Living the Gumby Life

Most people that are my age or older know who Gumby is. He's the bendable green toy that you could twist in all different ways. Most kids would enjoy playing with Gumby.

This toy reminds me of a mindset- one that as adults we don't often have. There's something about getting older that causes us to lack the bendability or flexibility we saw as children in a Gumby toy.

Flexibility is a good thing. It's something I've always had trouble with. These last weeks we've spent living at the Ronald McDonald House have been just one of the many stepping stones in my life leading me to a Gumby life. I'm definitely not there yet. It's been quite an experience watching Braydon grow in the NICU. It's definitely a stretch on the attitude. Sometimes it's hard to have someone telling you when you can take your baby home. It has been especially hard when they tell you that you can take him home, and then they change their mind. I know though that each change has been for the best. Even though I haven't had Braydon at home like most moms, I've still been able to do the things that moms do. I've changed his diaper, taken his temperature, breastfed, bottlefed, and rocked him to sleep. In the process though, a I said in the previous blog, I've learned information and practices I would have never learned had I gone straight home. Not only that, I've been able to recover from my C-section without the stress that is often there with having to do everything for a new baby. So, even though it's often frustrating waiting, I've learned flexibility and so much more. It's hard to believe he's almost a month old already! I can already see how he's changed. I'm thankful though that, Lord willing, we will have many months with him at home. This month, though it was spent in the hospital, was an extra. My due date was to be Valentine's day which is just a week from tomorrow. It's amazing to think that I wouldn't have even seen him until then had he not been born early. I'm so thankful for the strength, growth, and flexibility God is giving me.

So there you have the ramblings of a new mom who is still in the process of learning how to be mom and how to live the Gumby life.