Two weeks old, Eleven years in the making

Hanging on our wall next to our wedding photos is another picture of Dan and I, taken exactly eleven years ago on Feb. 7th, 2004.  It’s us on our first date – an 18 year old me in a recycled prom dress with a 20 year old Dan before he rocked his current beard-and-shaved-head style.  We look so different, so young.  At least in our wedding photos he’s sporting the beard.

I see that picture every day and think about the journey that began that day.  We’ve been a couple for eleven years.  You go through a lot of change in that much time, and we’ve seen more than our share of adventures, as you all know.  Eleven years.  Ten different homes in six different states.  Two doctorates for him.  Twelve education-related jobs for me. Four cars.  Countless sleepless nights and stressed-out prayers thrown out to heaven in desperate attempts to make ends meet and find our next step.

And now, one precious little daughter.

Baby Guinevere made her entrance to the outside world fast and furious, eleven days before she was due, in just three and a half hours of insane labor.  That whirlwind of an evening began the biggest adventure of our lives thus far.  Two weeks of sleepless nights, tears (mine as well as hers), diaper changes, and weight checks.  She’s opening her eyes more these days, taking in the world, but so far her skills basically amount to eating and attempts to hold up her head.  And she’s amazing.

The past two weeks have been a blur.  I feed Gwen and I sleep when I can, leaving the home upkeep to Dan and my wonderful mother-in-law (seriously, I struck in-law gold).  I love watching Dan with Gwen, too.  She’s us – the offspring of eleven years of romance and struggle and change and growth.  I’m excited to see what and who she becomes in the years to come.

I have no idea what my blog presence will be for the next few weeks and months.  It’s taken me several days just to write this update to let you all know the news, and I don’t foresee a ton of extra time in my immediate future.  So please forgive the hiatus and feel free to check back in with me occasionally.  I’m sure I’ll be writing again sometime in the not too distant future.

But for now, I’m going to catch another nap.