In My Daughters' Eyes

Things don't always turn out the way we plan. Events unfold in our lives and before we know it, we are living them.

Sometimes I've found myself on a peaceful journey with the wind in my hair. Other times I was on a bumpy road and not sure where the next turn would lead. And then without warning, I was belted in the seat of a wild roller coaster ride where the thrills, ups, downs and excitement have lead me to have feelings of absolute glee, shock, exhilaration and terror all within moments of eachother! Phew...welcome to parenting in a nutshell. Hang on, it's quite the ride!

I am NOT an expert on parenting. My roller coaster ride began way before I expected it to. During my final year in high school, my plans were to graduate, go off to college with Jeremy, work, travel, get married and perhaps start a family. So how did I end up waiting in line for the 'Mommy' ride? Duh, I know how, but WHY? I've known the answer to that question since September 21st, 1995.

Jeremy and I were 18 when we welcomed our first daughter into our lives.

Unplanned, YES! ~ Unwanted, NEVER!

Although becoming a Mommy was not yet on my agenda, I pride myself in how well I handled the entire situation. I have gone on to check many items off my 'life list' (and I do actually have one) just not in the order I had planned!

Several months after we were married, Jeremy and I were delighted to find out that our 'trying' to conceive had paid off and we were expecting another baby. It was nice to plan for this one and to feel like we were doing it right this time. (Pfft...it irritates me that people actually made those comments!)

Well, those plans were shattered when 12 weeks into my pregnancy I was told the baby wasn't viable and I began miscarrying. On November 14th, 1999, I delivered the little baby we had 'planned' for, on the side of the road while driving 3 hours to have a D&C. That was it...no more! We had one healthy little girl and we were happy. I could not put myself through that again.

Five years, 4 months and 1 week after our first daughter was born, our family was completed when we were joined by our second daughter on January 28th, 2001. I might add that she too, was not planned :)

My daughters mean the world to me,

All I feel is pride!

I couldn't have planned

to be their

Mommy

any better

if I had tried!