Dear Evy:

Dear Evy, a year ago today you were giving me all sorts of signs that you were on your way. I had been having contractions for two days. As soon as I thought they were becoming consistent, they would disappear. The morning I finally went into labor, I did everything I could to make you come. I was ready for you. And by ready, no I still didn’t have my bag packed. Your daddy thought I was crazy, but I went out to the garden to pick green beans. We had so many to pick. Instead of the “nesting” phase, I went through a homesteading phase. Hence our chickens, two gardens and canning equipment. Living off the land was the goal. But no bag packed. Just my two outfits that I had bought – little pink outfit for girl and blue one for boy. I couldn’t wait to meet you.

As the contractions started coming more frequently, I started logging them in my newly downloaded app. Crazy technology. We were told to wait until the contractions were 5 minutes apart for an hour before we went to the hospital. Around 11:30 pm is when they started the every 5 minutes. As it got closer, I of course did what I needed to get ready. Pack my bag. Nope. Jumped in the shower 🙂 As I was showering, they started coming every 2 minutes. I might have started freaking out just a bit. A little worried that you were going to come a little too soon before we had time to get to the hospital.

My mom had came up to the house while I was in the shower. She was packing up your sister to take to Aunt Ambers. The only thing I had left to do was pack my bag. It was a little hard to do with all the contractions. I think it would be wise for someone to inform an expecting mother to pack her bags in advance. 😉 Very hard to do with contractions every 2 minutes!

As soon as we were in the car, headed to the hospital, the contractions seemed to take a break. I was a little worried that we had a false alarm and the hospital would send me back home. But not to worry, an incredibly painful contraction appeared and reminded me that you were definitely on your way. I told your daddy to drive faster, hoping that we would get pulled over so that a police could escort us faster!

I had to stop once on the way into the hospital because the contractions were getting so strong. In just a few hours later, I had my beautiful baby girl, Evelyn Sarah, in my arms. I always contributed the picking beans to your labor. My ‘homesteading’ phase gave me an abundance of green beans. I snipped and snapped while I nursed you. Family would come visit you and they too would be required to snip and snap. Your daddy thought 58 quarts of green beans was enough, but I wanted 104. (2 for every week.) He thought I was crazy. Never!

This year we planted beans the day of your visitation and also picked and canned beans in honor of your birthday. I know it seems crazy and a weird thing to associate you with, but green beans and you go hand and hand.

So Happy Birthday my little Green Bean. You are loved beyond belief.