Unremarkable.
She has an unremarkable personality. His grades are unremarkable. They've made an unremarkable impression on me. Her life was unremarkable. I'd venture to say that most of us don't want our lives, our children's lives, our family and friends' lives to be described in that way. Yet, this is the type of birth I'd hoped and prayed for especially with my first born. When I worked at an OB/Gyn office this is the term I would sometimes see doctors use, an "unremarkable birth" and I clung to those words for comfort more and more as Theodore's due date inched closer and closer.
Every birth story is unique and mothers (and even fathers) love to recount their children's births. In honor of Mother's Day a few days ago I wanted to write about my sons' births. Yet, I was quick to object this idea with, "Well, they're nothing special, they're pretty unremarkable, why would I tell others about them, I know many people with far better (or worse?) stories than mine, what makes mine worth telling?". (See the irony?)
It is worth telling what miraculous works the Author of life has done because life is remarkable and wondrous and each person truly deserves to have their birthing into life and breath noted, and because the Lord is faithful.
Just after midnight on November 10th, 2020. I began to have contractions. You know- THE contractions! The real ones that mean you are actually in labor. I told my sleeping husband and we moved into the living room as I timed and monitored them. Somewhere around 4:15a we made our way along the sleepy roads to the hospital. Once there, the nurses did their intake and the doctor declared I was dilated to a five (I think). They decided to have me walk the halls for an hour. Honestly, I despise them for this and those hallways are now detestable to me. (OK, that's a bit of an exaggeration but I REALLY did NOT like walking them in the middle of labor!) When they checked me again I had dilated to a six (I think) and they admitted me and we, or Brandon rather, set up in our room. The next few hours are a blur. I kept wishing the pain away and thinking, "Maybe I can sleep". I laid waiting for the pain to pass and waiting to accept an epidural (I have no idea why). The wonderful nurses occasionally tried to have me move around and finally I decided to receive that epidural sometime in the early afternoon (I think) which left me with partial feeling on my right side (I think). I remember thinking I had my mind back after that. Brandon played Sleeping at Last as we waited for my body and baby boy. As it neared 4:30p, I was nearly 10 cm dilated and the nurse accidently broke my water when checking. So they retrieved the doctor and the whole army of nurses, their trainees, the doctor and his student all rounded us as our baby boy joined us. Pushing lasted about 40 minutes. I enjoyed it the most. As odd as that sounds, the pain had direction and between the contractions we chatted and maybe even laughed. Theodore was born. He was laid on my chest as relief, jubilation, and love entered my being. We stayed for two nights (one felt too rushed) and returned home with this precious new life.
5:20p baby boy born weighing 6 lbs 15 oz and 19 1/4 inches long.
Unremarkable birth.
That is what I imagine is written in my chart about my delivery and Theodore's entrance into the world. In this "unremarkable birth" is the remarkable story of the Lord answering my prayer for a safe delivery of our son's life, the remarkable story of the Lord delivering my life and body from the myriad of possible calamities. Each life is a gift of God (the meaning of Theodore) and the Author of life allowed me to gently experience His goodness, grace, and gift through Theo's.
Apart from wanting to share his birth and how the Lord was kind through it, I want to leave you with this- your life matters and you are remarkable, the Lord delights in YOU! Do not listen to or believe anything, even your own thoughts, that oppose these truths. Simple enough yet bears hearing over and over again.
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