A Letter to My Sister-in-Law

Dear Hannah,

You’re in the final weeks before motherhood begins.
I’m sure everyone’s been asking you all the questions—How are you feeling? Is the baby head down? Do you have a birth plan?

Everyone’s always talking about the birth plan, and the birth. A mere moment of what’s ahead. Monumental, no doubt, but a blur of time compared to the gravity of what comes next.

I wonder if you’re tired of all the advice. The snippets people love to freely share:
“Go out to dinner now, take just your wallet, enjoy your hands being free!” or “Sleep while you can!” — adamant that their advice is right, the best. “You’ll see.”

I wonder if you’re feeling empowered or nervous. I pray it’s a mix of both.

It will all happen fast. You’ll be swollen, and your eyes will burn. Moments of rage will come quickly. You’ll wonder when you’ll drink warm coffee again.

And then—when you’re questioning, “What were we thinking?”—moments of thundering love will astound you. You’ll find yourself fiercely protective, devoted to what you’ve created.

You’ll see pieces of you and pieces of Kyle in glances that will make your heart burst in two. You’ll be over-touched, and then, when you finally have space, you’ll ache to hold them again. You’ll learn how resilient, how wise, how primal you are.

You’re in your final weeks before motherhood. Soon, you’ll wonder how there was ever anything else.

Your heart will exist outside your body.
Your body will never be the same.

And you’ll be so glad. You’ll see.

Love ya, Sis.
-Emma

---