Family of Four: Our Village

Driving home from work today (after being there for only 5 minutes), I contemplated whether or not to pull over to throw up or to keep driving home. I wondered if I pulled over on the side of the road, if Mark would come and get me. I knew that tomorrow i'd come to Facebook to see "i'm thankful for..." all over and it made me wonder, what am I really thankful for this year? I'm not thankful that i'm sick, that's for sure. I'm thankful for my "village."

You've all heard the saying, "It takes a village to raise a child," and that couldn't be more accurate. This year especially, I don't know what I would have done without my village.

Our parents, who watch Gavin one day a week, saving us loads in daycare costs. Several times, they have driven us over soup, Gatorade and crackers when we were sick. They have taken Gavin when we needed a night to ourselves. It melts our heart to see how much love they have for our little kiddo.

Our friends, who have driven a long ways to deliver us "get well" baskets, taken Gavin for us, came to visit us when Gavin was in the hospital and we needed you most (also our family who came to visit as well), just "checked in," or called to say hi, taken US out for some adult time, and just "been there." Let's not forget my mommy friends who have answered countless, "is this normal?" questions about having a baby.

My sistrina, for having phone dates with me. It's fun to raise kids at the same time! Also being a trooper and coming to visit Gavin and I in the hospital, when my mom couldn't. She's always got my back.

My husband. I wouldn't survive parenthood...or life, without him. For those of you who don't know, we've been together since I was 14 and he was 15. We go wayyy back, as they say. A few wonderful things this man has done...does up the "sick" couch when i'm sick (blankets, fluffy bed pillows, side table with water, book and crackers), stuck with me through our breastfeeding days (huge time commitment), cleans up dog vomit because I still can't stomach it, still to this day is the get-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night- parent as well as everything else he does.

We've been sick more this year than in the history of us being together and we've needed everyone who has helped, to help. Our Village has been a blessing and I am thankful for everyone who has stuck with us through parenthood, as we muddle our way through it :)