J. Alexander's anyone?

As usual when we're trapped in Vandy, Bill & Jean either bring us food or stay with Lane Carter while we escape for a little bit and go somewhere other than downstairs to eat. This time was no different except that because Will was on shift they decided to take me out to eat. After being assured that Lane would indeed be fine and that I had a whole floor of nurses to watch over him. I consented to go. Which now leads to the question "where?" Jean named several places, one of them being J. Alexander's. I said "you know if we go there, Morgan will be born tomorrow." Why is that?" they asked. I told them how the night before I was induced with Liam, Will took me to J. Alexander's to eat, then because I like tradition, he took me there the night before I was induced with Lane. We had even planned to go the night before I was supposed to be induced with Morgan but then Lane decided he needed to get Pneumonia, drop his sodium levels, check himself into Vandy and have my induction postponed. What a way to put off having a little sister! Anyway, we went and sure enough at 10:45 that night I woke up feeling bad. Turns out that this was the slow start to my labor, only I didn't realize it at the time. Between Lane & Morgan I stayed up all night. By Monday afternoon whatever was leaking was getting worse. We called Dr. Scott's office and left a message with Wendy. Lane's care partner convinced me to go eat and go home for a bit, that she'd stay with Lane. Either you'll have her or you'll come back here. I couldn't argue with this logic so we headed home. I called the triage nurse on the way and never got called back. I get home, take a bath and get ready to head to a hospital, I just didn't know if it was going to be Vandy or WMC. Will finally got a hold of the triage nurse and she said to go to the ER, tell them what was going on and they'd send me up to labor & delivery. In no time I was given a room, and a very stylish gown and told my nurse would be in soon to check to see if it was amniotic fluid. Sure enough it was. Well, I'm staying here tonight. Good Lord, Lane Carter is in Vandy and here I am. This was NOT how it was supposed to be! Brings us back to "man plans, God laughs". One day, one day I will learn that everything happens in His time, not ours.
I was given pitocin to speed things along and antibiotics because I'd been leaking for so long and had a fever there was a chance of infection. Dr. Scott was called even though she wasn't on call but couldn't be found so I had Dr. Ellington instead. She was awesome. I couldn't have asked for better care or a better delivery.
Everyone was called, arrangements made for Liam & Lane. Bill & Jean came. We like hanging out in hospitals together. Thought we'd give WMC a try for a change. Mallie soon arrived, I couldn't do this without her. She helped me get Liam & Lane here. She couldn't miss this one. After all this little girl was being named after her. Finally Susan arrived I had a lot of fun listening to Will, Mallie & Susan talk as I tried to stay awake. Epidurals should be considered the 8th wonder of the world. Maybe because I was in my drug induced happy place but it didn't seem that long before they said I was at a 10 and ready to go. Four pushes later, Miss Morgan Lellyette Farris came into this world. They laid her on my chest and we swear it sounded like she said "mom". Anyone who doesn't believe in love at 1st sight has never had a baby. She was so beautiful and perfect in my eyes. I had tried to distance myself from her thru the whole pregnancy because of all we'd been through with Lane Carter and Angel Baby. I learned the hard way not to take anything for granted. All that was over the moment they laid that little girl on me. I was completely in love. God had given us the greatest Christmas gift I'll ever receive. She was here and she was healthy and nothing else mattered. Over the next several days as I was surrounded by people I love. I felt more happiness than I'd known in a long time. But more than that I felt a profound sense of peace, that up until that moment, I wasn't sure I'd ever know again.
We came home on Dec. 23, Lane came home on Christmas Eve. I got my Christmas wish this year. I hope you got yours and I hope that at some point in their lives everyone gets to know the kind of peace I felt in the first few days after she was born. A sense that God is in His Heaven and all is right with the world.
God poured out his grace to me in abundance and I am forever thankful.