Grateful...

I have a friend who has moved away and I don't talk to nearly as much as I should. I was one of the first people she told she was pregnant about 6 1/2 months ago and I was very excited to hear her good news.

She was the one who talked me into getting a pregnancy test when I was pregnant with Big P. I swore I wasn't pregnant because honestly I thought I wouldn't be blessed enough to have that opportunity. I had some issues before Big P that led me to down the doubting road. For 3 days she pestered me and kept telling me I "was so knocked up". Of course once I brought it up to Kris, he was ecstatic and the test was bought and taken. It turned pink before I even had a chance to put it on the sink. And so, almost 6 years later, we are raising not one P but two and I thank God every day for that.

For my friend J though, parenthood has been a heartache. Kris and I checked her facebook on Veteran's Day and learned that their baby boy came two months too early and went home before his parents got to know him. My heart broke for her and her husband. I can't even fathom carrying a baby for that long, planning for him, feeling him move, anticpating holding him in my arms, only to have to bury him a few days later.

So even though there are times I want to pull my hair out and wonder if our children will ever listen, or stop fighting, or just follow directions, I know that I have been blessed with getting to know them, getting to tuck them in at night and getting to be the first person they run to when they just want their mama.

So tonight, I'm grateful, even if I'm extremely worn out by their strong minds.