Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

Three years ago today my life changed in more ways than one.

We welcomed our beautiful baby girl into the world via scheduled C-Section.

Fast forward to 3 hours later- my family was out getting lunch and I was finally getting some sleep in my hospital room.Then the nurse finally discovered I was hemorrhaging, badly. The Dr. was quickly called and while the nurse was running around out in the hall my family returned from lunch. I was in severe tachycardia and couldn't speak so they could understand me. They didn't know what was wrong, or what was going on, and I didn't know either.  How scary it must have been for them! 

Then the nurse rushed in and shoved my mom, dad and sister in law into the corner of the room, handed my sister in law the baby and closed the curtain. My hubby was already with me at the head of the bed holding my hand. The Dr. rushed in and started ordering all of the nurses (about 5 by this time) around and proceeded to get the bleeding to stop. My poor family had to listen to the whole thing through the curtain. My poor hubby still has nail marks on the side of his hand from me squeezing it so hard.(In my defense, he told me to squeeze)  It ended with the nurse giving me a hypo in the thigh and 4 bags of blood thru a difficult IV line. Then it went fuzzy for a day or so. 

It was a scary and difficult time those next few days as the realizations set in that I had come within 5 minutes of losing my life. But when I went home three days later, I knew something had to change in my life. I knew I had been given a second chance and I wasn't going to spend it away from my family anymore. That's when the dream of being a stay at home mom and selling online became a plan with a deadline. By her first birthday the plan was well in motion and about a month after her birthday I gave my resignation to the school. 

I have been a stay at home mom now for 1 1/2 years and while it hasn't always been graceful, happy or successful, it has always been worth it. Yes, our budget is tight, even more so since my hubby's TBI diagnosis. I do miss eating out, drinking soda and Starbucks, and going for a whole day without thinking about the budget. 

But what I don't miss out on is the million hugs from baby girl (she is sitting on the couch blowing me kisses across the room right now) volunteering at my son's school, taking my children on play dates, baking and cooking dinner with little helpers, tucking my kiddos in every night and eating breakfast with them every morning. And following my dreams. I literally look forward to the quiet time of the day when baby girl is napping and I get to sit down, watch a little Netflix, or listen to an audio book and list. I love working on my business and I love that I can spend time with my children while I do it. 

So, as I reflect back on the last 3 years, the word to describe how I feel the most is thankful. I am so thankful to the Lord. Grateful to spend another year watching my family and my business grow and trying not to waste the rest of the life I have been given.

Happy Birthday Precious Baby girl, you changed Mommy's life, in more one ways than one!