Happy New Year - 2009

My first blog...an historic occasion I can assure you!

My life changed last January when I received a call from Erin saying "Momma, I think I'm pregnant".

Backing up a few months, in November 2007, Erin and Nick miscarried. They had given me a family scrapbook a few weeks before telling the story of our family, thus far. It tells how mom and dad met and goes from there...pictures of me, my brother and sister and our children - funny pictures, sweet pictures, pictures that brought back a lot of memories. The last page of the scrapbook was done in a baby theme and on the bottom of the page was a little "clothes line with t-shirts" spelling out 'I'M EXPECTING". I looked at it, closed the book and I guess I looked at them with a blank expression. Nick grinned and Erin said "Momma, did you read the last page?" With that, I boo-hoo'd - and let me tell you it was an ugly cry! (And what I said is NOT repeatable!) I haven't been the same person since that day.

Carrying this story one step further, the day Erin miscarried, mom and I had attended the funeral of a family friend and we were leaving the cemetary. Mom asked me if I'd heard from Erin (her first OB appt). It occurred to me that I hadn't and because she hadn't called me with news of a heartbeat, I got a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I pulled off the road and called her. I knew the minute she answered that things were terribly wrong. I literally beat a path home, dropped mom off, called daddy, got some stuff together and drove to Murfreesboro through the worst thunderstorm I've ever experienced. My heart was breaking as I made that drive - I'll never forget my thoughts and my feelings that night - not in this lifetime.

Time goes on, and in January 2008 I got a call from Erin saying, "Momma, I think I'm pregnant." And we have the most wonderful little "light" in our lives in the form of Ross Nicholas Perlick, born September 3, 2008 at Middle Tennessee Medical Center in Murfreesboro, TN. He weighed 9lbs. 2oz., 21 1/4" long, pink and healthy with great lungs!!!

As I contemplate my blessings with my family in my heart, I think about whether or not I'll keep up with this blogging. I'm going to try, because there are stories that my grandmothers and grandfathers told me as I was growing up that I hope to pass along - with the help of my mother. I'll tell you now that I may stray from the grandmother bit now and then, because I'm also a great aunt and that's an important role to me as well. We'll be having little ones along the way, making their voices heard in the years to come.

So, on this New Year's Eve, I'm thanking God for this day and for each member of my family. "As we go forward, please help us realize Your greater will. Bless us with your Your grace and Your love so that we may be of greater service to You and to each other. Amen."

So, with all that said, here we go......We'll see where it takes us.