Sunday's Story - Thomas Dean

Our lives are filled with events.
Some events are bigger than others.
Some teach us lessons.
Some are Joyful.
Some bring tears.
Through each of them my hope is that we learn and grow from them.
It is these events, both big and small, that make us who we are today.
They are the 'stories' of our lives.
Our stories need to be told.

After I had Sydney, alot of people would make the comment, "You have one of each! Now you can be done!" I would smile, and think...I guess it could be possible, but I knew there were still more waiting to join our family.

At the beginning of the year of 2007, I knew it was time. We started down the road, and waited month after month. I was lucky, and it only took about 6 months. The weekend after July 4th we found out we would be having another baby.

My thoughts around this pregnancy were much different this time around. With my first, I was very anxious. I couldn't wait to find out what I was having so I could start getting everything ready. With my second, I was itching to find out if I would get to add some pink to my house. My 18th week couldn't come fast enough because "I HAD TO KNOW!" When I found out I was prego with this baby...I decided to NOT find out! I am usually not really into surprises (as a kid I would carefully untape my Christmas presents to see what they were and then wrap them up and act surprised on Christmas day), but I relished in the fact that I didn't know what I was having. If Shawn would let me...I would totally do it again.

Having this baby was different too...because I was indecisive we ended up having a somewhat spontaneous induction. I had never been induced before, and the thought really frightened me. Luckily everything went smoothly with no complications.

Caden helped us to name our little Thomas Dean. We had our boy names down to either William or Thomas. Caden chose "Thomas". I don't know if it is because he liked Thomas the Train or just liked the name better....probably it had to do more with the train. It also turned out to be right around the time Thomas S. Monson was sustained the new prophet of our church. Either way, Thomas totally suits our little man. Dean is after my Dad's Dad. He passed away before I was ever born, but I wanted to honor him in some way.

As I sat in that hospital holding my little baby boy...I couldn't be happier. He was beautiful, and perfect in every way. I marveled about the fact that I had been through this 2 other times. How each birth was totally unique from each other. Yet each of them are mine...at least for a time. I now had a new little one to take care of. To love. To cherish. Children are such a miracle.