approaching a year

alright, ready to get mushy?  go!

as i reflect on this past year with my munchie and hubs, one moment really sticks out to me.  the mothers day before i got pregnant with piper i remember asking my mom when she finally felt like a woman.  not a girl, but a real life woman!  sadly, i don't remember what her answer was-its filed away in my memory box for now.

when i asked her that question i thought how i would answer that question.  when i got married?  bought a house with my husband?  the first time i experienced "aunt flo"?  my honeymoon?  starting my career?  nope, still felt like a young lady but not quite a WOMAN just yet.

well everyone, it happened.  and i will never forget when it happened.

i became a "real life woman" when i gave birth to my beauty.  after the labor, pictures, tears, first feeding and all that happens the first moments in the hospital.  i remember it was my late night nurse, my favorite nurse, penny.  jeremy was asleep on the awful little bed, piper asleep in her baby bassinette.  penny came in to check on me and see if i needed anything.  i don't know what happened, maybe it was that she was the first non family member i had seen in a while, but i clung to her.  i had this intense connection to her.  she talked about her babies that weren't babies anymore, hopefully sleeping at home.  she answered all of my questions.  helped me go to the bathroom and get freshened up a little bit.  told me about how gorgeous my little lady was.  that conversation, that moment, it was sacred.  i will never forget it.  i connected to this woman in a way i never had before.  i connected to her woman to woman.

after that visit from my penny (yes, she's MY penny!:)) i looked at women in a totally different way.  my aunt that visited, she experienced this moment 3 different times.  the moms of the kids in my classroom.  my mom, my grandma, even my cousins and sister, because some day they will get that moment and experience that i just had.  i looked at all women in a respectful, empowering, loving, genuine way.  i almost wanted to give all these women a high five with a "Damn girl, we rock!"  we all have this amazing connection.  we all have that moment.  the moment that you will remember for the rest of your life.  the moment you look around and realize, yup i'm one hell of a woman.  didn't think it would take me until I'm almost 30 to get that moment, but i wouldn't change it for anything.