and I were left to figure out how to juggle two children by ourselves. I was anxious to get back to my normal activities and Josh was constantly reminding me I had just had a baby and needed to rest. Freya was a sleepy little girl, much sleepier than Lillian ever was, and that was helping us with our adjustment.

Lillian was, and still is, as sweet as pie with Freya. Everything seemed to be going pretty well for our first week as parents of two.

On the Fourth of July we decided to stay home. I wasn't feeling well and both of us were tired from long nights with Freya and Lillian. We had a fun evening together with both girls.

As the night wore on I started feeling worse and worse. I had the chills and my entire body ached. By morning I was burning up and couldn't stand up with out passing out. I woke Josh and asked him to get me a drink of water. He took one look at me and went downstairs to get his paramedic kit. He took my temperature and my blood pressure several times before saying anything. When he had checked and rechecked everything he finally said he thought I needed to go to the hospital. My temperature was 105 and my blood pressure was 77/53. I reluctantly agreed. My dad came and picked me up and whisked me away to St.Joseph's Hospital. It was a long day in the ER waiting on tests and doctors but by about 7:00 PM I was in my own room in Couplet Care and the doctors were fairly certain I had retained placenta in my uterus which was causing an infection. To make a long story short, I was in the hospital for three days and had to have surgery to remove the placenta to stop the infection. Being in Couplet Care meant Josh could bring the babies to visit me and I had the kindest most caring nurses.

I left the hospital overflowing with gratitude for the women who took care of me for those three days. I left so very thankful for modern medicine. In another time I easily could have died from such an infection. I am also grateful for my husband who took care of our babies and brought them to the hospital so I could hold them and read to them and for my father who sat with me in the ER all day and drove me back and forth from the hospital. My mother and sister flew back to help me for a few days because Josh had to go to work, and I am thankful for their time and love as well. I could go on and on being grateful for all the help and miracles that took place during those three days but, for now, I will leave it at that.

Once I was on antibiotics I started to feel much better so I took Freya to meet her cousins and let Lillian play for a bit. I was blessed to have cousins my age and am thankful Lillian and Freya have the same.

Next on my list of things to be thankful for is Lillian. She is such a kind hearted little girl. I couldn't ask for a better kid. I know I have said this before but I am going to say it again, my Heavenly Father knew what he was doing when he sent Lillian to me. She has welcomed Freya in to our home and there is no doubt in my mind that these two girls knew each other in heaven and planned to be sisters here on earth.

Freya gazes at Lillian with such awe and adoration. I love it!

Every morning Lillian goes in to Freya's room and checks on her for me. It makes me smile when I hear her yell, "She's eyes are open Mom!"

When we have difficult days where all three of us are crying, Lillian always makes me smile when she acts silly or pats me on the back and says,"It's OK Mom. I love you the mostest."

Rain, heavenly rain, is also on my gratitude list this month. So far this summer it hasn't rained as much as it needs to but something is better than nothing. Lillian and I have enjoyed splashing in puddles and being caught in unexpected showers.

July was a month full of changes and adjustments. I do not do well with change. It makes me anxious, it gives me cause to lie awake at night and worry about all the possible outcomes. My horses have helped me cope with all the changes in my life. Even though I wasn't able to ride in the month of July, just visiting Miss Gigi made me feel better about all the changes going on around me. I have to be grateful to my dad for giving me the opportunity to have horses in my life. When he and my mother bought me a pony when I was five, I doubt they had any idea how far my love of horses would go, where it would take me, or how much I would need them. My sister took some photos of Freya meeting Gigi for the first time but I don't have them yet so this photo of my pretty girl will have to do.

In the midst of the changes, the sickness, and all the other goings on of the month, the nectarines on our tree ripened. Lillian helped me pick all the fruit, Emerson ate all the nectarines that fell on the ground, and Josh helped me create some amazing things with the pounds and pounds we got off our little tree. We made nectarine freezer jam, nectarine crisp, and four different kinds of nectarine ice cream. Everything was delicious.

While my sister was in town she took some newborn photos of Freya for me and, as usual, they turned out lovely. In these pictures Freya is two weeks old.