I took a week or so off to spend some much-needed time with family. Family that flew in for a visit, family not too far away, and family that we took a little road trip to see. Nonetheless we were blessed to be able to see almost everyone (sorry Texas family) between Christmas and New Years, which in my opinion is a great way to kick off 2016. During that time, I was able to reflect on the past year and all the many changes that 2015 brought our family.
March brought a first birthday celebration for our beautiful twins girls, and a celebration that was warranted indeed. After weeks in the NICU, being born premature, and then Shrimp’s many cardiac issues and hospitalizations, their first birthday was very special.
April, Good Friday to be exact, brought Shrimp’s major heart surgery. Her beautiful little heart was all stitched up and after a few days in the ICU and a week in the hospital she was sent home to heal and grow!
In June, I resigned from my full-time teaching job to become a full-time stay at home mama. An extremely scary decision financially, still scary actually, but one that I am so thankful for. Being a full-time teacher, part-time mom was so hard for me. I hated the rushing, the minimal patience, sending my kids to daycare sick, and missing so much of watching them grow up. Even now looking back, other than the fact that I have an amazing husband and we have an amazing support system (our families), I still am not sure how we did it all.
In November we celebrated Miss B’s THIRD birthday. Some days I can’t believe I have a three-year old, where did that time go. Other days I can’t believe that she is only three, more like three going on 13. She is such a feisty, sweet, independent, strong-willed little girl and as much as she makes me want to bang my head against a wall, she makes me smile eve more!
Being home now for almost 8 months full-time, I have been able to attend every doctors appointment and therapy session. I have been able to spend quality time, a lot of quality time, with all three of my girls every day. I am able to work on their speech and physical therapy needs with them daily. I’ve seen them take their first steps, say their first words, have their first major falls, learn, and grow.
When you are in the middle of the middle, you can’t truly appreciate all the amazing things that are happening right before your eyes. Most of the time, we are just trying to make it through the next five minutes or five hours. In the end, we do make it, maybe not always as we imagined but we make it.
Three years ago I never would have even dreamed that I would have three beautiful girls today, and a set of twins even. A year and a half ago, I wasn’t sure that I would see Tuna and Shrimp at all, let alone holding hands and running through our living room laughing.
What we can’t see when we are in the throes of the chaos, we can almost always see when we reflect. If you can’t find something to make you smile when everything is going wrong, then at least take the time a day, a month, or a year later to reflect and look at how far you’ve come!
I can not wait to see what is in store for my beautiful three girls, and our family as we dive into 2016.
Happy New Year everyone!
Warmest Wishes,
Dani
Leave a Reply