Yeah, Baby!

Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for the amazing amount of love and support
you have given our family in the last few days!  We have been so excited to share the news
of our baby and to receive so many letters and comments and well wishes was
beyond inspiring.  

We found out about this sweet blessing quite some time ago.  I had a strong feeling
that something was going on with my body and decided to take a pregnancy test early
one morning.  It was quiet in the house, I was the only one up, and I felt the same
nervous energy in my tummy that I have the two previous times before.  PREGNANT.
The words stood out at me on the bathroom counter and I felt my heart catch in my
throat.  We have wanted this, dreamed of it, it was one of our hopes for this year.  But
after Shawn's accident, we knew that another baby might not be in the cards for us.
We accepted that fact, understood that certain plans on our long term list just might
not happen.  We let go of so many expectations, resolving ourselves to just accept what
was laid out before us.  Life takes on so much more meaning when you begin to live
with appreciation for what you have rather than looking forward and focusing on what
you want.

And then that cold winter morning came.  And despite telling myself not to get my hopes
up, not to anticipate something that might never come our way, the words danced out at
me with joy and triumph: PREGNANT!  I ran into our bedroom and woke Shawn
up, whispering the good news to him as he wiped sleep from his eyes.  He wrapped his
arms around me and held me close, the two of us hiding away in the early morning light of
our room, news so incredibly big that we just wanted to hold it close for awhile.  And we
did.  We kept this little one all to ourselves for quite some time, telling only our girls,
allowing the news of this baby to take shape in the safety of our family before we
allowed anyone else in.  This news was so precious to us that we wanted to celebrate on
our own for a bit, we wanted to have time to process this amazing moment for our family.

And so the last few months have gone.  It took some time to get used to the idea: this is real,
it's happening, I'm going to be a mama again.  Isabelle is ecstatic, her nurturing
personality going into overdrive as she insists that I drink more water, get some rest, I'll
do that for you, Mommy.  Brees has no clue what is going on but I look forward to
watching her grow right along with the baby, figuring out this process as my belly grows
and moves. 

And Shawn, there just aren't enough words.  This baby has revitalized him in ways that
no medicine or surgery or form of treatment as been able to.  This baby has awakened his
soul and made him believe in the gift of possibility again.  I have seen my husband grow
in ways I never even dreamed of these last few months, the sight of my changing body
healing his broken heart.  Love is a strong and powerful natural remedy and it has been hard
at work in this house, with this family.  This little baby, he or she was destined to be here, to
be with us.  And we are so ready.