At 11:59 // h.s

Epilogue

-Grace-

Looking back on the past 8 or 9 years, I wouldn't change a thing.

There were some awesome times. But then there were some awful times. There were times when I absolutely loved life. But there were also times when I just wanted to disappear.

But now I realize, that it was all worth it.

Sitting here, watching my husband reading to our 5 year old daughter. Seeing both their smiling faces. Looking down at my large stomach, which is housing a little baby boy.

"Do you like green eggs and ham? I do not like them, Sam-I-am," Harry read, in the best Dr. Seuss accent he could.

"Do you like green eggs and ham, Emma?" Harry shifted his eyes from the book to Emma with a wide grin on his face.

"Green eggs?" she giggled.

"I like green eggs and ham," he grinned, "Do you like green eggs and ham, Grace?"

"I love green eggs and ham," I couldn't suppress my smile.

The doorbell rang and Emma quickly jumped out of Harry's lap and ran to see who it was. We followed behind.

The door swung open, revealing Niall, Stacy, and their daughter Kathryn.

"Kathryn!" Emma's face lit up when she saw who it was.

"Emma!" Kathryn squealed, equally as excited.

Kathryn and Emma were born a few weeks apart and they've been inseparable ever since.

"Wanna see my new doll house?" Emma grabbed Kathryn's hand and they started running toward Emma's room, "It has an elevator and everything!"

I embraced Stacy in a warm hug, "I'm so glad we were able to get together."

"So am I," she agreed, "So how's Dakota doing?"

She placed a hand on my stomach and smiled, "I just felt him kick."

"I wanna try," Niall did just as Stacy had done and he gasped, "Wow that's so weird."

Harry and Niall ventured to the family room to watch some soccer game and Stacy and I went to the kitchen.

"When is the due date?" she asked as she helped me set the table for dinner.

"February 1," I replied.

"That's so soon!" she said excitedly, "I bet you're excited.

"Very," I smiled.

We chatted for a long while. It was nice to catch up with each other, seeing as we didn't really get to hang out all the time anymore.

"Dinner's ready!" I called through the house.

Within 30 seconds the table was filled. Everyone dug in and we made conversation, talking about anything new that came up. It really was nice.

Life was just so awesome now.

A beautiful daughter with a son on the way. And my wonderful husband.

The moment he stumbled into my backyard that night, was the moment everything changed. Who knows what would have happened if I had never met him. I don't even want to know.

But mostly, I'm just glad I did, because now I know I'm right where I belong.