The First and Last of 2014

It has been over a year since my last post, the longest in between posts since I started.  My blog title is even more fitting now than it was three years ago.  I feel like I go, go, go all the time, but I wouldn’t change a thing.

There is a family that sits a few rows in front of us when we go to a particular service at church that looks like they walked off the pages of a Brooks Brothers catalog.  Tall, good-looking mom and dad with two all-American-looking kids that seem crazy about them.  I watch them and think that those people really have it all.  Then I think to myself, is this what people think about us?  This is the reason I haven’t written in a while.  I really feel like the luckiest girl in the world.  To write about how wonderful my children are seems like bragging and to complain about losing a little sleep seems petty. 

Matthew and I are being spoiled with good babies.  They are happy and easy.  There haven’t been any nights that we have had no sleep at all or any days that I haven’t showered.  Other than a minor rash that required a pediatrician visit, they haven’t been sick…aaannd now I’m knocking on wood.  I thought having kids would give me this whole host of new “material,” even if it was at the fun-loving, good-humored expense of my husband.  But he’s been incredible…he changes lots of diapers, is a pro at making bottles, and has turned into a big ol’ softie.

I was overwhelmed by the response to my blog about our journey to have children.  Almost immediately, there was an influx of messages from couples going through similar situations.  People approached me at ballgames and parties to ask about what medicines I used or about our experience with the reproductive endocrinologist or just because they wanted to talk about what was always on their minds.  I’m over the moon for the ones who are on their way to having a baby now.  For those that are still trudging through, hang in there.  If there is something worth fighting for with every ounce of your being, I promise that this is it.  I would do it over and over and over again to have Miller and Mabel.  Do whatever it takes to have a family if that’s what you want.  That family may not look like you envisioned or it may not happen the way you planned, but God is a funny man that knows exactly what he’s doing. 

The year 2014 has hands-down been the best of my life.  And wow has it gone by quickly!  It hasn’t been without its share of heartache, though.  The almost three weeks in the NICU certainly wasn’t a walk in the park, although looking back, Matthew and I can appreciate the time we spent there.  We both worry about work too much.  We think about our loved ones that are dealing with their own struggles.  And recently, we’ve gone through another life-altering experience that has once again challenged our faith.  If someone looks at my family and thinks I have it all, I would agree; I do have it all.  It’s not perfect and it’s not all on cloud nine, but it is most certainly, without a doubt, a wonderful, wonderful life.  As I type, Matthew and I are binge-watching a Netflix series (this rarely happens anymore!) and looking forward to a few more days relaxing at home with our babies.  Happy holidays to our friends and family, and may 2015 bring good times and lots of happy memories!