"All You Need is Love"

I feel very blessed to be loved by my sweet little family. Not only do they love me, they do it in very colorful ways. There are times I miss the love because I'm busy scratching my head at all the "color", but today is one of those days that I see all those little extras as nothing but endearing and entertaining.

First of all there's Brennan. He's been kind of wreck ever since we found out I tested positive for Strep B. About 40% of pregnant women do and it's rarely a risk to the mother, but can potentially be dangerous to the baby. However, with a couple of doses of antibiotics given to me during delivery the baby should be just fine. We did hear that we need four hours before the baby comes to get a couple of treatments in and given that this is my 5th baby we are a little nervous about things happening a little faster than that. Anyway, when Brennan cares about something, he worries. He's convinced that all our other babies were born in about 5 minutes and that my OB has no idea what he's talking about whenever I pass along his reassurances. He, of course, looked online and has read every horror story ever told about Strep B and manages to talk to people who have only very bad stories to tell.

Yesterday when I went to the doctor he discovered the baby was breech. He arranged to have me go to the hospital at 6:00 am to try and turn the baby. I literally didn't tell one women that who had experienced that process without them involuntarily groaning in agony. I was exhausted and scared and looking forward to calling Brennan. He could tell I was sort of overwhelmed and wisely remained outwardly calm. He went back to work and to the temple and checked on me throughout the day.

Last night we took the kids over to my parents' house to sleep so my Mom wouldn't need to come here at the crack of dawn. My parents were cheerful and gracious as always. Brennan told my mom that if they couldn't flip the baby I would need to have a circumcision. He caught himself immediately and corrected that to Cesarean (c-section), but the four of us still had a hearty laugh about that and my mood was definitely lifted.

When we got to the hospital this morning we checked in and they got an IV going just in case they needed to do an emergency c-section and they strapped all the monitors on. My doctor came in and brought in an ultra-sound machine to take a peek and much to our delight our sweet, wonderful, loving, adorable little child had turned him/herself around all on his/her own. Such a relief!

Brennan headed off to work and I drove myself home and crawled my grateful but exhausted self into bed. I awoke to the phone ringing and when I answered there was an irate man on the other end. It was Brennan. Evidently he had been trying to get a hold of me (called my cell about 6 times, my parents a couple of times and the hospital 3 times, but not the home phone.) I assured him I was fine and thanked him for his concern. I closed my eyes again with a smile knowing I have a good man, perhaps a little crazy, but a very good man. I love Brennan.

As for my kids, well they were in tears before we left for my parents' home. They were worried about me and sad we wouldn't all be together for a night. We reassured them that everything would be fine and tried to remind them how blessed they are to be able to go to their grandparents' home where they are completely comfortable and loved and adored. They bravely choked back their tears and packed their bedtime necessities, (a suitcase for Anna, a tiny backpack for Abby and a pillow case for the boys). We tucked them in and hugged and kissed them about 30 times each and went upstairs to chat with my parents. They soon came up like a little row of ducklings no longer able to hold back the emotion. They gave us several hundred more hugs and reminders to call them and to lock all our doors so we'd be safe at home and went back downstairs. A couple more trips upstairs for urgent things like fingernail clippers etc. and finally Brennan got them to sleep. There couldn't be 4 more tender-hearted affectionate little kids than ours. We love Anna, Abigail, Nathan, and Benjamin.

Earlier that day I called Brennan's Mom to give her the update and she said, "I told Brennan 'she'll be fine, she talks to God'". Her sweet words gave me courage throughout the night and morning and helped me remember that I can talk to God and how everything's less scary when I do. When I got back Abby said, "Mom, I know why the baby turned by itself. Grandma and I prayed that it would." Doesn't get much better than this, does it?