So, I've told you about the lessons I've learned about surrendering and sacrifice. Now I want to tell you about support. The final "S." When I became pregnant, I entered a world I was very unfamiliar with. Sure, I had heard many stories and had been told what to expect, but I think that until a woman goes through it herself, the reality of that world stays distant. No one could really prepare me for how it would feel or the emotions I would experience. That world became very real to me, however, as soon as you entered it :) I immediately had to start making choices that would not only affect my life, but yours, too. Advice from family, friends, acquaintances, and even complete strangers poured in...some of it good...some of it, I could have done without. Books were given to me to read, articles emailed to me, videos recommended. What I had to learn early on was how to discern what was right for us, not what was right for someone else. From the very beginning, my midwife expressed how important it was that your daddy and I make the decisions that were right for our family. She left every decision in our hands so that we could immediately start making informed decisions and take accountability for our parenting responsibility. As I went through the process of weeding through the information, it became very evident how many paths there were to take, and how many decisions there were to make. But what was even more evident to me, was OUR path. It felt like we were taking a journey together, but that the directions were already given to us and we knew them by heart. And what's great, is that this journey will continue on into eternity :) I immediately knew what felt right, and as long as I didn't let anyone else's opinion bother me, we have been able to stay on our path. That's where the final "S" comes in. I have greatly appreciated the many people who wholeheartedly support us in our decisions, even if they have differing opinions or thoughts. And I have learned how important it is to support every mother in the same way, especially those who have chosen a different path from ours.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
The Final S: Support
So, I've told you about the lessons I've learned about surrendering and sacrifice. Now I want to tell you about support. The final "S." When I became pregnant, I entered a world I was very unfamiliar with. Sure, I had heard many stories and had been told what to expect, but I think that until a woman goes through it herself, the reality of that world stays distant. No one could really prepare me for how it would feel or the emotions I would experience. That world became very real to me, however, as soon as you entered it :) I immediately had to start making choices that would not only affect my life, but yours, too. Advice from family, friends, acquaintances, and even complete strangers poured in...some of it good...some of it, I could have done without. Books were given to me to read, articles emailed to me, videos recommended. What I had to learn early on was how to discern what was right for us, not what was right for someone else. From the very beginning, my midwife expressed how important it was that your daddy and I make the decisions that were right for our family. She left every decision in our hands so that we could immediately start making informed decisions and take accountability for our parenting responsibility. As I went through the process of weeding through the information, it became very evident how many paths there were to take, and how many decisions there were to make. But what was even more evident to me, was OUR path. It felt like we were taking a journey together, but that the directions were already given to us and we knew them by heart. And what's great, is that this journey will continue on into eternity :) I immediately knew what felt right, and as long as I didn't let anyone else's opinion bother me, we have been able to stay on our path. That's where the final "S" comes in. I have greatly appreciated the many people who wholeheartedly support us in our decisions, even if they have differing opinions or thoughts. And I have learned how important it is to support every mother in the same way, especially those who have chosen a different path from ours.
