2017 Memoir

We entered the new year with Ellie in my tummy. She was still a secret to the public until the beginning of February.We entered 2017 knowing we were pregnant but not knowing day to day if the baby would stay alive in my tummy. Twice my OB's told me the amount I was hemorrhaging was not normal and I was likely miscarrying. I was sent to the ER by one of them to make me comfortable through the night as she highly suspected miscarriage. It was in the ER at 2 a.m. after sitting in desolate, cold, hopeless, heart aching pain for 9 hours, having cried so much I couldn't see anything at all through my contact lenses that we were told our little one was still alive and seemingly healthy. This was the night Ellie earned the name from Eric, "Flicker." Her heart was still flickering. :)

Then, I finally reached the second trimester and the hemorrhaging stopped. Eric allowed me to quit my job as we had planned on me doing anyway as I planned to be a stay at home mom before we ever got pregnant. I just quit earlier as so much was happening with my body- I had been given restrictions for many weeks of no stress and plenty of rest, no being on my feet, or lifting more than 10 lbs. Quitting early was bittersweet as I love my work friends like family. Every single one of them. The most wonderful and unique working experience of my life to be able to say I love every single person I work with so very much. I am thankful we have remained so close. I also was so blessed to work with my two very best friends so it was bittersweet leaving but of course I still get to see them apart from the office. But it really was a blessing to mine and Flicker's health and being able to care for our home and prepare for a new life!

 Eric started back to school this year for chemical engineering. He has done amazingly! He is so smart, born engineer minded, a bit of a school and chemistry nerd (which is adorable), and God has really made the fruit of Eric's labor in school prosper. We are both thankful that God has presented Eric with this opportunity for advancement and how his work is encouraging this and for how God is rocking it out for us. He just finished his second semester going back. He is taking it slowly so he can still work full time and love on his 3 girls and little old Cajun. 

We had a wonderful summer. I was very insanely pregnant and super huge thanks to being insanely swollen up. I forgot I had legs for the tree trunks that swallowed them whole. My feet did not fit in any of my shoes. Yet, I kept running and exercising. And we were happy soaking in our last days as The Two E's. I had two amazing baby showers thrown by my best friends and my mama and sister. Eric took me on a babymoon to Charleston. It was so romantic. Forever a wonderful memory and vacation as just the two of us! Eric spoils me and I have so much fun with him. He is my number one person on this earth! My truest friend in the world above all (besides God, obviously). I cherish all the moments I get with him above any other time.

August 1, 2017 Ellie was born. I have no words here. I mean...how do you actually describe "that" feeling? You can't. But be sure that it was the hardest happy crying my body has ever exhibited in all of my life. Forever more, my wedding day, honeymoon, little moments with Eric, and the day our daughter was born will hold the most impacting memory in my heart. But, every day with them growing daily in love is better than the last. No one day is the "best day of my life" or there would be nothing to look forward to...but some memories do sit at the front of the mind and heart.

We brought Ellie home at 2 days old. It was wonderful and yet the hardest thing I have ever done in all of my existence. Ok, I still say, my third open heart surgery hurt me physically way more than C-Section did, but the recovery of the C-section surgery, learning to be a mommy, learning to breastfeed, trying to be successful at breastfeeding, trying to sleep but never sleeping more than 45 minutes a day, breastfeeding failing....these have truly been the hardest things all tied into one moment I have experienced to date. I felt like death, I felt like the walking dead, I felt like I wanted to run away to a hotel to sleep, I felt out of my body and out of my mind. Eric went back to work and school 2 weeks after Ellie was born and 2 days a week or more I never even saw him. Though he more than made up for the time he was working and at school when he was able to be home. I had help offered to me especially from my family, but in true Emily fashion I didn't want more than emergency help as I feel there is no way for me to learn to become and do and accomplish what God has given me if I do not face it for myself and find me own strength. But then- 4 weeks passed. And Ellie decided to magically start sleeping through the night in her own crib and life started to see rays of sunshine again as I could enjoy the blessing God had given us as the bags over and under my eyes began to lift and dissipate. I am so thankful for my family who helps me and teaches me and has given me confidence and good examples in my parenting. Everything we have been successful at with Ellie has come from the wisdom of my sister and parents. My go to's. They have taught me about her feedings, sleep, and how to enhance her mind and play time to benefit her happiness and growth. Ellie is a huge miracle and blessing to our lives!! The best gift we have ever been given. We want to honor God and His love and faithfulness daily and raise Ellie up in the love of God!

Then, because we are not crazy enough by deciding to intentionally get pregnant, have Eric work full time, and start back to school only 2 weeks after Ellie is born for his second semester...we decided to sell our house too. Why not? What's one more thing? (It had been a desire for years to do so. God's timing is part of His fabulous mystery). Thanks to Dan Bracken of Leonardi Bracken Real Estate, we were able to sell the house very quickly. That led us to a rental home in a salt box style home in the neighborhood across from us. This is our housing while we build our dream forever home. (Again, more to come on that, later). We Gladdens are a strong breed. We are full of team work, love, goofiness, and good work ethic. This is just part of what makes our marriage thrive. (God is the main key). We can do anything we put our minds to as a family. Thanks to God for His provision and again crazy but perfect timing.

And here we sit- wrapping up another year together, about to celebrate our 5th Christmas together and Ellie's first- mind blown by what God did in our lives this year. The year flew by...pregnancy not so much, but the year as a whole, yes. The year 2017 has been my favorite year of my life, yet! Still a couple more weeks left to soak in 2017! Excited for what 2018 holds!!