pajamas to school

If you see these two little sweeties today, do me a favor, and do not tell them that the new shirts they have on are actually PAJAMA tops. They look like that pima, or pointelle, soft knitted fabric, and for $2.24 each, clean and new and neat....but pajama tops....I just hope no one in their classes has these p.j.s at home.

Well, my oldest child is turning 24 years old this week. She is 4 and a half years older than I was when I had her. I was 18 when Paul and I got married, he was almost 22. We got married 25 years ago this March. Anyway, I was 19 and a half when Emily was born. She was due on the 16th, and on the morning of the 18th, I woke up very early with contractions. Being young and stupid, I went to the hospital immediately. Back then, policy was: shave, enema, put to bed. Honestly. There was no internet then, and I was just plain uneducated about other options. Not that they would have let me do anything differently at that time, in the hospital. But I was put in a bed, a horrible bed, of which there were 4 in a large labor room, separated by curtains. Joy. My labor went on all day, and of course I wasn't allowed anything at all to eat or drink. I didn't have anything for pain, either, by choice. They kept checking me, and finally the dr. told us the baby was transverse, and I would need some forceps to pull her down. I had to sign all the papers for a cesarean, just in case. The dr. explained they would give me some gas, and if the forceps didn't work, they would do a section. (I believe now that if I had been up and walking, things would have been different, but oh well) Anyway, transferred to the delivery room, a gas mask on my face, I dreamt wierd things, about having my face pushed into the sand at the water's edge and all the little people saying, "No one told you it would be like this...", over and over.....I woke up to Paul crying his eyes out, with joy. We have a girl first, he said. First? Little did we know.....

I then remember being in the recovery room holding this bundle of baby, and wondering why I had ink all over my hands. It took a while for me to sober up, and focus on the fact that I had a precious new baby. An 8lb. 10oz. baby girl, Emily Anne, who wouldn't latch on properly to nurse, and cried and cried. I had her on a Friday night, at 9:53, and went home on Monday. These days, they would have me out of there on Saturday.

I have some regrets about the day she was born. Paul's mom was there at the hospital, in the waiting room, worried and excited. I don't know what hospital policy was then, but why on earth did she not come in and visit with us? It did not occur to me then, to have her come in. Another thing: I had the most awful episiotomy from the forceps. Horrible. I remember when I had my next baby, wondering where all the post-partum pain was.

I have learned so much through the years having babies. Of course, I have three kids who are older than I was when I had my first one.

Anyway, my Emily (who had an original name, before the "Emily" name boom), is all grown up now. I am so proud of her, she is a good girl. Really truly good. She has decided to be whole hearted for God, therefore, she shall be blessed. She had turned into a lovely young woman, and that is because of God too. I prayed and worked, but He answered and gave. And Emily chose to follow. So, she is in Norway now, and we miss her, but we are thankful for her, and the good example she has been here for her younger brothers and sisters, and example of how to be happy and pure and live unselfishly.

Procrastinator that I am, I have not sent out a birthday gift for her yet, but she'll get one, even if it is Valentine's Day. I am pretty sure she reads this, so: Happy Birthday Emily!!! You have given me far more joy than you can imagine, and I love you!!!