6 years ago...

It's hard for me to remember a time when Emmalee wasn't a part of our lives, but in reality it has only been 6 years. I can remember thinking I would never hear the words, "You're going to have a baby." While it seemed to be relatively easy for so many people I knew, getting pregnant with Emmalee was not. Our Dr. had said that if I wasn't pregnant by the end of March, he was going to start fertility testing. I remember praying so long and so hard for that positive test result. When I actually saw it and heard the words, I couldn't believe my prayers had been answered.

While the pregnancy itself had many ups and downs, I could live with all of them, knowing the outcome was all I had prayed about. Even though the labor and delivery was not the best by any stretch of the imagination, holding Emmalee for the first time was absolutely worth every tear I shed, every morning (afternoon and night) I was sick, and every single contraction (33 hours worth!)

My life has been blessed by Emmalee's birth in ways too numerous to mention, but I will mention the highlights. I have learned that there is more love in my heart than I ever thought possible. I have found that now I don't measure myself against my friends, co-workers, or society's definition of perfect, but by the way Emmalee smiles when I see her after a long day at work. I am blessed by the stories she tells, the way she loves to learn, the songs she sings, the way she loves to dance, her gentle appraoch to her little sister, and, of course, her infectious laugh.

Most of all, I am blessed to be the mom of one of the best little girls I know!