Tonight I get to write about my Brittany, or as we call her, Britt. She just went back to the University of Arizona this week and I miss her badly….
1988 – Olympia, Washington
She sat on the floor playing blocks and watching Cinderella with her two year old. They had so much wonderful one on one time. It was hard to imagine that she could ever love another child as much as she loved her only daughter. But she felt a longing inside to give her child a sibling. Someone she could laugh and play with. Someone to share secrets with. Someone to boss around. Someone to fight and argue and do life with.
She and her husband decided it was time to start trying to have another baby. (Note: This would be the only child of theirs that had any kind of plan in its conception.) She got pregnant right away and now got to experience the usual “green” feeling while chasing a toddler. There were days when she was so tired that she would just want to crawl in bed at seven p.m. with her two year old and her blanket. And sometimes she would.
She went from months of nausea to months of incredible hunger. EVERYTHING tasted soooooo good! And after all, she WAS eating for two. Hot chocolate was her craving of choice and she asked for it every night. With lots of big puffy marshmallows in it. There was something so soothing about liquid chocolate warming you inside and out. Especially out. She inevitably would spill on her ever growing belly. Her husband would laugh and wonder if this baby would inherit its mother’s ability to make messes wherever she went. And he would lean down and kiss her inside out, chocolate covered belly button.
Her daughter would crawl up in her lap and rub the bump that would one day be her brother or sister. She would sing and talk to the baby in mommy’s tummy and constantly asked when baby would come out. And mommy would smile at the thought of two precious children in her arms, still wondering how she could possibly love another this much.
Doctor’s visits showed signs of a healthy baby. They had one chance to have an ultrasound to see if the baby was a boy or a girl. She lay there in silence as her husband held her hand and listened to the beautiful sound of their baby’s heartbeat. A sound that would never get old and would never cease to amaze them. As the technician ran the scope over her abdomen, they held their breath in anticipation of the news.
The baby, however, was not in the mood for self disclosure, and crossed its tiny legs so that there was no possible way to tell if they should be buying pink or blue. Driving home, they were slightly disappointed, but also smiled at the thought that this child already seemed to have a mind of its own. And both parents could take credit for that one.
January 30, 1988 – Three days past her due date. She woke up feeling some tightening in her belly. Uncomfortable but nothing to worry about. Her husband was still sleeping next to her and she didn’t want to disturb him, knowing that if things progressed, this may be the last sleep he got for a while. She read quietly in bed, her hand caressing her huge abdomen, beginning to time the contractions. As they got closer together, she decided to take a shower. The warm water felt so good on such a cold morning. It soothed her tightening muscles…. Ow! Now the contractions were getting harder and more frequent. She decided that it was time to wake her husband. Since this was not the first time, it took a little more prodding to get him going. He stretched and yawned, knowing that at the end of this day his life would again be changed forever.
They got their things together (she was much more prepared this time) and took their daughter to grandma’s house. Then they raced to the hospital to begin the process of welcoming this new little person into their lives. Labor was excruciating. She writhed in pain, but knew every contraction was one breath closer to meeting her new child. Seven hours and many pushes later, an 8 lb. bundle of joy entered the world. A precious, screaming baby girl with lots and lots of black hair like her daddy. She was perfect. Brittany Cole. A true Jarvis from day one.
An exhausted, exuberant mommy lay on the bed as her two sweet girls were lifted up on the bed next to her. Big sister proud and beaming and squeezing her new little baby a little too tightly. Baby Brittany swaddled and sleeping and smelling like only a newborn can smell. Any doubt that mommy had about being able to love a second child suddenly vanished. Daddy teared up as he pulled out his camera to take a picture of his three girls. He would have a house full of women and would be totally and completely satisfied.
In that first year, Brittany taught mommy things that she hadn’t learned the first time around. Like what colic looks like. Oh, there were months of screaming and inconsolable crying – from both Brittany and her mom. Sleepless nights. Postpartum depression. Feeling overwhelmed. Long days. Short nights.
And then, almost overnight, it was gone. Britt seemed to morph before our eyes. She went from a fussy baby to a wonderful, laid back toddler who made everyone smile. She had a deep little voice and an adorable, chubby little body, the kind you want to hug and kiss and squeeze. She loved her sister and copied everything she did and said. A true joy in every way. And she had this deep belly laugh that made a person want to giggle right along with her. And her mommy marvelled at the love she felt so deeply for each of her girls.
And the joy did not stop there. She grew into a beautiful girl who loved her other siblings with a fierce protective love. She introduced her little brother to Jesus one night when he came to her for comfort because he had an ‘owie”. At age eight she wrote a letter to her youngest brother who had gone to live in heaven, asking, “What is it like up there? Are you in your castle with God?”
The sweet girl grew into a beautiful woman. She had known Jesus all her life and fell in love with him when she went away to college. And she developed an incredible love of both God and his word. She has a passion for children and is studying to be a teacher, hopefully in an underserviced area. Her favorite time of the day is sneaking off to have her quiet time in a coffee shop. Her favorite place is Africa where she has had two opportunities to go and love on African babies and children. Girl’s got a heart of gold.
Britt, you are so much fun and your sense of humor always puts a smile on my face. You are going to make an amazing wife and mother and teacher. I can’t wait. Thank you for loving God and people and your family with all that you are. You are treasured beyond words. Love you to the moon and back. 🙂
