You Never Know

You never know about the people that come into your life and how they will affect you. Several years ago when my son Oliver was in first grade I got to know another teacher, my first impression of her, was well she was spoiled (she will even admit this as an only child). A few years later she was suggested to be my daughter's 2nd grade teacher, we needed a strong teacher to work with Alanna as she is very smart and we needed to make sure she was challenged. Well we couldn't had a better 2nd grade teacher for her. Volunteering every day, Ruth and I soon became friends. She was just dating her now husband and we talked a lot about love, marriage and children. She became engaged during the year and we had the privilege of going to her wedding the next year.

When they decided to start a family, she talked to me all the time about birth and when they moved, we found her a Bradley teacher where she lived. Ruth emailed me all the time with questions. Even though her birth didn't go as planned, she ended up needing a necessary c-section she was still dedicated to breastfeeding. Things didn't go very smoothly the first few weeks, but she stuck with it and I am just really proud of her. She doesn't have too much friend support where she lives, as they have all given up nursing or only bottle fed.

She recently sent me this:

I am really happy breastfeeding. You're right, I am surprised that I love it so much because I initially did it because I knew that it was best for Max. Once we got the hang of it, I was able to relax and enjoy it. I think that breastfeeding has benefited me just as much as it has benefited Max. Some of my best memories are of the quiet moments he and I shared nursing, just staring at each other. It's moments like those that are going to be the most difficult to part with when Max begins to wean. God! I don't even want to think about it right now.

You know, becoming a mother has really changed me. You once told me that motherhood was the hardest job I'd ever love and you were 100% right. It is a hard job, but the things that are hard about it don't even compare to the things that are awesome about it. I used to think that my life would be defined by my education and by my career as a teacher but once Max was born, I realized that he is my biggest and best accomplishment and that being his mother is the most important job I'll ever have and the proudest of myself I'll ever be.

I am just so proud of her and thank her for being an example to all the other mothers she is around. You just never know what you say might make a difference.