20 years ago today

emma was born on this day, twenty years ago. i cannot even believe those words are coming out of my mouth. the time has flown by, and i can see her toddling around in a diaper and walking to kindergarten like it was yesterday. the days when my kids were small were wonderful for me.

i was in labor with emma for a couple of days...dr lieberman (a darling young woman who just happened to be a physician) kept putting me off...saying just "wait it out at home". i was really anxious, but unfortunately the contractions were not close enough to justify going to the hospital. craig had a job at a law firm in woodland hills at the time, (we were soon to relocate to murrieta, and a job in riverside), we were living at my parents home in thousand oaks, and aenon was almost 2. when i did finally make it to the hospital, emma still took her sweet time. i was given all sorts of supposed "pain killers" (i think they just were just telling me that to make me be quiet) in my iv, but no epidural. not sure why i did not get one, but i made it through ok. eventually she was born in a birthing chair, sitting almost upright with an industrial bucket placed underneath me during the process, dr lieberman sitting calmly on one of those low rolling stools in front of me. i am sure emma is cringing at this description right about now, but thats the way it was, honey. never gave birth in another one, but apparently did the job well. she came with relative ease and not too much discomfort. she was little, and that helped.
an even 7 pounds of darling little baby girl.

there was a certain peacefulness in the hospital while i was there, because of the season i think. christmas carolers strolled up and down the halls, and when it was time to go home, they placed her in a bright red christmas stocking. i could not help thinking of a certain time when another mother gave birth to a special someone. the experience of giving birth at christmastime was magic for me.

when i took her home, she was such a calm, peaceful baby. she never cried, and slept literally all the time. i had to wake her to feed and change her. she slept those first few months in the little wooden crib which cradled her great-grandfather who was born in 1899. a family treasure for sure, which every single kid of mine has spent their first months in. she was a dream. in fact in those first few days, there were a couple of times i forgot she was even around, because she was so quiet. she continued to be an easy child too...a happy, capable toddler she quickly grew into, then a darling, mature preschooler, all the while having adult conversations with those around her. i spoke to her like she was an 18 year old when she was barely old enough to use the bathroom on her own. she was my helper from day one. she was born an old soul, and one day i will find out the story behind her. that will be an interesting tale, i am sure. all in all she was a perfect child in every way. i can honestly say i never had any trouble with her (well, sometimes being in the dark is a good thing)...
and i can still say that even now (i know a miracle in itself).

i could go on and on, and recount her life as i remember it. i could write pages and pages...however on this day, the words are simple. i am so grateful she came to me, so grateful to have her in my life and i love her with my heart, soul, and every fiber of my being. she has become a remarkable young woman who is talented, intelligent, righteous, caring and gifted in so many ways. i must have done something right to have had her placed in my care. so, thank you Heavenly Father for entrusting one of your precious souls to me. i cant thank you enough.

and to you emma...happy birthday.
i love you.