Strong Moms- Mercedes

Hello to all of Michelle's readers!  I'm really excited to share my story with you as part of the new Strong Mom series.  I think it's so important that we celebrate our triumphant moments, our own as well as each other's.

I'm Mercedes from the Project Procrastinot blog, and I'm a mom to newly one year old boy/girl twins.  Fall is my favorite time of year; pumpkin-flavored everything always reminds me of when my husband and I began dating nine years ago.  We met in college in Tulsa, OK, but have been living as expats and currently live in Scotland.

My twins turned one just last week--the most bizarre, time warped year ever.  It's also been the hardest year.  

During most of my pregnancy and up until the twins were about 10 weeks old, I was living with my mother in Oklahoma while my husband, EJ, was working in Angola and looking for a new job.  Thankfully, he was there for the birth of our babies, and three weeks after.  When he left, it was one of the hardest and most frightening times of my life.  I knew I had my mom's support, but I was so sad for my new family (and the postpartum hormones didn't help!)  I didn't know how I would cope without him, but somehow, I did.

About six weeks postpartum, I had to have surgery to remove a mass from under my right arm.  The doctors thought it would be a lymph node, but it turned out to be a bit of breast tissue that had migrated--the surgery was brief but I was so sleep-deprived (and still recovering from a c-section!) that what little bit of energy I had been clinging to was gone.  Recovering from the second surgery and caring for two babies was so incredibly hard, but somehow, I did it.  

We moved to Scotland when the babies were about ten weeks old.  When we got here it was the dead of winter, so cold and with only a few hours of daylight.  I had literally zero acquaintances in Scotland and was completely consumed with caring for my two little ones.  I wondered how I would make friends, if I would feel comfortable in my new home, and if the sun would ever shine for more than two hours a day, and eventually it did. 

My babies are 53 weeks old, and still don't sleep through the night.  On a really good night, they will wake up only twice--each.  Sometimes when I lay down in my bed, I wonder how many times I will have to walk up and down the hall to the babies' bedroom, and how I will make it through the night, but somehow, I do.

Ok, ok.  That might paint a grisly picture.  But like I said, this has been the hardest year of my life!  

But it has also been a great source of joy and pride.  

When my son opens up a book and turns the pages, babbling to himself, I just can't stand it.  When I take my babies out to eat for lunch and my daughter is bopping away to the background music, it's pretty much the cutest thing ever.  If you've never felt your heart seriously melt into a gooey puddle, just wait for baby-kisses. They are the best.  

And there's nothing like breastfeeding.  At times it has been a struggle, but I am very proud of the fact that I still nurse my twins.  We've never had to supplement with formula and they are healthy and happy babies.  One year was my original goal and I'm happy to have reached it; where we go from here is yet to be determined!

So, am I a strong mom? I'd like to say, hell yeah!  

If you would like to share your story and be featured in the Strong Moms Series email me at mommyferg02(at)gmail(dot)com!