Unconditional Love.

What does this mean...?

Very simply it means love without end even in the most scary and heart aching of situations. I was reminded of this last night through none other than a reality show. I was instantly grounded and found myself questioning the power of love. A young woman was newly engaged to her long time love and unexpectedly she was in a car accident that left her with a permanent brain injury and in a wheel chair. Her life was no longer her own and relies solely on caregivers to meet her every need, daily. No wedding had occurred prior to this accident but her fiance remained by her side and still is until this day. No one should be robbed of their life in such a traumatic way but God has a plan for everyone and there isn't one thing anyone can do to change His plan. Her fiance made a comment during this show stating "What kind of man would I be to leave after her accident?" I was taken back by this statement because I'm sure most people wouldn't know what to do after such an awful event. I am not sure what I would do to say the least but I do know that with unconditional love, all things are possible. Love takes on so many forms and is the very foundation that all good things come from. Does the fiance have to be with her romantically going forward? No, but because he "loves" her he is by her side and loving her the best way he knows how. What a beautiful person he is for loving her unconditionally. I am inspired to practice unconditional love as often as possible and not just with my loved ones but with anyone who may need a bit of uplifting in their lives. Love is powerful to say the least.

Sacrifice.

It's been a while since I have blogged and I feel as though life has been a bit crazy and unpredictable lately. I have made some changes to my little world, some for the better and some that have caused more stress than peace. This is life and I am learning how to survive in the role as a new Mom, a good wife and a dedicated co-worker. All of which have caused me some personal heartache in more ways than I can count. This isn't a bad heartache but rather a change in how I perceive this new world I am living in. Being a new Mom can be, well, stressful and enlightening. I know I am good Mom to our little angel but balancing everything that has come my way has been a challenge to say the least. I have been back to work since mid December...this in itself has made me realize what is really important in this short life. Cutting back my hours, changing offices and positions was a difficult but necessary move for me personally. I feel I need to be with Aviana as much as possible these first years and am making every effort to do so. Making sacrifices is inevitable when you are a Mom and this is a lesson my Mother has reminded me of in these past few months. Sacrifice=love. Oh boy does it! I don't think too many of us look at this equation and really think about it. We sacrifice things we may or may not need and we do this so that love will shine through to those who need it. Myself going to part time to be with Aviana more is an example of this. Learning to change the lifestyle I am accustomed to in order to be more present in the moments that truly matter; motherhood and family. These are the moments I live for...watching my baby laugh, smile, cry, sleep and play. I try to remember this simple idea of sacrifice every day but at times it can be tough. Sacrificing is not easy for most of us but it can be so rewarding and simply, uplifting.

I hope you take a look at what you have sacrificed lately simply for love.

Reflections....

These past few weeks have flown by to say the least. My life has changed dramatically but I am feeling as though it has always been this way. It is amazing how Aviana has added so much love and excitement to our very regular and peaceful lives. She brings so much love, laughter and of course the dreaded worry that comes with having a baby to care for. The worry is so worth the reward of seeing her grow, smile and love being in our arms. She is such a blessing and I can't imagine my life without her. The best part of being a Mom is knowing that my everyday actions affect her little life and will determine her happiness. Jerry and I love being her parents and are so thrilled with how she has developed over the last few weeks. She has started to smile at our faces (mostly her daddy's face), she can almost hold her head up all on her own and just in the past few days she found her hands. She loves to have her diaper changed and it even sparks a little giggle from her. It is such a joy to watch her explore her environment and take in every inch of what she sees. I find myself just staring at her while she sleeps and get sad that she is growing so fast and wish that she could stay little forever. I know this is impossible and I do look forward to her upcoming developments. She is a strong little one and I know seeing her grow each day will fill my heart with more joy than I could ever imagine, for this I am extremely grateful!

The Holidays are fast approaching and we are looking forward to celebrating with Aviana! So many "firsts" to look forward to. I will be sure to post more pics as the weeks go on. :)

1 month

Aviana is 1 month old! Time flies but we are loving every second. She is growing big, starting to hold her head up, smiles (mostly at her daddy) and is awake more and more every day. Aviana is a sweet baby and we are looking forward to seeing her meet those much anticipated milestones in the next few months.

She's here!

We were blessed with a healthy baby girl! Aviana Elise was born on 9.24.10 at 2:48pm. She was 7lbs 6oz, 20.5 inches long. She is a wonderful baby and we are loving every moment with her. Jerry had to go back to work today so we miss him lots but are looking forward to spending the evenings with him! Here are a few pics of Aviana. Enjoy!

The week has come...

This is the week we meet our little girl! September 24th at 3pm! I honestly cannot believe the time has come because it feels like yesterday it was January 23rd and I had just found out I was expecting. Now almost exactly 8 months later we get to see what we have created. Jerry is beyond excited to see his daughter and get to hold her for the first time as am I. I'm sure the day will fly by but I hope to have the most incredible memories from the experience. I will be sure to post pics when I can after I get home and settled sometime next week. Please keep us in your thoughts as we enter into the next stage of our lives, becoming PARENTS!

Only 2 weeks left!!

36 weeks 5 days...







I have finally hit full term! YAY! The many prayers my family and friends have said for us have worked. I made it! There were many times we were scared that Aviana would make her appearance WAY early but thankfully she stayed put and has been growing right on track. We are currently scheduled for a c-section on September 24th after making the decision that I may not be able to handle labor with the back problem I currently have. I have finally come to terms that I will not be able to labor her but am hopeful that the next baby might be able to come with a normal delivery. Jerry and I are beyond excited to meet our little girl and can't believe we only have 2 more weekends with a quiet house. Oh how things are going to change but change for the better!