Happy Birthday Erich

21 years ago today I was exhausted, tired, sore and as amazed and happy as never before.
Shortly after meeting my (future) husband I became very ill and landed in the hospital for a day during which I was told by a doctor that I was not going to be able to have any children due to ovary and scare tissue issues, devastating news for someone that had always wanted to be a mom. I cried to the fairly new boyfriend who took care of me and cooked me dinner and I moved on with life trying to accept the situation as it was. A few months later I got sick with what I assumed to be the flu ~ turned out to be a pregnancy! 
Considering the circumstances I should've been happy but at first I was simply shocked. Jim and I had talked about marriage but had not made any final plans, I was young and had no direct plans as to the future, and I was scared what Jim might say or do. He was gone for a few days and upon his return I told about him our news and I don't think he could've been any happier. We decided to get married a little sooner then planned. Then the doctors came along and thought that it might not be a good idea for me to continue with the pregnancy, that as the baby would grow so would my problems and it might be better to end it right there. That came from the same doctors that told me I couldn't get pregnant in the first place and I did, so ending the pregnancy wasn't even an option. But they were correct, it would prove to be a difficult pregnancy at best - with many hospital visits and more doctor appointments then most people. It was scary, hard and painful but never did I have a shadow of a doubt that it was the right thing to do.
He was due on the 2nd of May, that day came and went without a single labor pain, and so did the next few days. I had check-up after check-up until the doc said it was time, whether the baby wanted to or not. Went into the hospital at 6pm on the 15th May and had labor induced shortly after. Contractions started and continued, but that was the only success for many hours. Early in the morning hours another induction, more labor, more pain - more of everything. Of course I was silly enough to want to do this the natural way and back then epidurals weren't exactly offered ahead of time. 14+ hours after going into the hospital my child finally decided that it was ok to come along and suddenly we had this healthy, happy, big baby boy in our arms. He looked just like his Daddy and had a head full of blond hair.


21 years ago today I was exhausted, tired, sore and as amazed and happy as never before. 21 years ago I gave birth to a little boy who would turn our lives upside down by making us grow up and teaching us many different things. 21 years ago I gave birth to a little boy who grew into a wonderful friend to many, a son we're very proud of and now a future American Soldier who will hopefully accomplish everything in life that will make him happy.


Erich, we miss you, we love you and we are more then thrilled that you've decided to join us so many years ago, you turned into a wonderful young man!