Big Six: It’s Big Sister Day

Today did not go as planned. We wanted to go to the bike trail and the beach, but it rained all day. Luckily for me, I could get up and do some yoga right at 5:34 am when Kiwi Hannah was born. I took some time to cry, pray, and cry some more and move my body so that I could celebrate today!

Maybe the continual rain was Kiwi’s way of crying because she missed us just as much as we missed her. Perhaps it was her way of telling me she understands how much I love and miss her every day!

I don’t know, but we tried to make the most of it. We had donuts with Claire and Derek, got some errands done, had the most beautiful orchid delivered to us, ate cake, walked through the new place we’re renting, had dinner and dessert, then came home.

I’m thankful I made it this far, this many years, without Kiwi here on this earth. It’s a trauma I’m still healing from, one I know I won’t ever fully get over but instead be able to see it as a life event worth celebrating! I mean, Kiwi is living her best life with Jesus!

Happy sixth birthday, Kiwi! Mommy, Daddy, and Sissy love you!

NICU Awareness Month: Shoutout to Kobi

Go to Nicuawareness.org for more info on what you can do to help.

I just found out that September is NICU Awareness Month! I had no clue until only a few weeks ago when I stumbled upon it. For me, the month of September has been one of mourning and profound sorrow. It has been one of dread and a countdown to the worst day of my life.

Kobi holding Williams hand in the NICU

I’ve been blinded by grief for six years, the last four of which I’ve had our NICU baby here on this earth, and yet have never been aware enough to know about what else is going on during this time of year until now. I’m grateful for the healing that has taken place in my life to see this month as a time of remembrance, both of sorrow and strength, life, and life with Christ, and of course, all the love!

Kobi made scrambled eggs all by herself

So today, I want to shout out my NICU baby, Ms. Katherine Obadiah Harding!

Kobi, Thank you for bringing me back to life! You are joy unspeakable and shine the light of Christ wherever you go! Thank you for loving people so well and showing me how to put others before ourselves so consistently! I love you and am so grateful for the rockstar that you are!! I am so excited to continue to see you grow into the woman God created you to be! You are brilliant and I love seeing you live life with such a wonder and so much energy!! I fully believe that you will do great and mighty things, because you’ve already touched so many lives in your short time on this earth! Keep being your confident, Jesus-loving, self and may you always believe in unicorns!!

~Love Mom!