6 months.

I have been fighting a cold - one that I'm fairly certain I got from my husband. Seems fitting somehow as I write this - a little over six months ago, I woke up one day feeling awful. My husband had been sick, and I had woken up with myalgias, fevers and other cold symptoms. I was also having regular contractions. Gosh, I remember wanting to pummel the hubs for giving me a cold on top of having to be in labor. It was a long day filled with anticipation, discomfort, growing excitement and fear. Yes, fear. Fear of the pain, fear from knowing a little too well about all the complications of labor and delivery, fear of the major change that was coming to our tidy little life...and an overall fear of failure. Failure to be a good (read: not obnoxious) patient (sounds silly, but other medical folks will know what I mean), failure to be a good resident, housekeeper, cook, friend, wife, daughter, sister and, of course, mother.

The next 36 hours went by...after waiting at home until 11 pm, followed by 14 hrs of laboring in the hospital and finally undergoing a c-section, our baby boy was born. A son! A real, live human being who was now an integral part of our lives. And here we are, 6 months later, in awe of every moment with baby E since that day...as the hubs and I watch our little man learn about the world around him, seeing the change in his eyes as he discovers something new, tasting solid food for the first time, figuring out how to use his body to maneuver himself across the room to get to his favorite toy, seeing the recognition in his face as his flashes a huge grin when he sees us, reaching out his hands to us. I've heard some people say that it is impossible not to acknowledge that there is a God when impressed with the awesomeness of some great beauty or feat of nature...and I feel the same way every time I look at this amazingly, precious gift that God has given to us. Looking at this tiny creature, I am daily humbled, grateful, terrified and honored all at once.

6 months. What an incredible journey it has been. And I can't wait to see what's next. :)