Taking the time to be thankful

This past month has been so much fun watching Whitney grow and develop. She has gotten so much stronger and is doing so many new things in such a short period of time. When my parents came to visit at the beginning of March, Whitney wasn’t even sitting herself up on her own, and just learning to crawl. Now when we were in WI this past week she is pulling herself up to a stand and cruising along furniture. She is crawling and loving the fact she can stand and sit, stand and sit. She’s pushing carts with wheels and walking behind them. In fact, it almost seems as if she is close to standing on her own and possibly walking. Saying those words makes me so proud and excited.

For the past few weeks I’ve started jogging again and decided I would just have to wake up before the rest of the family in the morning to fit this in throughout the day. There sure is something to be said about running in the morning and watching the sunrise and welcome the day. I’m alone with my thoughts and almost on a daily basis do I think about the images and conversations I experienced when Whitney was born and during that first very uncertain month. There are images and conversations that only Andy and I will ever know. I’m afraid these images will haunt me until I die, but also strengthen and mold me.

I hear so often and see posts on facebook and receive emails about “enjoying every minute” of being a Mom and see how others can sometimes struggle with parenthood. Sure, it’s hard and can be frustrating, but I have never and will never take it for granted. To have been so close to having this child slip away, I HAVE enjoyed every second. I’m taking it all in, I'm taking the time to appreciate it all. Every smile, every snuggle, and of course every cry too. I don’t think a day goes by that a tear is not shed. I know I’m an emotional person, but at night, when all is quiet and we’re relaxing in the rocker saying our prayers, and I give thanks to God for blessing us with Whitney, how can I not help but let a tear slip by? She’s here, and she’s doing awesome, and we’re witnessing it each and every day.