365 days

Happy Happy Birthday Nash! 

This mama can hardly believe an entire year has passed.  Words cannot express the gratitude I am filled with each day because of the son the Lord placed in my life.  Nash is amazing in so many ways.  I am blessed to call him son! 

One year ago I was nestled up to this precious teensy tiny babe who I got to call mine.  It was a moment unlike any experienced before.  He was mine, all mine.  It was a moment I had been hoping for my entire life and there it was, just like that -- this baby boy we call Nash Edward Cooley.  He was here. 

He came two weeks early and came perfectly.  I was prayerful about having a completely natural birth and we were able to do just that.  Sunday November 8th was a normal day in our lives.  We served in nursery and then met Eric's parents for lunch at McAlisters.  We were enjoying our lunch when I noticed that either I peed my pants or my water broke.  I didn't say anything until it was time to leave.  Then I announced to the family that I had either just peed or my water had broke.  I made someone walk in front of me and behind me due to the apparent wetness.  We got in the car and headed home.  The excitement was beginning.  My mind began racing in so many directions:  I didn't have sub plans ready, the bookshelves needed to be brought inside and books unpacked, who did I need to call, surely I had plenty of time...

We made it home and slowly I began getting the list of things finished that needed to happen.  I worked with the best team and they were completely okay getting my room prepared for a long term sub.  It was an amazing gift!  I was able to simply hand off the things that were not quite complete and they handled it for me.  Eric began bringing boxes of books inside and I unpacked them onto the new shelves he had built.  I knew there was no leaving for Fort Collins until the books had been settled on their shelves.  I felt absolutely fabulous!  There wasn't any pain involved whatsoever.  It was hard to believe that we would be meeting our babe!  We had planned dinner with friends so we went ahead and kept those plans.  After eating out we grabbed our things and began the drive to Colorado.

The pain had finally started to set in.  I was able to ride in the car on my hands and knees to keep myself somewhat comfortable.  We checked into a hotel around 10 pm and labored there until about midnight.  By then we were exhausted and I had begun intense labor.  We arrived at the hospital and were met by several insistant that I ride in a wheelchair.  Thankfully I still had my say and was able to walk to the labor floor.  By the time I was checked, etc. I was already dilated to a 3 and was having contractions about every 7 minutes. 

The labor continued through the night and with my incredible coach by my side I was able to do it without any medicine.  There were so many moments in which I thought to myself that there was NO WAY I was going to do this -- it was MUCH harder than I thought.  Thankfully Eric constantly reminded me of our plan and provided the much needed support.  He was definitely the ideal coach! 

Nash made his entrance in just 8 minutes.  I clearly remember the midwife telling me that my body wasn't quite ready to push, but mentally I WAS READY!  There was no more waiting. 

He was amazing...all the way from his teensy cry his sweet red hair his perfect toes and fingers...it was love -- love to the very depths of everything I was and am!

There are not enough words to fully express the depth of love I have for Nash.  He means so much to me and daily my love for him only grows deeper.  He is pure delight in every way! 

I sit here amazed that I've already held him in my arms for a year -- can you believe ONE WHOLE YEAR?!  It is so hard to fathom that we've had him that long, but yet it seems as though he's been a part of us forever. 

As I laughed with him today I was reminded about how much the Father must love us to have given us such an amazing gift.  Nash is pure bliss!  If I'm able to have him as my own, than how MUCH MORE must my Heavenly Father delight in me?  It's priceless in EVERY way! 

Nash was created in His Father's image and I'm SO thankful for that!  He is a beautiful combination of both Eric and I.  In that I am reminded that the Lord chose Eric and I just for one another and then gave us an incredible opportunity to love and train this blessing we call ours. 

There are so many amazing things that daily I witness through Nash as he grows and develops:

• he can say duck, mama, daddy, nigh night, hey, and hi
• he can crawl up and down the stairs
• he can identify his head, belly and toes
• he signs more, all done, please, yes and water
• he can shake his head no
• he understands what we ask of him
• he LOVES LOVES LOVES his puppy!
• he adores photographs which I of course adore!
• he loves giving hugs and kisses to his animals and people of his choosing
• he loves reading his books
• car noises are a specialty of his
• the bear crawl is his advanced move in the crawling realm
• he doesn't like hearing no, but is able to respond when told no about something
• he gives great 5's

This mama could go on and on...

I am proud to be his mama and praise God for this first year and all that will come in the next year.  Our boy is a beautiful blessing!  I love seeing what the Lord is already molding into Nash's life.  He loves being prayed over -- I believe we will get to experience the depth of what that means as time continues. 

So, to my beloved son -- I love you to the VERY core of who you are and who you will become!  Happy Happy Birthday!