I remember when the pink lines on white stood out brilliantly like pink peppermint candy. Those lines said it all, spoke the truth – my life with my husband was about to change, slowly like pouring molasses. We had been married for two years, so we were ready to start a family. In less than nine months, we would receive a gift, a tiny human who would depend on us, the adults, to highlight the beauty that life offers and to protect her or him from harm.

When I thought deeply about what it would feel like to be pregnant and what was to come, the notion of pain grabbed my attention! I assumed that I had a low tolerance, but soon enough, I would learn more about my capabilities. Little did I know that in less than forty weeks, I would give birth naturally without medication, and then a second time a few years later, again without medication. I learned so much about myself.

Then my brain started working overtime, and you know what trouble that can cause. I was nervous about becoming a mom. Will I know what to do in each circumstance? Will my reactions be intuitive? What if I fail at the most important career in my opinion, being a parent?

The insecurities huddled together creating a force that couldn’t be accessed. They hurled at me like hurricane winds. Then the momentous day arrived; our baby was ready for the meet and greet. We had decided to let the gender remain concealed until we saw our precious bundle. After a 6 ½ hour labor, she entered our world with rosebud lips, and those insecurities scattered like ants.

My husband stood by the bed, comforting me in any way he could, and then he felt privileged to cut the umbilical cord. What an experience for him! It was his out-of-body moment just like giving birth to a little human was mine. In that instance of time, I became a mom, and he became a dad. New hats were immediately added to our wardrobes, along with new responsibilities. We would do our best so that our little girl would know how much her parents love her, so that she would feel safe.

Almost four years later, our family of four was complete when our son came into our world, bringing the same out-of-body experience for my husband and me. For the second time, we let the gender stay unknown. So when we saw our little boy, elation flowed through our hearts. We had a daughter and son; two tiny bundles of cuteness blessed our lives.

Looking back, watching decades soar by, flipping through memories in our photo albums remind us of how special it was to witness our daughter and son grow and learn, and turn into kind, hard working adults, making us proud a million times over. The laughs, the scary moments, the tears, even the minimal tantrums when they were young, I’d live them all over again, and so would my husband. And worrying about them doesn’t end just because they’re adults. They’ll always be our ‘babies’ regardless of their age.

The most rewarding though is the realization that we did something right because in their adulthood, we have strong relationships with them both. We’ve entered our mid-sixties, so the ‘kids’ are in their thirties. We talk and text all the time, the communication line remains open that travels in both directions. And since they live out of state, pursuing their dreams, paving their paths, we all fly east and west to visit as often as we can.

As I grow older, life seems to become shorter, so the love of my husband and children are the greatest, most priceless gifts. These three amazing people are my everything. Anything else that comes my way in the form of a blessing is a bonus.

First Breath

With every new miracle of life
answers aren’t scripted in the stars,
but I knew since your very first breath
my life would become yours.

Through innocent eyes and curious touch
each new discovery you shared,
your smile grew bigger than the sun,
your heart’s elation declared.

You stowed dreams in the clouds,
imaginings rose higher than the heavens.
Cuddling you in that first euphoric light
made me fall in love with you in seconds.

Life has blossomed into delight and wonder
in every part of its glowing greatness,
and with each ounce of my being,
my enduring love for you is ageless.

(Published in my book, Ever So Gently)

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I took a walk down memory lane,
and though this is my story and my husband’s,
I hope you enjoyed the stroll.

Thanks for visiting, and have a beautiful week ahead. 🩷

© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com
Photo by Snack Toronto on Pexels.com

Lauren Scott

Author – King Copper: Our dog’s life in poetry
Author – Cora’s Quest (a children’s book)
Author – Ever So Gently: A Collection of Poetry
Author – More than Coffee: Memories of Verse and Prose
Author – Finding a Balance: A Collection of Poetry
Author – New Day, New Dreams: A Collection of Poetry
Co-Author – Tranquility: An Anthology of Haiku
Co-Author – Petals of Haiku: An Anthology
Co-Author – This Is How We Grow
Co-Author – Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships
Bi-Monthly Contributor on Gobblers by Masticadores
Spillwords Author of the Month May 2023
Spillwords Publication of the Month October 2024
Spillwords Publication of the Month June 2025