Worth every stretch mark.
Ten years ago today a brand new chapter of my life was opened.
I gave birth to my son via an emergency c-section.
I was a senior in college and struggling with a severe mental illness
but
with his birth I God birthed a new me.
While life has not been perfect since (it never will be) something magical happened that day in the delivery room. From that day on, the most severe of my “symptoms” subsided. (Some day I will share more details…maybe.) Oh I still struggled with depression and “emptiness” from time to time (who doesn’t) and in 2008 I was hit hard with the mallet of depression but the words “check her in” were never muttered again at least not by a psychologist. 😉 Soon after I was off my meds. I was on my way to wholeness. Maybe it was a shift in hormones. Maybe it was a shift in brain chemistry. Maybe it was the very new and tangible sense of purpose that comes with having a child. Maybe it was spiritual. It was probably a combination of all those and other things beyond my understanding. Whatever it was I’m am grateful.
Thank you, Brent. Thank you, son. Thank you, God.
Happy Birthday my dear kind creative son.
(Although you don’t read mommy’s blog.)
I doubt you’ll ever know the depths of healing your life brought to my life.
You are worth every fat cell, stretch mark, scar, and so much more.
I love you.
Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn
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What a beautiful post! Happy Birthday to your son! And I love all the photos!
Oh that post made me cry happy tears! Happy Birthday to your handsome guy!!!!! xoxo
Beautiful, Jenn! Your son is lucky to have such a thoughtful, caring, eloquent mom!
awh, so beautiful. It almost made me cry! :o)
So beautiful!! It made me all teary! I feel exactly the same way about my kiddos. Each one of them has saved my life in a different way. Absolutely worth every stretch mark (and saggy boob and tummy flab and ….)
Happy Birthday, Nathanael. What a lovely tribute that someday he will cherish.
PS: Love your twitter bird.
Happy Birthday to your handsome son!!!
Awwwwwwwww this is the sweetest post ever!!!
You are such a great, beautiful, and amazing mommy!!!
Love ya girl!!
p.s. Clif Bars rock!! I LOVE them too!!!
That was beautiful. My children saved me too. They save me every day. Happy Birthday to your boy. :o)
Happy Birthday to your boy!!! So glad that God brought him to your life at what seems to have been just the right time to help heal you. Children are such a blessing and it is moving to see women who truly appreciate that. You most definitely do. Enjoy today with your handsome little man.
Beautiful post. Brought me to tears, I am working on writing my Daughter her birthday letter and I can’t get write too much before I burst into tears.
Happy Birthday to you son!
Awesome post. I can soooo relate to it. My 1st bron son was such a healing experience for me as well. I am now working for a Pregnancy care Center in Niles Michigan. I love stories like these. They offer so much hope and encouragement for women facing difficult situations. Thanks for sharing!
Jen
Wow, the Anti-Post-Partem-Depression baby! The world needs more gems like him…and you!
That was such a gorgeous post that one day he’ll read and choke back tears (being a macho boy and all 😉 )
Not sure if his BDAY is today or if I’m late to the partay again and was yesterday but I’m sure you guys are having a blast celebrating!
Love the old photos too- so classic. What a wonderful life you’ve built together.
You’re such a good mom. My son is also 10 (and from an emergency c-section, too). He’s my first, and I feel I keep messing up with him…I tell him, “I’ve never been a mom to a X-year old before, and I don’t know what to do!” Poor kid. 😉
Happy Birthday to him!
This was such a beautiful post! Your son is just darling!
This actually brought tears to my eyes…if I’ve learned anything, it’s that we never know how God will bring our healing. I’m glad yours continues to be such a blessing in your life. (:
aww beautiful! Happy birthday to him
and to your happy and excitingpast 10 years with him!
Isn’t God amazing! He uses our children to teach us so many things and make us a whole new person through it. I, too, have a very similar story and have never heard those same words “check her in” since I became pregnant with my first born. Love your story and thanks for sharing!
He was definitely the turning point in your life and I love him soooo much.
Aw, so sweet! Happy Birthday to your son! Hope you get to enjoy lots of time together this weekend!
Hi Jenn,
Many have already said it, but I just had to chime in. What an amazing post! Beautiful thoughts and words.
Monica
This is incredibly sweet. Happy birthday to him!
“but
with his birth I God birthed a new me.”
Bawling eyes out.
I feel the same about me since having Skylar.
This is such a powerful post and I dont think until one is a mother you can truly wrap your arms around the words. You can “get it” but not “feel it” quite as much. Well, I guess I speak for myself. As a mom, I can relate to this, the gift YOU have been given from your child and how you grow, learn, and evolve as a human right along with your “baby”. Who’s 10! Happy Bday!!
And thx for all the great comments you’ve been leaving me….muah!!! xoxo I love reading them all
xoxo
Oh Jenn, this post brought tears to my eyes! Your son is gorgeous. What a beautiful tribute to him on his birthday. Just lovely.
Happy birthday to your son! He’s an absolute cutie!
Your post really resonates with me. I battled depression and SAD all my life, most of it without knowing what depression was. I’d been on meds since I got out on my own (family didn’t believe in them) and had yet to find the right balance. For the first time in my life, I went off my meds and found myself knocked up. It wasn’t long after my son was born that I realized that I didn’t need the meds anymore. I was lucky to escape post-partum intact, but the heavy depression never came back.
I realize what an incredible gift your son gave you on the day he was born. I can’t wait to let mine know someday what he gave me on his.
Thank you for the touching post. It really did touch me because I feel that my daughter saved my life in many ways. It is definitely worth my deflated boobs and stretch marks 😉 These little “surprises” certainly do make our lives worth-while!
love, love, love this post jenn – for so many reason… thank you for being so open and vulnerable with you life. and since i have only recently gotten to know you, it is nice to hear a little about your past and to see these ADORABLE photos of Nathaniel and you both together when he was little. He was such a precious baby and toddler – and still is a cutie! Love your perspective – kids take a toll on our body – but there is not many greater gifts to be given. And I love the healing aspect they can be and continue to be throughout our lives. xo, mellissa
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