525,600 minutes...

Stealing a song from "Rent" that I have swirling around in my head:

...525,000 moments so dear (oh yes they are!). 525,600 minutes- how do you measure, measure a year?

In daylights (Oh, Mr. Sun why do you wake our babies up much too early on a Saturday?), in sunsets (can we finally put them down for the night?), in midnights (up feeding newborns the first weeks home), in cups of coffee (Oh thank you Starbucks for being a lifesaver on some very foggy mornings).

In inches (17 inches- the average length of each baby), in miles (53.05 miles each way to Northside Hospital from our house), in laughter (like when our dainty little petite daughter would let out these monster burps), in strife (luckily not much of that this year but we've had our share).

In 525,600 minutes- how do you measure a year in the life (of a family with triplets?) How about love? How about love? How about love? Measure in love. Seasons of love.

While the writers of that song probably weren't talking about a year in the life of a family with triplets, the words are certainly applicable. We are soon coming up on 1 year (or 525,600 minutes) since the triplets were born. One year ago tonight I was typing a blog post on this very laptop. I was confined to the hospital and unsure of when the big day would come (just 5 more days). Would we be ready? Would this change our whole lives? Could we even do it? And now a year later, my answers are no, yes, and maybe. No we weren't truly "ready", yes it changed our whole lives, and maybe we're finding our way. But these babies have truly given us the most amazing gifts- more than we could ever have even imagined. Now, don't ask me questions about motherhood when I've just been woken up in the middle of the night by my darling Sarah. Or when Luke's diaper leaks poop on my jeans. Or when Jake flings pureed carrots at my face! Ask me when I'm rocking Jake to sleep against my chest and I can smell his baby smells. Or when Lucas giggles because you're tickling his tummy. Or when Sarah gives me that "Beavis & Butthead" laugh.

This past year has really gone by fast. I can't believe we've gone from 3 babies in my womb to 3 wild and crazy babies in our house. I think I'll take the song's advice. I measure this year in love. Baby love.

Happy New Year Everyone! 2010 was such a fantastic year. We continue to hope and pray that each of your lives are filled with abundant blessings in 2011.