A Feat

Mother's Day falls on an important day for me this year. It's purely coincidence, but it's what I've been thinking about. I am 32 weeks and 4 days along in this pregnancy.

I woke up on this pregnant day with Cora, and I put on tights. No easy feat for a late-in-the-game pregnant woman. I was proud of myself. I was wearing my favorite maternity dress that I'd finally grown into. I grabbed my lunch that Jake always made and left for work. I also left a pile of laundry in the corner of my room. I was going to tackle it when I got home.

On this day with Cora, I went into labor.

This day was the first of a 2 week hospital stay. When I was changing into my hospital gown, I remember thinking how difficult it was for me to get these tights on just two hours before. I had no idea what was in store. IVs, ultrasounds, gushing blood, morphine, breech presentation, and finally, a batch of late night tears. I was 32 weeks, contracting every two minutes and dilated to a 2. I didn't know I would miss home so much that when I returned I would cry as I walked through each room, fully aware of how abruptly life can change. Change on days that start out just as normal as the rest.

I was sitting in church this morning, adding up my weeks and days, and thinking about how I was in such a different place. Then I looked down and realized I was wearing the same dress, sans tights, thankfully. This has been a completely different experience so far. And while I still have a few weeks to go to surpass Cora's 35 week delivery mark, something about today being so low key and easy makes me breathe a little sigh of relief. All is well.

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