How lucky we, as women, are!!

As I was doing my morning routine today, brushing teeth, washing face, etc..., I was thinking about my sister-in-law. She is coming into her 30th week carrying twins. Then I started thinking about me and other mothers. I couldn't help but smile because we are so very lucky to carry life in our bodies. Sometimes I don't think that we realize this. We get so caught up in our everyday lives, housecleaning, children, and so on, that we miss this quite often. I think about how some couples struggle to have children and then when they least expect it, the Lord generously gives them a child or two :)!! What an amazing thing, we as mothers, get to experience as we feel every move, jab, nudge, kick, and even hiccup. We go from our flat tummies to these enormous bellies that we can't even get around let alone shave our legs. We get to a point in the last few weeks that we wish it was all over and that we could see our feet again. It comes and then, as quickly as it came, it goes. Then there is this wonderful, beautiful baby who depends fully on you to take care of them and love them. What a precious gift!! Even though you may not be expecting to get pregnant or even if it was planned, there is nothing in this world that you could not be more proud of, than being a mother. I want to encourage all mommies with young children. Before you know it, it's over. You will never have them as babies again, so hug them, kiss them, pray over them, play with them, listen to their long drawn out stories and make them feel as though that was the most exciting thing you've heard all day. They will remember and that is what they carry with them. To all the expecting mommies, feel blessed!! Enjoy these nine months, even in the uncomfortable stages. It does not last forever. There will be days when you wish they were back in your tummy, trust me!! But then there are days when you could stare at them forever. No matter what anyone says, hold your baby, cuddle them, rock them to sleep. They will ask, when they are older, if you ever did that. As I look at my four children 7, 5, 3, and almost 1; tears feel my eyes, cause it wasn't that long ago they were my little newborn. We are at a whole new stage in our life now and it is fun. Then there are days like today when I remember back and think how lucky I am, I am so blessed!!

My house is a zoo!

This week I am living in a zoo. Not only do I have the children and our crazy dog, but I have my brothers Lab. My family is on vacation and my brother asked if we would watch his dog Duke. He is a super sweet dog, but he is acting nervous around our hyper dog. Marley is acting insane!! He acts like a female dog in heat, seriously. Last night it was really uncomfortable in my living room. There was a bit of gay-dog porn, it was quite disgusting. After the "session" was finished, Marley went to his cage showing us it was bedtime. Both our boys are nice and congested so we knew that it was going to be a long night. We were in our room getting our bed ready, when we smelled something so vile. It was nauseating. We were searching in our room, smelling everything. It was deifinitly urine, but we could not find it. Finally after about 15 minutes Nate came across it and about threw up. Duke was marking his territory and pee'd on my nice pillow shams. I was so tired that I couldn't even throw a fit properly. They are in the laundry, hopefully they won't smell of dog urine forever. Duke paced all night long, probably because he missed Matt. It was wearing on my nerves severly by 1 in the morning. So between him and Josh, I am exhausted!! Nate slept with Wyatt, when he is stuffy he does not sleep well in his bed. So he slept on Nate. So after that long night I woke up to get Aliya ready for school. When I came home from taking her in, my house smelled like a barn. That is where I am at this point. My kids are still in their pj's, toys are all over the living room and hall, the dogs are seperated (I don't want any repeats of last nights events) and wimpering, and my house smells like foot, tail, and urine. I know I have had better days!!

The whole story of Aliya

December 27, 2000~

Christmas had just past and we were home in Oklahoma City from spending the holidays with my family in Texas. I was opening the bank where I worked talking with a friend. My husband Nate and I had discussed starting a family, so on Thanksgiving I decided to go off my birth control. I was telling my friend that I got this great skirt for Christmas, but when I was trying it on, the stupid thing would not zip up. She started laughing and suggested that I might be pregnant. She knew we were interested in a family, so jokingly made the comment. I wondered though, could I really be??? I started asking her the signs of pregnancy, she began on a huge list. I had a couple of the signs, but I just figured it was all from the holidays. She talked me into getting a pregnancy test, just to set my mind to ease. I quickly ran to the store. I took it into the bathroom at the bank, read the directions carefully, and then followed through. I watched as the one line appeared and waited for the other line, but nothing. Sadly, I laid down the test, pulled my pants up, grabbed the test box and wrappings, and then grabbed the test. Before throwing it all away I glanced at the test once more and there it was...the second line!! Pure elation swept over my body, my heart was racing a mile a minute, I could not believe this was happening. I wrapped my arms around my stomach and quietly said to the new little life, "I promise to love you with everything in me.". I ran out and showed my friend, she hugged me and then we laughed. I called Nate and told him, I know not very personal, but I was so excited I could not wait. He was shocked!! I think that he could not believe it happened so fast, but there we were, going to be parents. We told our families, everyone was thrilled. The first grandchild on both sides was on it's way!!

April 23, 2001~

After making it through morning sickness, hearing the heartbeat, feeling the baby move, having my body stretch in places I didn't think were possible, and finding out our precious baby was coming in September, it was time to find out what was actually in there. I think that everyone was saying girl, especially my MIL who had all boys. My sister and MIL were there with us when the sono technician said we were to decorate in pink!! What emotion, to see and now know what was inside my belly. She had the cutest little profile. I was so happy!!!! Naming her was easy. I had Madison picked out since the beginning, I just needed a middle name. My sister and I were looking at Arabic names. That is when we saw Aliya. It was perfect, Madison Aliya would be her name. We told our families and they loved it. Being that my family's background is Arabic, my dad started calling her Aliya. After thinking about it, we decided to switch the names to Aliya Madison. Now, that was perfect!!

September 1-4, 2001~

I was due on the 3rd, Labor Day, ironic, right? Well that day came and went. We had a family cookout. My family came up from Texas and Nate's brother and his wife came in from Tennessee. We all gathered at Nate's parents house and I was the topic of conversation. Everyone watched me, when I flinched they all gasped, if I grunted or moaned they all grew silent and watched. It was a little nerve-wracking. That evening I was walking with my SIL and MIL, I guess to start labor. My legs were cramping so we decided to go inside. I sat down in a recliner to rest, as I stood back up I felt leaking. I called for Nate and then felt more leaking. We called the hospital and then were on our way. After checking me they told me that I pee'd myself. The holiday was over and life returned to somewhat normal. At my appointment on the 4th we talked about induction on the 6th, I was ready to meet my little girl, I was over being pregnant.

September 6-7, 2001~

I woke up extremely nervous, not really knowing what to expect. My mom and brother were on their way up from Texas and my dad and sister would be up after a half day of work. Meeting us at the hospital was Nate's mom and his dad would be up later that day. We got to the hospital at 7 am and they started the induction at 8 am. By the time they started my mom and brother had arrived. The induction consisted of a strip placed on my cervic to soften it to dialate. I was only a fingertip dialated at the time. Little did I know, I was about to enter the worse pain I have ever experienced in my entire life!! It did not take long for the strip to work. I could not even breath, I need pain meds right away. I was told I could not have my epidural because I was only 2 cm, and I had to be at a 4. They gave me some Demoral (sp?) in my IV. Horrible decision!!! I still had tremendous pain, but I was so loopy. I had no idea what was going on. This went on for a couple more hours. It was really an emotional time. My family saw me in so much pain and there was nothing anyone could do. Finally, finally, I had reached 4 cm. I didn't care how big the needle was, all I knew was I wanted it in my back feeding me drugs. Awwwww....relief!!! It was fabulous!! I felt nothing, I was able to enjoy the rest of labor with a smile. At about 9 pm-ish I was still at 6 cm and not progressing. They started talking c-section, but my nurse wouldn't let that happen. She flipped me to my other side and things started to pick up again. I was so ready to meet my little girl, I could not wait any longer. At around midnight I was fully dialated and ready to push. My girlfriend Mandy had just arrived with her husband, so her, my mom, my sister, my MIL, and Nate all were in the room. After the room was transformed it was about 12:30 am. With some serious grunting and pushing, I birthed my first daughter. I could not believe that I did it, I had a baby. It was such a moment, one that I will never forget. My little princess came into this world on September 7, 2001 at 1:07 am. She weighed 7 lbs 8 oz. and was 20 1/4 inches.

September 7, 2008~

I can't believe how time has passed by. I was reading her baby book the other day and I just cried. What I would give for one more day with her as a newborn, to smell her, hold her, cuddle her. She is so big now. She has already gone through such a transformation. From little girl to young lady. She is so brilliant. She is the only student in her 1st grade class that reads to the class. She has such a tender heart, she loves all people. I am so proud of her. Her passion for learning is so unbelieveable. So Happy Birthday Aliya, may this year be better than your last!! No matter how big you get, you will always be my baby girl!!