I am grateful that we are finally at election day. I’m sure if I had been living in America I’d be even more happy that the endless television ads and signage were going away. I’m not naive enough to believe the election results will be clear after today but I’m just hoping the volume may get turned down.

Today is special for two other reasons much more important to me. My son James will sit for a large comprehensive nursing exam that he has been preparing for months. We have studied together on the phone and I am just completely amazed at the breadth of knowledge he has. I thought speech language pathology covered a lot of ground, but this expectation of knowing about so many specialties in nursing is really mind boggling. I am manifesting a good outcome and expect James will be very relieved when it is done.

Twenty one years-ago tonight, I realized I was going to imminently have my baby girl. I remember that I had been walking a ton that day to try to stimulate labor as I was always impatient in the final weeks of my pregnancies. I think I actually peed in someone’s yard when I found myself too far from home to make it back. That night after dinner, Lily and James’ dad went to play in his basketball league and after putting James to bed, I settled in with a growing sense of anticipation. The mild back ache I had felt all day was intensifying and I was cramping pretty consistently. I didn’t dare tell anyone as I was afraid I would jinx it.

I slept pretty well and then on the 6th awoke and was sure. I called my mom so that she could come look after James. I walked down by the cemetery determined to make this labor as speedy as possible. My mom made lunch, and I put James down for his nap. I stood there rocking him tearful about the unknown and the fact that after that day, he would no longer be my only baby.

My labor was intense and quick and I had Lily in my arms just after 5pm. This big eyed beautiful little person arrived and I was honestly in shock I could love so intensely as quickly as I did. Lily has been a gift since she came into my life. All my children are so special to me but this young woman and I seem to resonate very similarly. That has been good and bad in different ways. I am so proud of the brave, independent, and loving person she has grown into. Who knows? Maybe she will get a nice birthday present in the form of our country’s first elected female president. That wouldn’t be too bad, especially if it came with cake.