Being Thankful

Today has been a rough one. I don't know if it's the pinkeye or just an off day, but Lia wouldn't sleep at all. She would fall asleep while she was nursing and then as soon as I'd put her down, she'd wake up. She'd do the same thing for Ben after he rocked her. It was a long, frustrating day, only relieved when we went to church this evening and she fell asleep for a half an hour in the Baby Bjorn. This was the kind of day everyone references when they talk about how hard life is with an infant--the kind of day you can only imagine, and then not even very accurately. I almost lost it several times. I'd just stand there, begging her to stop crying and just go to sleep.

She finally fell asleep a few hours ago and I am sitting on the internet while I should be in bed, taking advantage of this time to snuggle with my husband (it's cold outside!) and get some much needed rest. But I felt compelled to post after reading something earlier. Marianna, I'd been sort of following the Farleys after following the link to their blog from yours. Their baby died from an abnormality similar to the one that caused our miscarriage last year--except where Copeland had 3 sets of chromosomes on the 18th chromosome, ours had 3 sets on every chromosome (triploidy). Because I'd researched what Peanut had, I knew a little about Trisomy 18. Anyway, from their blog I went to the Mooney's blog--which followed their son's terribly brief, yet incredibly long--for a Trisomy baby--tenure on earth.

I only had to read a little for my whole frustrating day to melt away. I'd read much of it before, and it's never failed to bring tears to my eyes, but tonight, it did more. I think it was a picture on there of their son--something in his expression reminded me of an expression Lia gets sometimes. And all at once, I was so grateful, so thankful for the opportunity that God has given me to be Lia's mom. I had forgotten to thank God for her today, for everything she is and will be to us, for her health, and even for her fussiness, because it makes the sweet times even sweeter. And I most especially feel the need to thank God for the perspective I have been given. We are truly blessed.