What is strength?

What does it mean to be strong? Does it mean large biceps and the ability to lift twice your body weight? Does it mean standing up for what you believe in when challenged? Does it mean holding up the world when it threatens to crash on those you love? It means all these things, and I have seen strength from my tall, handsome husband and my smallest son.

First - my husband. When the news that our newborn son had to go to the NICU for issues breathing, having just given birth two days earlier, I lost it. Any mother out there will testify that hormones are completely out of control the first few days after you push a human out of your body. Couple this with watching your newborn get rushed out of the room the second he is born as he is not breathing, and news of a trip to the NICU hits like a ton of bricks.

As I collapsed, my husband became a pillar for my family. He protected me from phone calls from family in order to keep my hysteria in check. I know he cried to my family, how could he not? But by me, he was strength beyond strength. He held my hand and assured me that this would all be ok. He was Strength. For this, I love him even more.

Second - my son. Upon his birth, he was unable to breathe. It took an hour to fully get him awake and alert enough to come back to the room and see me. He then steadily declined to the point where the NICU was the only way to assess and treat him. He fought hard to breathe, and after a week, he has progressed enough to cause the oxygen they hooked up to him obsolete. He is now breathing on his own, and if he can keep it up, he can come home.

He showed me that the tiniest person can have enormous strength. His little lungs fought to repair the damage caused from aspirating amniotic fluid, and he's strong, eating well and progressing perfectly. He is Strength.

My men amaze me on a daily basis. From my husband working like crazy to get a teaching job, to my oldest son's kindness, compassion and humor to my new baby's ability to make me laugh at only a week old. These 3 men are my family, my life and my loves. They teach me what strength is, and for that, I am grateful.