Over Thanksgiving, I was digging around in my unorganized tub of pictures looking for something super specific when I found this picture from a company party. It was taken on August 10, 1996. The night before Jessie was born. I was so excited. I went running in to show Jessie. I was yelling at her, "Look at this picture. It was taken the night before you were born. Do you hear me? THE night before you were born. Look at it!"
She was kind of puzzled and let me know that she didn't understand what she was looking at. Of course she didn't. She is nineteen years old.
I feel like this picture represents my life as I knew it. All normal and carefree. Then, the next morning, I woke up and out of nowhere, my life changed forever! Okay, it wasn't out of nowhere, but it was earlier than expected.
Then, I found this picture and it kind of makes me laugh. Most people look at their newborns with that new mother glow. Boy, I did love her and I was so happy to be a new mom But, this was one stubborn baby. She was six days old in this picture and I didn't feel like we were ever coming home from the hospital. I think I was staring her right in the eyes and trying to will her to take that bottle. Trust me, that approach didn't work then and it doesn't work now.
Before August 10, 1996, life was fun. It was filled with hanging out with friends. We went wherever we wanted whenever we wanted. We played in the lake on the weekends and went to every movie that was ever made. I used to see a lot of movies. We used to just hang out. Doing nothing sometimes. Or maybe we went out to eat. There was a time when I knew each of my friends' usual orders at all of our favorite restaurants. Life was easy. We didn't have anyone to answer to.
I wouldn't change a thing, though! I'm so glad that I woke up on August 11, 1996 and had my life changed forever. Those little people (that aren't so little anymore) have added lots of love, laughter and happiness into our lives.
