A Full Moon and More Snow?!

So here it is, the middle of APRIL... and we have more snow! Granted, it's not sticking and it's not all that much, but it's SNOW... in APRIL! I first noticed it while I was at work last night. I was in a patient's room, chatting with the entire family when we all looked over and noticed it looked like Christmas outside! It's so strange. Poor Mother Nature... she's all mixed up. I'm certainly glad I didn't put any tomato starts in the ground. Gosh... all the plants always say, "Put in the ground when any danger of frost is past"... so how am I supposed to know when that is? We keep having surprise snowfalls!

It was a full moon last night. Mike was so sweet to call me up at work and ask how I was doing. It's a known fact in the world of nursing that weird things happen when there are full moons. And anytime there is a full moon, I seem to have a horrible night. When Mike called, I was actually in a patient's room. She was completely dilated and beginning to push. Funny... the first time I walked into her room and looked at her for the first time, I knew she would not be pushing her baby out, no matter how hard she tried. I don't know how I know that, but I typically can tell, and this time was no different. She is an older first time mom (older than me) and kept saying, "I'm nervous". And her pushing skills left something to be desired. Eventually the doctor tried forceps. That is always horrific to watch. At one point, the husband stood up and walked out. I thought he felt faint and followed him out to get him some juice and make sure he was okay. Then I realized that he wasn't faint. He was upset and crying, terrified that his wife and baby were not okay. I put my arm around him as he sobbed and it just broke my heart. We got him some juice and explained what was happening. Finally, the doctor came out and let him know we'd be doing a c-section and he was relieved.

This couple's little girl was GORGEOUS... I mean really, really gorgeous. When the doctor pulled her out, we heard the loudest noise coming from behind the curtain. This sweet father, who had moments before felt terrified, was elated. He was sobbing with joy... absolutely sobbing and crying and you could tell that his emotions were just bursting through his chest. He got up from his little stool and started walking around the O.R., hugging everyone and thanking everyone. It was the sweetest thing I've ever seen and we all got a little teary eyed! Later, when he and I went to the nursery with the baby, he pulled out his little I-pod and showed me pictures... pictures of his gorgeous wife, all big and pregnant with a bare belly. And you could see the absolute love and devotion in his eyes as he spoke of her. It was obvious that they are soul mates. So, so sweet!

Unfortunately, the other birth that occurred was under far different circumstances. This mother was young enough to be the other mother's daughter and this was her 4th child. All her other children have been taken away and placed in foster care because she harmed one of them very, very heinously. It was hard to be in front her, seeing her try to play the staff and pit one against another. You could tell that this girl was very disturbed. And when I looked at her sweet little boy, my heart bled for him. My heart bled because this sweet young man will have one of two fates in his early life... he'll either raised by her or else he'll endure the foster system as his siblings before him have. She doesn't get to take him home and she knows that. I wonder what his fate will be. It saddens me to think about it.

These experiences made me so grateful for what I have and made me stop and count my blessings. I am blessed to have been raised by a mother who loved me. I am blessed to be married to man who respects me and who is the most amazing father on the planet. I am blessed to have two little boys to borrow and love... and they are such a ray of sunshine to my life! How lucky I am and how blessed I am. Life is good.