This isn't how it's supposed to go. I've thought this numerous times in the past 3 years when MY plan didn't line up with Life or, mostly, God. But, for the sake of brevity today, I'll focus on one little area of my life where it's worked itself out with my most precious possession: Adelaide.

You can refresh your memory on her birth story HERE, but if you want the short version:

I had to be induced because she had stopped growing. The naive Carrie thought I could refuse an IV, but the nurse suppressed a smile and sweetly said, "But this is how we get the petocin going to get Baby Girl here." And I thought, This isn't how it's supposed to go! But with all interventions considered, it went swimmingly well. I will never complain about being in labor for just over 6 hours. In the recovery from her though, I again thought, This isn't how it's supposed to go! My doctors would constantly tell me "This should...." and what should've happened didn't come to fruition until 5 months later.

I'm sure everybody can relate to having these same thoughts, whether you're a parent or not, where you've just had to make do with what you have and hope for the best. I think the theme of Motherhood for me so far is just that: you may not have every gadget known to make life easier, so work with what you have for the same end result. Improvising, if you will, not in a musical sense, but in the LIFE sense. That was us yesterday as we were supposed to be celebrating Adelaide's 2nd birthday, just the three of us.

-Mommy had an excruciating headache all day and wasn't feeling well in general.

-Laidy had a meltdown over a sippy cup, and after trying to have her calm herself down for a good 10 minutes or so, Gerard plopped her in her "bike" and they went to the park to blow off steam. Mommy laid in the dark trying to get the headache to abate.

-Dinner was an hour later than normal, I hadn't had enough energy to consider making or buying a cake.

-Ended the day watching Elsa! & Anna! & Olaf! in Frozen. (Let the poor birthday girl get at least one thing to go her way on her day, right?!)

-Laidy in bed by 7:30pm, Mommy in bed at 8:15pm-temples still throbbing.

So much for the birthday celebration...I'd envisioned starting her day by singing to her, making a pan of brownies that evening for her, showing her some baby videos of her, writing her a letter in her journal I'm keeping for her....Nope, nada, nothing of the sort. So, we make do with what we have and call it Adelaide's Birthday Week: opening mail from family tonight and a few gifts from Grandparents/Aunts/Uncles and a little get together this weekend.

Lord, I pray that even though she's a late May baby, her birthday isn't always crowded out by grad parties, end-of-the-year-concerts & ensuing mayhem!

This Isn't How It's Supposed To Go....