Life With Lori

I'm a couple of days late on my blogger-versary! I've been waiting for the right time to share the meaning behind my blog title: Life With Lori. Let's just say I was a complete surprise to my family! My parents thought they were done having children, my mom had just returned to work, my sisters were 8 and almost 12; and my mom found out she was expecting. At first a total shock, sadness, and worry. Later, joy and a reminder that God always provides.

The following is an article my mom wrote about her journey of pregancy with me at age 36. (From Christian Family: February, 1984)

Life With Lori: Facing Pregnancy In The Middle Years

By Rita Baird

Our family's life was being lived very much "as planned". After my husband and I had both finished graduate school, I had devoted ten years to full time homemaking. Our lives centered on the joys and trials of raising two beautiful daughters now 8 and almost 12. The timing seemed appropriate and the opportunity presented itself for me to take a job as a school counselor. We were making plans for the fall and spending a busy summer with our girls when in late July we came face to face with the shocking news that I was pregnant.


Our initial reaction was denial. There must be some mistake, this couldn't be happening to us. For a few weeks the tears flowed freely. There were tears of distress, uncertainty, confusion, anger, selfishness, and guilt. It is the anger, guilt, and selfishness that brings me to share this experience with you. We were fortunate to have Christian friends who knew what we were feeling. It is very upsetting to find yourself so distressed when facing such a "blessed event". When one is devoted to a beautiful Christian family in which the children are prized and cherished it is difficult to face the reality of feeling resentment and anger toward an "unplanned pregnancy". Without the support and acceptance of our friends and family we would have been overcome by guilt.

There was no doubt in either of our minds that this child, now a stranger to us, would also be loved and cherished. However, there were the coming months of pregnancy to be faced and several of our future plans and priorities to be re-evaluated. We were able, as I hope any of you facing the same situation will be, to take one day at a time and let the Lord slowly give us peace and calmness to prepare for our baby.

As we prepared for the arrival we found ourselves moving more slowly than with our first children. Friends would ask, "Have you bought diapers?" "Is the bed up?" and we replied, "No, not yet." They probably wondered about us and we certaintly questioned our own selves. This must be one reason pregnancies last nine months, to give us time to prepare, especially mentally. When the time for Lori's arrival came, we were ready. The Lord promises that we can do all things through Him who gives us strength. That includes loving and caring for this baby with the fullness of devotion that all babies deserve from their families.

It is now a year later. Our precious Lori is walking, talking, loving, and demanding. I've been home again full-time this year. There are more bills and less money than last year. We've postponed some plans and we've made other new ones incuding a bigger house if the Lord wills.

We look back on our initial reactions of distress, confusion, and anger and we feel no guilt. We realize these initial feelings were a typical reaction to a stressful crisis. Our feelings of denial and wanting to wake up as if from a dream and find our lives back on the "safe, easy road with ourselves in control" have in no way diminished our acceptance, love, and devotion for Lori. She has added a dimension of love to our lives that we would never have experienced any other way. Lori's big sisters sometimes say, "You know I can't imagine life without Lori!" How magnificent! Only a few months ago none of us could possibly imagine "life with Lori!"

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There is the inspiration for my blog title. Don't I have a wonderful family!?! Love you guys.