Ari’anna Renee Stocker
Born: May 1, 2012 at 5:19pm (Texas time) 7lb. 15oz.
Grandchild #7 – I know, I know… I don’t look that old, huh? He he he
I’m thinking about my past week…filled with the birth of two beautiful babies while supporting a friend with the loss of two family members. We humans are truly amazing beings when it comes to our range of emotions. Amazing we are!
This past week not only was my grand-daughter born but a very special (friend of the family) gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, one day apart.
This was the day that my daughter in law was to be induced and birthing begin, all started about 10 am, my first phone call from my daughter in law came through. I was excited. She had just been told by doctor that her blood platelets were too low to be given an epidural as planned so the only other options were to get meds in her IV and hope they worked or just give birth naturally. My response to her asking what she should do was “You can do this, concentrate on your breathing and you will be okay, go with what your body is doing to give birth, do not fight it. I said a prayer with her (Latoya) reassured her she would be okay, by telling her I had done it six times and look at me, I’m okay. She kind of chuckled, thanked me and we began to have a baby.
I stayed in contact with Latoya and my son (Steven) by texting until Ari’anna was born. Oh, did I mention I was also at work. I would have much rather been with my daughter in law and son during this joyous time but I have a job, I was in Houston, TX and they are in Tallahassee, Fl Ha! Girls got to do what girls got to do… If any of you need support in multi-tasking I’m your girl for that.
We had several texts back and forth with the updates and all. I remember asking, had she dilated yet, the answer was a resounding, yes. We were at 6 cm and like magic we jumped to 7 then 9 as we patiently waited for 10 cm. It truly felt like we were at 9cm FOREVER, so many emotions happen when you are waiting for a grandchild to be born. (LOL) Just wait until you have yours. J
I remember Steven at 4:10 texting me and saying he gave the baby until 6:30 to be born. I said, NOOOO, You are giving here too much time. Talk to her, tell her she has to come out and give mommy some relief. My exact words were, Release Baby Girl, Release Now in Jesus Name. I predicted she would arrive into the world at 5:20. I stood my ground and was not changing my mind. I waited a few minutes and asked, is it time to push? Shortly after that was said, he returned my texted and said, “Time to push,” we will have a baby in a few minutes. Again it seemed like eternity for him to text me back.
At 5pm, I clocked out, locked up my laptop, locked my office door and hurried to my car, waiting for the next text to come through with pictures of my beautiful granddaughter. I popped back into reality as I drove to pick up (Jiree) another grandchild from the boys and girl’s club after-school care program. I went inside to pick up Jiree as normal, got back into my car and about half-way home the pictures started to show up on my daughter (Shay’s) cell phone. In all of the excitement Steven forgot to send pictures to me. OMG! But, I understood he was just as excited as I was as he sent the very first pictures to the rest of my children’s cell phones. I’ll remind him of it one day, but for now I am just darn excited and happy that Ari’ana is here for all of us to enjoy and love. Did I tell you how Gorgeous she is, right?
Oh and by the way, my prediction was one minute off, she arrived at 5:19pm my prediction was 5:20. That is pretty good if I say so myself.
In this very same week I was given the opportunity to support a friend who lost her mother in law on one day and three days later lost her grandmother. I was at lunch when she received the news of her mother in law. She sent me a text to let me know before I returned from lunch. Only three days later while making arrangements for her mother in law, she received and phone call that her grandmother had just transitioned as well. My heart sank when I answered my cell phone and heard her say to me, my grandmother just passed. I am so sorry was all I remember saying to her. My mind immediately flashed back to June 28, 2010 when my mom transitioned and what I felt like. I have to admit for me it was an overwhelming sense of peace I experienced with my mom as well as my friend calling to tell me of her loss.
We never really know just how much we can withstand until we are in the midst of adversity and to our surprise, we are still standing indeed. I am so grateful for the ability to feel such a broad range of emotions in the splendor of a baby being born and offering condolences to a friend in the midst and often devastation of the loss of not only one but two family members just three days apart. I’m not sure about you but I am grateful for my emotions.
~Lisa Renee
