And so the countdown begins...

Well, I first want to say that this wonderful weather is something amazing! The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the warm breeze feels wonderful! God is awesome! I wanted to give a brief update to so many things. First, my wonderful hubby took me on a great beach getaway to Destin this past weekend – just to clear my head and relax for a little while. Boy was it much needed and much appreciated! This was a great way to get my mind off of everything going on this week. Yes, this is the big week for surgery. It’s funny because this will be the “minor” of the 3 I’ve had, but for some reason this one is weighing more. This is another step in our miracle journey.

One of the last few posts I made talked about the surgery and everything I had to look forward to. After I made that post, my sweet sorority sister posted this poem as a means to encourage me. This speaks volumes to me every time I read it. I cry a little, I’m pushed a little, and I'm brought to a place of prayer and thanksgiving! I wanted to share it with everyone and again ask for your continued prayers through surgery and all along our Anderson Adventure.

I Will Be A Wonderful Mother - Author Unknown


There are women who become mothers without effort, without thought, without patience or loss,
and though they are good mothers and love their children, I know that I will be better.

I will be better not because of genetics or money or because I have read more books, but because I have struggled and toiled for this child.

I have longed and waited. I have cried and prayed. I have endured and planned over and over again.

Like most things in life, the people who truly have appreciation are those who have struggled to attain their dreams.

I will notice everything about my child.

I will take time to watch my child sleep, explore, and discover.

I will marvel at this miracle every day for the rest of my life.

I will be happy when I wake in the middle of the night to the sound of my child, knowing that I can comfort, hold, and feed him and that I will not cry tears of another broken dream.

My dream will be crying for me.

I count myself lucky in this sense; that God has given me this insight, this special vision with which I will look upon my child.

Whether I parent a child I actually give birth to or a child that God leads me to, I will not be careless with my love.

I will be a better mother for all that I have endured.

I am a better wife, a better aunt, a better daughter, neighbor, friend, and sister because I have known pain.

I know disillusionment, as I have been betrayed by my own body. I have been tried by fire and hell that many never face, yet given time, I stood tall.

I have prevailed. I have succeeded. I have won.

So now, when others hurt around me, I do not run from their pain in order to save myself discomfort.

I see it, mourn it, and join them in theirs. I listen.

And even though I cannot make it better, I can make it less lonely.

I have learned the immense power of another hand holding tight to mine, of other eyes that moisten as they learn to accept the harsh truth when life is beyond hard.

I have learned a compassion that only comes by walking in those shoes.

I have learned to appreciate life.

Yes, I will be a wonderful mother.