What A Difference a Year Makes

Since I didn't have access to the internet on Mother's Day, I'm having to post a day later...

It was a very low-key day. I'm not much of a Hallmark kind of gal, so gifts and such aren't a big deal. The only gifts I ever want are handmade cards, Popsicle-stick pencil holders and grand works of scribbled art. Since Natalie and Abby are a little young for even scribbles, I let them off the hook this year. Ben and I decided our new camper will count as gifts for all upcoming holidays, so he's off the hook too! Ben did fix me breakfast, but confessed later that it wasn't because he remembered it was Mother's Day. In fact, neither of us remembered until way after noon. Ben said he need to call his mom. I thought, "oh I need to call my mom too". It didn't even occur to me until a few minutes later that I was a mom too! I had to remind Ben. Poor Ben:-)

I mostly spent a lot of time thinking about last year's Mother's Day. What a difference a year makes.

Last year, Mother's Day was on May 13th. Nine days earlier we had learned about the danger our babies were in and it had changed all our plans. On that Mother's Day, I was supposed to be at Kenen Stadium finally graduating with my BA in Religious Studies from UNC. Instead, I was on bed rest. I was also supposed to have my "It's About Damn Time" graduation party. After all, it only took me 15 years. The truth is, I remained really disappointed I couldn't attend graduation. Maybe it's silly, but I've always felt like I missed something by not walking. I've never quite been convinced I'm really finished. I was always starting school, taking a break from school, starting school again. Sometimes, I think I'm still on a break.

So, instead of going to graduation and having a party, I was at home, getting fussed at if I took stood up longer than two minutes. Joking aside, last year, Mother's Day was spent worrying about the two little lives inside me, not knowing if both, or even if one, would survive. Mother's Day did yield one happy memory, or rather Kodak Moment. During one of my rare moments upright, Ben snapped this picture.

It's the only real picture of me pregnant. Since I was already a bit "round" when I got pregnant and only made it to 26 weeks, I never really looked pregnant. I had only just started to pop out in the week or two before this picture. (That probably had something to do with Abby's rapidly ballooning amniotic sac.) In any case, I'm actually very happy to have at least one picture proving I was pregnant. Since Natalie and Abby are the spitting images of Ben, people are beginning to question me:-)

Of course, the day after Mother's Day, we went in for yet another ultrasound and amniotic reduction. The results meant I was admitted for the long haul until the girls were to be born. For us, that meant 24 hours later, and the Journey began.

This Mother's Day was much more laid back and quiet. I was thankful to have both my little girls with me. Although I still worry about how much they eat, I am daily grateful for their health, smiles, and the joy they bring to me.

This year, I may not look very different, but I have two beautiful girls. Being with them is the best Mother's Day present ever. (But, I'm still hoping for a Popsicle-stick pencil holder one day:-)