Monday, Chad and I headed to work waiting patiently to hear about Leslie's doctor appointment and for information regarding when they would induce her. Much to our surprise, we got a phone call at 11:50 am informing us that Leslie was on her way to the hospital....again. This time she was 4cm dilated. I immediately called Chad and gave him the news, wrapped up at work, and headed to the house. We got everything together as quickly as possible, which still took us 45 minutes, man- time was flying. At 12:45, we got the text that said she was in labor and already at 6cm.
I knew the drive to Lake Charles would seem so much longer than two hours, and it did. I had to keep reminding Chad that it would take us longer for a cop to write us a ticket than if we just did "close" to the speed limit and got there 5 minutes later. We arrived in Lake Charles at 2:45 knowing that Leslie was already 7-8cm, and they were giving her an epidural. We met up with Sandy, one of the owners of Decolores, and we got the latest info. We were on our way to see Leslie when we got the text saying that she was 10cm, and the doctor was coming in to deliver the baby. At 4:03pm our little girl, Lena Anne Duplessis, made her way into the world. We were able to meet her shortly after she was born, and we got to see her being weighed and measured. Leslie had requested to hold her first. The moment the nurse handed Lena to Leslie was by far the happiest/saddest moment I have ever witnessed. We all cried, seeing a mother holding her child for the first time, a mother who selflessly chose life for her daughter. While this adoption is a happy process for Chad and me, it was at that moment that I fully realized how sad this process is for her and her husband. As a mother, she is doing what she believes is best for her child no matter how hard that decision is....and that is what makes her not just a good mother, but a great one. Lena was then handed to us, and we were able to fully realize she truly was ours for the first time.
The hospital where she was born, Memorial for Women, was very accommodating. They provided us with our own room where we could spend time with our daughter and learn all the things new parents need to learn, including how to bathe, swaddle, change, and feed her. Our parents made the trip and were able to meet their granddaughter for the first time. This is my parents' first grandchild and Chad's parents' 6th. It was so good to see them meet her and get to love on her as well. We were very lucky to be discharged after 24 hours and make our way home.
We are now back in Baton Rouge, and settling into our new roles as "Mom" and "Dad". Just like any newborn, she has her own schedule which involves sleeping most of the day and "partying" most of the night, but we are ok with that. Being a mother is the hardest/best thing that has ever happened to me. It takes the word protective to a whole new level. Having another human for whom you are solely responsible is a great/amazing responsibility. We are learning what she likes and doesn't like along with how to meet her needs. We are both looking forward to a lifetime of memories watching her grow and change. Leslie and Arnold signed the papers on Thursday relinquishing their rights as her parents. Now, thankfully all we have to do is wait 6 months to finalize the adoption and make her "legally" ours. Until that time, we are not allowed to post any pictures of her on the internet.
Thank you so much to all who followed our journey. Thanks also to those who gave so generously to all of our fundraising efforts. We could never have gotten to this point without all of you. We cannot wait for you to be able to meet our beautiful little girl. I know that she is loved by so many already. If you have any questions please feel free to call or email. I will try to answer them as soon as our little angel allows us time!
How you can pray for us this week:
Pray for Leslie and Arnold. As I have mentioned, this is a sad time for them. I know she misses her little girl, and there is a hole in her heart that no one can fill. Pray as they prepare to make their travel back home, that they are able to find new housing, and jobs and get back to "normal". Pray for all the hands involved in the legal process: that all the paperwork gets filed appropriately, and we are able to finalize this process as quickly as possible. Finally, pray for Chad and me as we continue to work as a team to create a loving home for our new baby! Have a great week!