MEMA PLEASURES

It was Christmas Eve morning 2010.  We were at Liz and Brock's house.  Patrick and I had been there for a couple days celebrating the Holiday.  Brock is stationed at Fort Bragg and was unable to leave because of his duties so all the families traveled to them to celebrate, albeit a little at the time.  We were leaving Christmas Eve day so the next family could come in and celebrate.

If you've seen my "Four-legged Pleasures" you know how much in love I am with my grand dog, Chief!  Well Chiefers was coming home with me to Durham to stay several days.  I was busy packing my stuff and Liz and Brock were busy packing Chief's stuff.  Brock and Liz came in my room and said that Chief had some medical issues and they needed to give me his medicine.  The medicine was wrapped in toilet paper and I remember my first reaction was, "oh no, what is wrong with Chiefers."  I slowly opened the "medicine" from its wrapper and it was totally NOT medicine.  It was a pregnancy test showing that Liz and Brock were going to have a baby!  Tears flowed from us all.  How special was that to get the news that way.  Thank God we were there!  Before leaving for Durham, we all held hands and said a prayer for the life growing in Liz.........THE life, so we thought!!!

Several weeks later I knew Liz and Brock were going to the doc for her first visit to be assessed.  I had just pulled into the parking lot at work and my cell phone rang.  Liz and Brock had recently bought a Mazda CX-7 with bluetooth so it was obvious we were on "speaker."  Brock said, well we just went to the doctor and everything is fine.  I was so happy--all I could think of was I have so many questions to ask....my first being.....is the baby o.k.?  Brock said yes, everything is fine--the doctor did an ultrasound.  I asked Brock if he got to see the baby and his answer was, "yes, we saw them all."  Clueless (I am a blonde but it's fake) I said, what, did you see the baby on the ultra sound?  Again, he answered, "we saw all three."  That's when reality kicked in and I got lightheaded.  I didn't think I was going to be able to get out of my car an walk into the office.  As a matter of fact, everything is a blur from that day.  All I know is that my face hurt when I got home from smiling so much.  The pregnancy journey was unbelievable--mostly because of the awesome woman carrying those babies. At this point, I had not really used the term Triplets--it was just "the babies."

I don't think Merriam Webster has a word that describes Liz as she was carrying my grandchildren.  Time and time again, all you would hear is positive talk--absolutely nothing negative.  I remember when she was on bed rest and getting really close to delivery and most likely miserable, I called and said "are you o.k., is everything o.k.?"  Her answer was, "yes, "I'm fine, but I think my back is going to hurt."

Those precious angels came in this world on August 2, 2011.  Because of that awesome mother doing everything in her power to care, grow, and keep safe, those babies for nine months, they were not born until week 34 and were born at such heavy weights that they went straight to the regular nursery. No NICU for these babies!

I am proud to be the Mema of Brady Dennis Epps (born first and big brother), Morgan Martie Epps, and Kendzi Francine Epps.  What a blessing!  Liz is an amazing mother and Brock is an amazing Dad.  Those  babies will forever have the best life in the world!  Let the pictures flow!!!

Kendzi and Morgan

Patrick and Brady

Brock, Brady, and Chiefers

Brady

Morgan

Kendzi

I am the luckiest Mema in the world--three at one time--and what a joy and blessing it is to have them in our lives!