23 years ago today....

Or rather tomorrow, to make this story easier to tell....

I had a baby. She was the most beautiful little girl. I was induced for her right on my due date because a stress test indicated she was...ha, stressed? So I checked into the hospital early in the morning, had Pitocin running into my veins all day long. Nothing happened. Contractions were mild, weren't progressing. I talked to my sister on the phone at a bit after four in the afternoon, lamented that things weren't going well...then, oh dear...a whirlwind of horrible contractions, and by five o'clock, I had a baby in my arms! I'm telling you, one push, and she was there. The doctor said, "God wants you to have babies, Della", as she was born.

So Mali Rose (aka Molly Rose) was born, and the very next day was our 10th wedding anniversary. Seven kids...Emily was 9, Abigail 7, Benjamin 5, Mirielle 4, Joseph 2, and Aaron 15 months.

(Mali with Kathryn)

Tonight, Miss Mali is coming over so we can celebrate her birthday. I can't wait to sing Happy Birthday and see little Lydia's face. She can sing, "Twinkle Twinkle". She can say, "All right!" She can give you "five". She can say a very emphatic, "NO". If she decides she doesn't like something you feed her, she'll simply scoop it all out of her mouth, and hand it to you. She's such a tiny thing with a big brave personality, coming into our big crazy house and taking over, ha. We love her...and her mama too, of course.

This morning is a headache morning. I know why, too, or at least I am theorizing that it was the brownies. It's a good thing to blame it on, anyway, I need all the help I can get to stay away from things like that.

It could be from waking up while it was still dark this morning to let the dogs out. I tried to go back to sleep with Duke in my room, but he was having none of it...it was like way back when I had little babies, and I had an antsy toddler in my bed, me trying desperately to sleep, small child trying desperately to wiggle around and sing songs.

Anyway. It's a good day. I am thankful for ibuprofen, and for coffee.