How do you feel when you finally get something you have waited a long time for? Especially if it’s something you have gone through a lot to get and maybe waited longer than you expected? Here I show Hannah with her first son, Samuel. She is soaking up that baby smell, feeling his heartbeat against hers and hearing those little grunts that make us all turn our heads and smile. What is it about a new baby? And what is it about the way a mother holds them that is different? I’ll be honest, more difficult than seeing a pregnant woman was a mother holding her new baby. This taunted my heart because there seems to be no greater bond of love. I’ve heard people say “I didn’t know I could love another human this much” and that is what I feel when I see this. A love so great, so fiercely protective and yet incredibly gentle.

Hannah was able to have more children after Samuel and, although there is only one first, I have a feeling that she held each of them as if they were her first or her last. And I have no doubt that in the back of her mind was the pain and grief she endured. But as hard as that was, moments like this made it all worth it. Made it worth the wait.