28 Years Ago

28 years ago, April 8th was the Wednesday before Palm Sunday. My husband's grandfather had died and his funeral was that morning and we went to bed Tuesday night envisioning a long emotional day ahead of us.
At 3AM, my water broke.
And at 10:30 Wednesday night, we had the most beautiful 10 pound 2 ounce baby boy anyone had ever seen. All the relatives who'd arrived in town to say goodbye to their dear loved one stayed around to welcome the newest member of the family, a celebration they scarcely expected.
Our lives forever changed that day. Almost as amazing as being a new mommy was the wonder of watching my husband become a father and my parents become grandparents.
And the wonder never left. Wonder that we could have been so blessed. Wonder that this little creature would grow in all the expected ways and captivate us in ways we'd never imagined. Wonder that we could somehow find our way through all the questions and doubt and gain footing in this most important role as parents.
Four years later, at 3AM we drove our Baby Boy to grandma's then headed to the hospital once again. By noon, the most amazing baby girl cried her first hello to the world and something clicked. With this beautiful baby in our arms, we realized this little girl had already done something extraordinary: she made our family complete.
28 years ago, we had no idea the laughter and joy and fear and excitement we had ahead of us. Like walking from a desert to a garden, our lives grew full and rich in unexpected ways because of our children.
The old adage is right - having children is to forever have your heart walk around outside your body. I've learned that no matter how far away their lives may take them when they're grown, they are always right here - in my heart. Those tiny babies have become such wondrous humans and they've taught me a lot along the way.
So happy 28th birthday, Baby Boy! My wish for you is the same as it always is for both of you: Be healthy. Be happy. And celebrate!
I'm sending my love to both my kids!