Giving Thanks...Day 9

Today, I give thanks to all of the people I have never met. Yes, these are people who have supported me through the last seven months on line. Through their stories and pictures of their beautiful children, they have given me hope.

First, it was the women of the high-risk pregnancy board. They were all in a similar boat to me by having a pregnancy that was not text book. Some were on bed rest, some were dealing with preterm labor, some had gestational diabetes, some were previous preemie moms going thru the complications a second time, some suffered through infertility and were blessed (or multiply blessed) with a baby only to face complications with pregnancy, some had pPROM like me...the list goes on and on. Simply put these were women that understood what I was going thru when I wasn't sure if I understood myself. I cried when they posted struggles, I celebrated when they posted their birth stories, and I found myself friends with these women...all who I have never met.

Then, it was the preemie boards. These women are remarkably strong and amazing. They are the moms some of the most amazing kids I will never meet. Their babies were born at all different gestations. Some much younger than my sweet boy, some actually older than him. All have been thru the trenches and have earned their wings by lovingly parenting a preemie. I sometimes feel almost guilty for thinking myself part of their club (a club no one wants to belong to) because my son is thriving so. He has not suffered thru months of bradies and apneas, PDAs, IVHs, brain bleeds, NEC or ROP. He is blessed (as am I) to not have any of these issues. But these gracious women accept me and my boy and celebrate his gains with me, even if their child isn't there yet. It is very humbling to say the least. And again, I have never met them.

Finally, there are a few women who I "met" early on thru stumbling on their blogs while searching for support and answers to what to expect with my son. I feel like we are friends. I read about their lives on a near daily basis. I laugh and cry with them, because I so can relate. These are women who have losses so profound when I compare my own challenges to theirs. They are women I really look up to, but again, have never met them.

So today, I give thanks for so many I have never met.