Thankful Friday!!

I deferred Thankful Thursday this week. Six years ago today, Emily was born. I felt it was a blog-worthy occasion and quite honestly, she never tires of hearing the story, so she asked if I would tell about it. Before I share the details of that all-important day in our lives,I am thankful for

Emily's beautiful smile

her amazing spirit

her compassion and heart

that red hair!!

the unconditional love she has shown her sister (and everyone else, for that matter)

her laugh - Emily actually belly laughed by seven weeks old and she has continued finding the humor and joy in everything since

her love for Jesus and reckless abandon in singing His praises

for her whole little being, absolutely everything about her...today, I am thankful for Emily.

It was a dark and stormy night - oh, wait, that's a whole other story:) Actually it was a beautiful, warm spring night. I was due on Mother's Day, but Emily waited until Wednesday to show us signs that she was ready to join the world. I was resting my eyes and ended up falling asleep watching the West Wing. I was awakened by the feeling that my water had broken. I jumped up, was rambling rather incoherently and then had Rob doing the same as we scrambled to make decisions about what came next. It was a scene from the keystone cops. A phone call to the doctor confimed we should get to the hospital. We spent an incredibly uncomfortable night in triage and were transferred to a room in the morning.

We waited, and waited, waited some more and then we waited. Dinnertime came and went, so they gave me medicine to progress things. Remarkably, it worked!

It was the season finale for Friends that evening and Rachel would be having her baby. Everyone in my room, including the doctor had their eyes firmly planted on the television set. While Rachel had pretend contractions, I was having the real ones!! Emma on Friends was born at 8:48 PM, just three short minutes later, at 8:51, Emily Grace made her first appearance and her first sounds. I can still remember feeling no pain at all, just sheer joy and complete awe. (We have often wondered if they held me back a few minutes trying to see most of Friends:)

God heard my heart, my pleas, he answered in a little red headed baby. Certain that I had been carrying a boy, I was overjoyed when Rob screamed, "It's a GIRL!". This little girl has warmed our hearts ever since, perhaps, it is a bit cliche, but she is truly the very light of our lives and it is a priviledge and a blessing to be her mommy. Two days later, on my birthday, I left the hospital with the finest birthday gift a woman could ever wish for. I celebrate that special gift from God every single day of my life. I love you, Em!