I ended up getting to be with this sweet baby boy when he was a week old. He was so tiny and still being swaddled. He was the cutest little burrito.
I was worried about my baby girl and glad I was able to give her a hug and help out in person by taking shifts with Cal, cooking, grocery shopping, etc.
Labor and delivery are no joke.
It was fun to see Brinley and Derek in action. They were working around the clock taking care of this little guy and getting so little sleep, as new parents do. They were exhausted, but they made a great team.
I also loved being with Aubrey. It was a little complicated because I was staying 30 minutes north of Orem, and Aubrey was 15 minutes south in Provo. She also was still in school and didn't have a car, but we made it work when it would work.
Week one, I mainly tried to help Derek and Brinley take care of Brinley and Cal.
Week two was supposed to include more time with Aubrey and her roommates, plus a little mission shopping. But out of nowhere, my left knee became a major problem.
We managed one modified shopping day. Aubrey pushed me around in a shopping cart at times, and I borrowed a motorized chair when I could. But my knee kept swelling bigger and bigger throughout the day. I could barely bend it, and walking became difficult fast. It visibly worsened by the hour.
I was trying not to panic, but I was freaking out a little bit.
Our long-awaited trip to Africa was only six days away, and I knew there was no way I could travel around the world in that condition.
Brian was wonderful from home—offering physical therapy advice, encouragement, love, and reassurance. I went to Urgent Care, where an X-ray showed crystallized calcifications that were likely causing the swelling. Our family prayed that my knee would heal enough for me to walk and go on the trip. I also received a blessing that brought comfort, hope, and very clear direction on what I needed to do to heal:
Rest.
Thankfully, I was staying with Denise and Bruce, who are always so welcoming. Their backyard view felt peaceful and healing, and Denise took very good care of me while I tried to lay low and be a minimal disruption to their lives.
The swelling in my knee went down little by little. I was probably about 80% better when it was time to begin my 20-hour flight.
I was especially glad Brinley felt well enough to come to Draper before I left. She, Derek, and Cal stopped by for one last visit before our trip.
And Denise happily soaked up some baby snuggles too.
I could post about 40 more pictures of this sweet boy, but I'll keep it to six.
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| Goodbye for now, little burrito |
I'm off to Africa with Brian and Parker for the adventure of a lifetime.
But I'm happy knowing we’ll all be back in Utah in May for this sweet boy’s baby blessing.
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