A lazy Sunday

Since it was rainy and a chance of freezing rain we decided to stay home today instead of going to church.  I know it may not have been the best decision since it ended up just being rain, but I didn't want to chance it.  As many of you know the weather in North Carolina is far from predictable.  To begin our lazy day we had breakfast, cleaned, and played with Emma.  Sometimes the lazy days seem to be the busiest as Emma is busy playing and wanting us to join in the play time.  Believe me, we do not mind joining in on whatever she has decided to play with.

While she took a nap I ordered some pictures.  When you get a coupon code for Shutterfly you can't pass it up.  So as I was ordering the pictures I began looking back at 2013.  Wow did the year fly by, and boy did Emma change.  She went from a baby to a toddler.  From sitting up and crawling to running around and talking.  She went from eating baby food to helping me make her lunch.  From a bottle to a cup without a lid on it.  Her personality to coming through so much.  Last night while giving her a bath I asked "are we going to wash your hair?", her response was priceless "no ma'am".  She is such a blessing to us, and we do not take a moment for granted.

I have struggled with this post for the past few minutes because I have a hard time talking about both of these topics at the same time, but I can't do a sad post by itself so I apologize in advance if this post is all over the place.  I am overwhelmed with the joy of looking back and seeing Emma grow over the past year, but also know the hurt that some feel because they have spent the last year trying to have a child of their own.  I am also aware of  people who have suffered the loss of a child in the past year. Maybe it is because of just going through the holidays and having extra days at home with Emma, or the spirit of the season, or maybe just because it is a rainy day and my mommy emotions are high.  Anyway, here is the sad part weighing on my heart.

There are so many people who suffer the unimaginable loses of children.  I just read an article online about precious baby Olivia who passed away 5 days after being born due to injuries from her birth.  The doctor had refused to do a C-Section and instead tried to use forceps.  Problem is that the innocent baby suffered a skull injury from the force of the forceps.  I cannot imagine what this family is going through.  I have a friend that has dealt with infertility for a while and in 2013 after a successful IVF suffered a miscarriage. I cannot imagine her pain dealing with this loss either.  With so many who cannot have children, lose their children before they even have them, and for the ones who suffer the loss for their child for any reason I cannot imagine the pain.  I cannot imagine what feelings, emotions, and thoughts that person had.  I try to have an interactive, loving, and engaged parenting style because I know how much I wanted this child.  I also know that there are people everywhere praying for a child that they may never be able to have, or suffering the loss of their precious child.  All I can offer are my thoughts, prayers, and to continue to not take a single day with my daughter for granted because none of us are promised tomorrow.

I have always heard that if you have something bad then you sandwich it between good things so with keeping with a crazy all over the place post here the second good part goes.  Looking back at 2013