Happy 10th!

Happy Birthday to this crazy kid!  He would be 10 years old today.  The picture above was his last birthday with us when he turned 7.  Notice the breakfast--all he requested was QT doughnuts.  What good parents we are!  

I can't believe it has been ten years since I was forced to go to the hospital by my husband.  We argued about whether my water had really broken.  It was a trickle at one point the day before and I figured I had peed or something.  Who knows what your body does when it's pregnant?  I had shared this with Marcus.  That was around 4:00 on Sept. 3.  When he went to work the next day and shared with the women what I had said, they insisted he go back home and make me go to the hospital.  I was not happy when he showed up.  I did not want to be sent back home and I wasn't having contractions.  But, because he insisted and he doesn't really ever insist I do things, I decided to comply.  The hospital did a test to see if it was my water that had broken and it was!  The hospital was not pleased with me.  It had been 16 hours since my water had broken and they need the baby out within 24 hours.  They had to induce me.  One problem was my strep test hadn't come back yet.  I had been positive with Parker, so they needed  the results.  Ethan really wasn't due until Sept. 28, but he was in a hurry to get here (I think he knew his time was short). The doctor decided to take the precaution of giving me the medicine to protect the baby from strep and induce me.  I never felt one pain besides the epidural needle. I played cards with Marcus until about 2:00 that day, and about 2:30 we had a baby.  Not one pain.  Best birth ever.  Marcus did want it just to be the two of us in the room because we had had a party in the delivery room when Parker was born.  So, we were the two there to greet him.

7 1/2 years later we were the only two there to say good bye to him.  Again, this was by choice.

I never really want to welcome this day every year.  It is a special day, but a sad one to anticipate.  I just want to remember how much he loved birthdays!  He loved them and loved celebrating anybody's, not just his own.

We had the chance to visit his grave this past weekend in Snowflake.  What a beautiful cemetery.  I appreciate and love the family that was there with us and supported us in that.  We made a  huge deal of his birthday the last couple of years.  This year we made it simple--cake and balloons.  One of the best surprises was our primary (the kid's class) in our ward (geographical area) sang happy birthday to Ethan and sent the video to us by email.  It was awesome that this ward continues to remember Ethan and love him like we did!  

Ethan, 

Happy Birthday, Buddy!  We miss you so very much.  I am not even sure how to express how much we miss you.  You are the best!  I wish you could be here with us to grow up with your siblings.  You would love Brady!  He is just as crazy as you are.  I wish I could see you play with him and teach him how to play soccer.  Parker and Madilyn miss you.  Madilyn talks about you all the time and loves to go through your hope chest.  She loves to tell people about you.  I love when she does.  Parker loves to laugh about you. He doesn't like to be serious when we talk about you and he hates to see mom cry.  Just know we can't wait to see you again!  Be with us and watch over us as much as you can.  

Love you,

Mom