a North Dakotan girl through and through, wife, mother and die hard Catholic.

I don’t think I’d do George’s birth story justice if I didn’t talk about the months and weeks leading up to his birth. A few key aspects, if you will.

I first have to accredit his birth to Our Lord + the intercession of Our Blessed Mother who carried me through my pregnancy, labor, and delivery even weeks after his birth + I know they will continue to without fail.

Let’s take it back to late December/early January. We received some very grim news that my father was diagnosed with a terminal illness, stage IV Small Cell Carcinoma, a very rare and aggressive form of cancer. If we were lucky, we had about a year left with him. Right before I entered my last trimester of pregnancy, I felt nudge to do a consecration to Christ through Our Lady. I’ve always had a special relationship with Our Lady starting in high school right before Mason and I started dating and doing a Consecration was clearly the next step for me after two previous attempts along with a blessing said over me from our parish priest for labor when I was 37/38 weeks pregnant. The graces that came from both gave me every bit of strength needed to endure George’s labor + birth and the weeks prior.

My consecration was completed on March 25th, the Annunciation of Our Lady. From this came my biggest mantras approaching and during labor.

“Mary, I give you the right to distribute the grace of my prayers as you see fit.”

“Mary lend me your heart.”

“Keep me in your most pure heart.”

I had specifically asked the Lord for these things leading up to my labor through the intercession of Our Lady:

Jesus, give me the peace only You can give.

A quick, swift + safe labor and a healthy baby boy.

To offer up all the intentions others on social media, friends and family we reached out to shared with me during my labor with every contraction, emotion and my postpartum.

That my boys will be well taken care of and loved while we had to be away for the time to have George.

Leading up to George’s birth I had what felt like a million little things coming at me from navigating

healthy boundaries with loved ones to keep this season intimate for just Mason, the older boys and myself as a family but still sharing the joy of welcoming a new little one to

My father’s illness progressing rapidly and balancing the time between being a present daughter, wife + mother.

Peter had caught a nasty infection the week of me giving birth.

The list felt endless at times. I felt increasingly overwhelmed, especially the more pregnant I became as we waited on his arrival.

At 41 weeks pregnant on the dot I came to Mason and asked if our intention for our family rosary tonight be that I go into labor? I knew very well that I could still be pregnant another week + but felt a nudge to offer it up to the Lord, knowing He would give me peace no matter the outcome.

After our rosary we put the boys down for bed and we headed to bed with ourselves, I started to feel some contractions, however, I didn’t think too much of it given that I had been having some the last week or so. I decided to start tracking them just in case. The night went on and I fell in and out of sleep. They weren’t consistent but they had definitely gotten more intense, so I hopped into a warm bath. Although they weren’t unbearable, I texted our babysitter to come over at around 8:30am to play with Fulton + Peter while Mason stayed home from clinic to work through contractions just incase things were to pick up.

She arrived at the house not too long after and by 10am I had lost my mucus plug. We decided to go in 30/45 minutes later. I gave the boys a hug and a kiss before leaving and couldn’t help myself from crying because I hate being away from them especially when its both mason and myself away. We got to the hospital, were escorted to the room and we were left alone for a while until a nurse came in to start the admission process.

At 11:47am, the nurse did a cervical check and I was already at 6 cm. I honestly couldn’t believe it because my contractions were so inconsistent, ranging anywhere from 2 to 15 minutes apart and had gotten more intense as time went on. I distinctly remember Mason having sheer excitement by my side, rooting me on every step of the way by sharing words of encouragement and affirmation. My doctor came in right around this time to check in on me and said she would be back after a surgery she had for another patient. Needless to say, she didn’t get to start that surgery on time and I never finished my admission questions because after I got up to use the restroom, I sat back down on the bed and a few moments later I knew I had to start pushing soon. Not even seconds later Mason watched my water break, my doctor checked me at 12:10pm, I was completely dilated, and a few pushes later George was born at 12:16pm on April 5th.

It had all happened so fast but it was so beautiful to experience the Lord’s love amidst it all, knowing I could not have done it without His persistent faithfulness + grace. Our Lady swooped George + I into her mantel, intimately close to her Immaculate Heart just as a mother does.

It was our very own little holy week of entering the Garden of Gethsemane, a walk to Calvary and experiencing the Resurrection in a matter of less than twenty four hours the day before the Easter Triduum. We were discharged in time to make it to Holy Thursday Mass with our little George Joseph out of the womb. He was baptized with the Easter water that Easter Sunday at four days old. God is so intentional + it was so beautiful to watch the Lord reassure me time and time again that He would provide as he always does, He extends His grace as he always does, and He brings peace during our crosses as He always does.

Those of you who are reading this expecting your little one and reading this whether you’re newly pregnant, ready to go into labor any day or longing for a little one in your arms know that my family is praying for you, sweet mama!