is there a stronger word than thankful?

Just a week ago today, we were in the hospital, being briefed by the head NICU neonatologist on what to expect should Mary Tyler arrive within the next 48 hrs (as they were expecting). You can imagine the panic/excitement/nervousness/worry/etc. One of my stressors was that the house wasn't clean... the nursery wasn't ready! She would most likely have to stay in the NICU for at least a week, but still. NOTHING was done!

I didn't even have to say this out loud, my mom knew. The new carpet for the nursery had to be installed Tuesday morning, so monday night while I was in the hospital, Mom, Trav, Tyler, and Janey came to the house to take care of some things for us. We had been planning on painting the baseboards Sunday night then moving the nursery furniture out so the carpet could be installed. So they came over and worked their tails off to get the carpet ripped up and boards painted and furniture moved. Also, the cleaning ladies we hired we going to come clean Wednesday morning and I was going to have to "de-clutter" in order for them to deep clean everything. SO, my family had to do that, too.

Luckily... they all took some pictures of each other to document their work for me:

here's the nursery once they got all the furniture out...

our bedroom with all the nursery furniture moved in

tyler and janey ripping up the old carpet

mom taping

Janey getting ready to paint..

new carpet.... (bad lighting)

the nursery should be completely finished by Sunday and I will post pictures then. In the meantime, I needed to give credit where credit is due and THANK my Mom for the endless work she's put in and help she's given me not just in the past 11 days but since June 17th when I found out I was pregnant. I really, seriously don't know what I'd do with her!! She keeps telling me as long as I do the same for Mary Tyler one day, she doesn't mind doing it for me. I hope I can be even half as good of a mother to my baby girl as my mommy has been to me :)

And to the rest of my family and friends who have been here for me, any little thing I need. Trav, Tyler and Janey for doing all that work... Cindy for bringing me Hardees in the hospital three mornings in a row so I didnt have to eat nasty hospital food, Kelleigh for coming over two days in a row and cleaning my entire upstairs, Dad and Susie have brought me dinner and offered to bring anything we need, truly EVERYONE has been so great. Mary Tyler is so incredibly blessed to be joining our family!

Don't even get me started on Matt, he deserves much more than a blog post. There are still two weeks of this bed rest left and I'm sure he's going to blow my mind even more than he already has As most of you know, my husband isn't normally the most patient person. He has a very short fuse before he becomes easily frustrated and irritable. These past 11 days he has been the most cool, calm, and collected I've ever seen him. Although I know there have been a few times he's been panicking inside or nervous or irritated, he hasn't shown it. He's been a wonderful caretaker, grocery shopper, dog nail trimmer, laundry man, pharmacist, masseuse, pack n play assembler, refrigerator cleaner-outer, shoe and sock putter-onner, chef, etc. He still melts my heart and I know he's going to even more when I see him with our daughter.

I've been overwhelmed several times this week just thinking about how blessed I am and how I can never express to all these people how truly grateful I am for everything. I wish there was a word stronger thank THANKFUL, but for now, that will have to do.

Thank you EVERYONE for the prayers, the meals, the phone calls and texts! I love you all and can't wait for Mary Tyler to meet you :)

-B