Tuesday, July 17, 2012

when you expect something

eleven months ago i was expecting something.  i went to my midwife and i was expecting to hear a heart beat.

i had felt kicks.  i felt one good strong kick and i remember it like it was yesterday.  she was telling me something.  now i know it was goodbye for a while.

i visited with my midwife.  we talked about "my poor back" and "how huge i am" and "my sciatic nerve","i'm still throwing up".  poor me.  i'm pregnant.

then we listened for a heart beat.  there aren't words for this moment that adequately describe it.  nothing new right, take a listen.  smile and be grateful for a healthy, growing little baby.

nothing.

nothing.

nothing.

the longest moment of my life and it hasn't stopped.  i wish that moment had been different.

i wish i hadn't complained.  with all my heart i would go through anything and far worse to have her here!  gosh, i wish i hadn't complained!  i love being pregnant!  i love all of it for what i get out of it!  what i deal with is SO worth it!

for 21 weeks i was expecting something.  something more precious than my own life.  we were so excited.  i loved growing and thinking about this little life.  who was this little person?  how would life be when we had four little kiddos running around?  how would josh handle it?  i bet he'll want to hold this little babe all the time.  "can you feel that little kick?"  "ooh, wow mommy!"  "there's a baby in there?" "my mommy has a baby in her tummy!"

i did have a baby.  i still do.  i just can't hold her now.

she was born in a hospital.  she was given a name.  i held her.  i cried when i had her.  it was sweet and terrible at the same time.

i came home with empty arms.

instead of waking up to a crying baby, i woke up crying.  i woke up to nightmares.  i woke up to see if Zach was still there.  were my kids taken away too?  what else is going to happen?  i felt so vulnerable.

this is not what i was expecting.

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