Blessings & Babies

Someone once told me, “The only thing you can be absolutely sure about is that you can never be absolutely sure about anything.” There is much to be said for people that face adversity on a daily basis. I am humbled by those who have known nothing but and yet continue to see light in life and good in others.

There are so many different ways an event can change the course of one’s reality, where nothing will quite be the same again, and yet the future possibilities are endless. Whatever it may be and whenever it may occur, everyone finds a different path of getting through.

Our family has proven to be nevertheless immune to these challenges, challenges which we have been enduring over the past couple of months. In light of it all, several things have become apparently clear:

• We are blessed beyond belief by the love and support of family and friends.
• Our health and the health of our children are things we couldn’t be more grateful for.
• Despite the tumultuous California economy, we have been fortunate to have been relatively unaffected.

It is in counting our blessings and searching for insight that we have been able to get through these past months. While none of us ever really know what tomorrow holds, we may find peace of mind knowing that giving 100% of ourselves today, and being completely present, is half the battle.

I started maternity leave on June 8th which gave me about one month to prepare for the arrival of our son, less time if he chooses to make his debut early. I am looking forward to spending extra time with Samira before my attention is split between the two children. While she has certainly exhibited behaviors of the terrible-two’s, she has also pleasantly surprised us with her astonishing ability to be quite the comedian. Her spunk and quick wit remind Darryl and me both of our grandmothers. She appears to be getting more and more excited about the arrival of her baby brother. At least once a day, she’ll whisper to my belly to tell him “secrets”. Her imagination has really taken off too. One of her favorite games is one we made up called “Walking in the Zoo” where we pretend that we’re, well, walking in the zoo. We talk about all the different animals we “see”. The details she comes up with fascinate us. Samira also loves to bake cupcakes, ride her tricycle and kick around the ball in our backyard.


Samira and I are really looking forward to spending time with our Mommy & Me playgroup again. They were our lifeline when Samira and I “stayed at home” and we sure have missed them since I returned to the corporate world in January of 2008. My maternity leave ends in November, and while that seems like a long time from now, I realize that the time will fly by quickly as it always does anymore. I’m excited about my extra time with the family, as well as returning to work as I will be coming back to a new challenging opportunity in the Marketing department. This was an unexpected, but nonetheless, welcomed opportunity – yet another blessing to be thankful for.

A couple weeks ago, Darryl, Samira and I had a 4D ultrasound done of our little boy. It was truly one of the most amazing things we had ever seen. We have a 20-minute DVD of him moving around -– opening his eyes, sticking out his tongue and sucking his thumb -- all things we never thought we’d see until he officially entered this world. Below is a picture from that ultrasound. We can already make out the signature cheeks (which will soon be showered with kisses) and either the personality of a hard-thinker or one who likes to show off his muscles!


On the Siefker side, there were four of us expecting…now there is just one! We’re happy that all babies have been healthy and are all doing well. It’s abundantly clear that the arrival of our boy is just around the corner. We will keep you all posted as the big day draws near!