The blessing of Andrew

When I realized I was pregnant with him, I was happy, scared, concerned, and sad. I didnt have any family near me. They were in Texas and I was in Arkansas. I got so sick with Andrew. I was sleeping 17 hours a day, the others I would work. I got so dizzy, nauseated, and tired that I didn't think I could get through it. Around 3.5 months, I got a call that my grandpa had passed away. He was in Tulsa, Ok. I decided to go for the funeral. But the last few months I had been very lonely and sad because I had never been away from my family this long. I cared for Ellis but the reality had set in that I was gonna be stuck here in Arkansas living on minimum wage and I would never have the life I dreamed about as a little girl. So, I told Ellis that I was going to Tulsa and secretly I had packed everything important to me and decided that somehow I was staying there when I got there.
Well, when I got off the bus, my other grandparents and my brother greeted me at the bus station. I had begun to show that I was pregnant. Long story short. Everyone guessed it and was totally shocked that I would do this. After the funeral I went to stay with Grandma, grandpa, and my brother Chris. They had such a nice house!!. My grandma knew I was pregnant and she still took me in. I couldn't believe it. After awhile, I called Ellis and told him I wasn't ready to come home. Ended up getting a job at Shoney's as a server. That didn't last, because I was horrible at it. I got tipped mainly because I was pregnant and they felt sorry for me. Then I went to the new Burger King and that job fit like a glove. I love it there. The food met every craving I had!!. During my pregnancy I did alot of growing up. At only 18 I didn't know what to expect being pregnant.I worked hard at my job and I enjoyed doing it. My mom and I were estranged for awhile because of the condition I was in. So basically the people I had to help me were my grandparents and my brother. I would have been lost if I would have stayed with Ellis. Eventually, after begging him to understand that I wasn't coming back to him. He quit calling. I had to let go of him so I could do better by my son.
I never found out during my pregnancy what I was having. I just wanted to have the baby. I didn't care as long as he/she were healthy. I didn't have a car so I walked everywhere I went. My brother and I shared an apartment together. This was pretty handy for us both at that time.
My pregnancy went smoothly for the most part. I had some swelling in a foot. I fell at work one time and later had some pain. Overall it went really well. It looked like I had stuck a basketball under my shirt. I stayed pretty little considering all the food I ate.
I went into labor at 38 weeks. Complete back labor!!! Not realizing the back pain was labor, I went to work that day and about 1:15 during a lunch rush I couldnt take it anymore and went to my manager. He asked me how long I had been having these pains and I told him every few minutes or so. (naive) He said that I need to call my doctor because I was in labor! I was freaked out then, thank you!! Ended up after calling him, I went home and he said to moniter it and call him back if I needed to. About 6 pm, sitting with my brother and his girlfriend Susan in the living room, I went to the bathroom and realized I had lost my mucous plug. Wow, it was happening so quickly. So we went to the hospital and eventually my mom, grandma, grandpa, Chris, Susan and my Aunt Shirley were there. Wow, what an event, 15 hours later, after complete back labor, 4 hours of pushing, a very cleansing enema and IVs, I had Andrew!!

Oh, my I had a boy, a son, a child of my own.
He looked just like Ellis!! He came out with black hair, red skin and dark eyes.He was so precious!! I will never forget that first time I held him.

As I held him I transitioned from an 19 year old naive, scared, and unsure little girl into a mommy with one glance of my son's eyes, with one grasp of his finger around mine, with one first kiss on his cheek.
Andrew Daniel Grissom-Strong
March 20, 1988 The first day of Spring. To me it was the first day I felt alive again.
He changed me, I am forever grateful God for that change.