Monday, September 8, 2014

Circles of Love

I want to start off by thanking everyone who has sent kind words, prayers, and love our way. I apologize to those I haven't thanked or responded to personally but I want you to know that you are appreciated and that we love you. The immense love and support we feel is so humbling and I am grateful that I have been blessed to have so much goodness in my life.

I'm still feeling baby Rose moving so that's good. Matt has also been checking my blood pressure every night and it has been really good -- even after cooking freezer meals for 11 hours on Saturday. I figured I might as well do things like that while I can since I feel like a ticking time bomb without a timer. I felt like I had been run over by a truck when I woke up on Sunday morning but at least I feel like I got something ready or accomplished since I have felt like all I have done recently is wait.

A couple of days ago we received a small package in the mail addressed to Rose. I had no idea what it was. We opened it up and what we saw brought tears to our eyes. As a little background to the gift, all of the women and girls in Matt's family have matching bracelets. The tradition first started on a family trip to St. Croix where they found these bracelets made by a woman named Sonja. So after that, all females who joined the family were given a bracelet. As part of the purchase, if you outgrow the bracelet you just send it in and they send back the size up. At or rehearsal dinner on the night before our wedding, I was given one of these bracelets.

















Since this photo was taken at our reception, five grandchildren have been added but only one girl. Until now.

























Matt's mom had ordered a tiny bracelet for Rose. She is a very real part of our family and has so many people who love her. Though we won't have a need to trade in for the next size up, she still gets a physical representation of being a part of something on earth even though she won't get to stay here very long, if at all. She is such a blessing to me and I still have so much to learn from her.