becoming Amy gratitude momday motherhood real life

On Living

Just over a week ago, a local woman had just finished putting her three kids to bed.  They had had a busy day full of errands and spending time together.  She was 8 month pregnant.  She and her husband had just settled in on the bed to watch The Office.  Suddenly she sat up, said “something hurts, this is really bad”.  She started convulsing and her husband called 911.  By the time he reached the hospital following the ambulance they had delivered the baby and his wife was declared dead.  The baby passed away hours later.
They buried her on Friday.
Her living children are 6, 4 and 2.

I didn’t even know her, but I am devastated for her and her family.

A few nights ago I was just getting into bed.  I was exhausted from sewing, cleaning, “mom”-ing.  Just as I laid down my 2 year old started crying.  I let her cry for a few minutes, hoping she’d just lull herself back to sleep.  Then she cried out “I want my mommy!”  And my heart broke, for another 2 year old who might wake up in the middle of the night, crying for his mommy, and she’s not there.
She won’t ever get to be there again.
I was no longer tired as I quickly rushed into her room, scooped her out of bed and held her close.  I rocked her and sang to her and drank up every blessed moment of mothering I could. 

I hope this is a lesson I don’t soon forget.  Life is a precious gift.  One that I too often take for granted.  Each day is an opportunity to express love to those who are most important to us.  I am going to try to take advantage of one more day to make sure that if it’s my last, there are no regrets, no unanswered questions about how I feel about my children and my role as their mother.  That my spouse and extended family know how I treasure them and their influence in my life.  That I have lived each moment, in the moment and drank every last bit of joy and happiness that I could.
So that I won’t ever forget.
So that I will have lived.
And enjoyed my life while I was living it.

“I went into the woods because I wish to live deliberately.  To front only the essential facts of life and see if I could not learn what they had to teach.  And not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”
Henry David Thoreau

Today, I am going to live.

xoxo,
Amy

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  • Crafty Girls
    May 9, 2011 at 3:53 pm

    Wow. So sad, yet such a lesson to be learned. Thank you for sharing this story with me today.

    Today, I am going to live too.

    Irene

  • Gwen @ Gwenny Penny
    May 9, 2011 at 4:02 pm

    I hope this is a lesson that I won't soon forget as well. Lovely post today, Amy.

  • Maggie @ Midwestern {Sewing} Girl
    May 9, 2011 at 4:28 pm

    Thank you for that post…I think sometimes we (I) need to be reminded just how blessed and lucky we are…

  • Amy C
    May 9, 2011 at 5:22 pm

    Thank you for this post. I went and found the obituary and ended up on the blog for that family. Not only did the words touch me that your wrote today, but I was very touched what I read on that familys blog. Thank you for reminding me to hold my kids a little tighter and closer today. 🙂
    Amy @ The Happy Scraps

  • Stacy
    May 9, 2011 at 5:52 pm

    I am crying. That was such a heart breaking story. What a beautifully written post. I gripe too much about getting up with my kids and all the other little things that are not fun as a mom. Thanks for the reminder…

  • Michelle
    May 9, 2011 at 6:46 pm

    I was so touched when I read that story in the news as well. Thanks for reminding us how important it is to enjoy every ounce of life we have and to cherish our children and families.

  • lisbonlioness
    May 9, 2011 at 9:19 pm

    Those lovely ladies above me have said it all, really. I have no kids of my own (I just borrow my mans' kids at the weekend!), but tonight I'll cuddle up to him and my cats, for once not complaining about the lack of space and the constant snoring. So much better than empty arms.

  • Anonymous
    May 10, 2011 at 7:29 am

    yep. now I am crying. It is crazy how fragile life is – thank you for this simple reminder!

  • Amy @ Increasingly Domestic
    May 10, 2011 at 10:25 pm

    Ugh. Crying and holding my babies a little tighter right now.