My Other Kids

Eden is six weeks old today!

I can't believe how fast it's gone by.  It seems like just yesterday we were bringing her home.  But at the same time, it feels like forever.  In just six weeks I've forgotten what life before Eden was like.  I took her up to the school on Friday to meet my students, and it was so weird being back there.  It really seems like a lifetime ago that I was a teacher!  I couldn't believe that it had just been a few months since I was up there every day planning, teaching, grading.  It seems like ages ago!

My kids at school were involved in my pregnancy more than anyone else!  Maybe even more than Dustin!  They cheered when I told them I was having a baby on the first day of school back in August.  And they saw me almost every single day, watching me grow from a tiny little bump in August to a giant basketball sized belly in December.  They rubbed my belly and felt her kicks.  They were so excited when I announced it was a girl, and I brought them a cake that said "It's A Girl!" to eat at lunch.  I showed them ultrasound pictures after all my appointments, and the day after I had my anatomy scan, we ignored history and spelling for the morning and watched the DVD of her ultrasound instead.  They got to see her little body squirm and kick on the projector.  They started bringing stuffed animals and little toys for me to give to her and drawing pictures for me that said "We love Baby Hargrave!"  On the last day of school before Christmas, they threw me a surprise baby shower.  I walked into the gym expecting a Christmas party, but instead I was met by 28 kids screaming "SURPRISE!"  They stocked me up with baby wipes and books for Eden's little library.  But most importantly, they prayed.

Every single morning, Monday to Friday, they prayed for us.  In August they prayed for a healthy Mrs. Hargrave and a healthy Baby Hargrave.  After we found out it was a girl in September, they started praying that little Mini Jenni would be beautiful.  In October when I told them that her name started with an E and that it was a name that could be found in the Bible, they named her Esther and prayed for Baby Esther every morning.  My 5th graders made a giant chalk drawing for me one morning when we were outside that said, "We love the 5th grade and Baby Esther."  They begged and begged for me to tell them her real name, and I actually broke down and told them that her name was Eden before I had told most of my family even!  They prayed that she was healthy, they prayed that she was beautiful, they prayed that she would grow up a be a good Christian, they prayed that I would be a good mother and they prayed that Dustin would be a good father.  You name it, they prayed it. 

I was a nervous wreck the entire time I was pregnant.  I panicked and freaked over every little thing.  Then there were bigger things like a Fifths Disease scare and gestational diabetes and polyhydramnios.  I didn't always tell my students all the little details, but on days that I was especially worried over something, I would tell them that I was scared and that we needed extra prayers that morning.  And they would pray their little hearts out.  And as I sat there each morning listening to them pray, all my worries would completely evaporate.  Who better to pray for you than little children?  I knew that my baby was completely taken care of as I listened to those prayers.  Those mornings were so special to me.  It was my favorite part of each day to hear my baby be prayed for like that!

When people tell me that my baby is beautiful, I say, "Well of course she is!  She had a bunch of 5th graders praying that she would be for five months!"

Stacy told me that when I texted her to tell her that I had delivered Eden, they did an all-call to announce to the building that she had been born, and everybody cheered.  I talked to my 5th graders on speaker phone from my hospital bed, and for the past month and a half, I've been texting Stacy pictures of Eden to show to everyone.

And on Friday, I finally got to take Eden up to the school to meet my fellow teachers and all my kiddos in person.  I was SO EXCITED!  That's an understatement actually!  On Thursday night, I seriously sat with Eden in her closet trying outfits on her to decide what she should wear on Friday.  I was like a kid on Christmas morning driving to the school on Friday.  I couldn't wait for them to finally see who they had been praying for all those months! 

And they didn't disappoint!  They were so cute!  Oohing and ahhing over her tiny fingers and toes.  Rubbing her head and talking to her.  It was such a wonderful day.  And then Stacy asked everyone to gather around and pray for us.  All my kids circled me and Eden, and one more time I got to listen as they prayed for her health and my health and for her to grow and be a good baby.  It was so good for my soul.  I was really sad when it was time for us to leave, but it was another very special day that I will remember always. 

But I plan on taking her back up there many many times!

Also, I can't help but be excited that Eden was born on a leap year and I get an extra day for her first year! =)