a dwelling place: The day my world changed...

May 20, 2011 is a day that my life changed for the better...it is a day that I will never forget...it is the day that I became a mommy.

Our day started at 4am. We had to be at the hospital at 5:30am. The fabulous nurses in the Labor and Delivery department at McLeod checked us in and got me settled in and prepped for surgery. There were several factors that led to the decision to have a C-section, but the number one reason was the fact that Dr. Emerson predicted that Harper would be a large baby...he was thinking 9 lbs. We were surrounded by family (and one best friend, who is like a sister, so I consider her family) from the moment that we got settled in Labor & Delivery. I must admit, I was so nervous prior to surgery. I was not nervous about meeting my daughter or becoming a mommy, but I was nervous about surgery and getting a needle stuck in my back. I had rollercoaster bladder prior to surgery. Anyone know what I'm talking about? Tory and I made the short trek from my room to the OR at 7:20am...surgery was scheduled at 7:30am. I was shaking when I entered the OR because Tory had to stand outside until I was prepped. The CRNA and the nurse that talked me through the spinal were amazing. Dr. Emerson came in to speak while I was getting prepped wearing his Clemson cap that we had given him as a token of our appreciation. I immediately felt a sense of calm once Tory was seated beside me and we could talk. I asked him if the surgery had started and he peeked over the infamous blue curtain and his exact response was, "Hmm, yeah." And he sat down rather quickly. Not even 30 seconds later, I heard the glorious sound of Harper's cry and was flooded with so many emotions. Tory, of course, rushed to the side of his daughter to meet her for the first time. When he brought her to me, she stopped crying and was bright eyed and beautiful. I remember thinking that she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Heck, she still is! I had a brief moment with her before Tory had to get her down to the Newborn Nursery. She was greeted outside the OR by all of our family, or "the Paparrazzi" as Dr. Emerson referred to crowd.

After surgery I was taken to recovery, where Tory and Harper joined me for a brief moment. Once I left recovery, I was taken to the Postpartum floor, where we were cared for by so many amazing nurses and techs. Our room was packed with family and we had so many friends that visited to see Harper on her birthday. It was such a wonderful day that I will cherish for the rest of my life! I will never have the adequate words to express my gratitude for the care we received while at McLeod. Everyone that cared for me and Harper were truly amazing. And I do not say this because I am a McLeod employee, I say this because it is evident that the nurses and techs in Women's Services treat all of their patients the same way we were treated.

May 20, 2011 is a day that I will carry in my heart forever. May 20, 2011 is the day that I was given the most precious gift a woman can be given. May 20, 2011 my entire world changed and now I can't remember what life was like before. On May 20, 2011, I experienced love like I never imagined I could. I thought I was in love with my daughter while I carried her for nine months, but I felt an entirely different love for her when my eyes fell on her precious face for the first time...and that love grows deeper each day that I spend with her.