That Mother Lode

    I am in the arena alone. If you want to help me, please deliver food using my meal train . I appreciate not having to think about what I'm going to eat on top of everything else. I am grateful for everyone who has delivered a meal.    

I believe that names are important, whether naming people, pets, entities, etc. I'm always interested in the origins and I am intentional about correct pronunciations. What we call something is what it is and what it becomes. My mother told me the origin of my name when I was  a small child and it has always been a symbol of pride for me. I was named after the mother of John the Baptist, Jesus's cousin, and my name means, "consecrated to God" or "oath of God". Anytime someone says my name, they are declaring my dedication to God. My dog, Isis, was named after the Egyptian goddess, and she represents the royal throne. Throughout my pregnancy, people asked me the baby's name, and I kept it a secret.  Some people made assumptions. One friend said I would probably honor someone close to me. Another friend said that the name would be meaningful based on how much thought I put into naming my dog and other entities. My mother said if I had a girl, her name shou...

I'm not a fan of gender reveals, and I've always hated the emphasis that people place on a baby's gender. My dream has always been to be surprised at delivery. Well, I made it 36 weeks without knowing. I always begin my medical appointments by saying I don't want to know just in case someone doesn't read my chart. At the 36 week ultrasound, the tech pointed out the baby's foot, stomach, etc., as usual, and then he said, "and there are the testicles". 😯 I forgot to give my disclaimer and he forgot to ask as he usually does. He was very apologetic and said he's never done that in all his years of experience. I'm disappointed that I found out earlier than I wanted. 

It was MLK Day (Monday), a day usually spent in service, but I felt like being lazy. I stayed in my bed for hours that morning, except for potty breaks. I knew I would be welcoming my baby in the coming days, and I just wanted to relax as much as possible. When I finally got out of bed, I decided to Netflix and chill on the couch. I took a nap and then woke up suddenly when I felt something wet on my thighs. Did I just pee in my sleep? As I walked to the bathroom, I felt a trickle down my leg. Liquid slowly streamed out a s I sat on the toilet,   but I realized it wasn't urine because I couldn't stop the flow. In disbelief, I said out loud, "My water just broke". I didn't panic. It was around 4:40pm. I showered, ate dinner, did laundry, and straightened up around my house because I knew the baby was arriving soon. I called my OB, doula, and my friend/birth partner to let them know what was happening. My OB was concerned that my membranes ruptured with no contracti...