The neighbor that was always there...

The mom who doubts her abilities to raise a child from scratch, and sees her dark, pink c-section scar running across the bottom of her abdomen as a reflection of the pain that she endured after the birth of her child is the same mom that loves her child endlessly. She waits until her baby is peacefully, sound asleep before letting the saline drops finally escape her eyes because having her baby see the sadness is just too much.

There's a neighbor, I have seen her many times out in the cul de sac watching her kids play while visiting with other neighbors. The other day while attempting to unload my car of baby stuff from the day she asked me how old Austin was and how I was doing. I, truthfully, told her that I was still adjusting to being a stay at home mom and it seemed to be taking longer than most other moms. She then, openly, told me that she went through postpartum depression for nearly two years after the birth of her second child and then went on to explain symptoms she experienced. She is a stay-at-home mom as well.

FINALLY- someone who understood. She had the exact same symptoms that I had/have and it wasn't something that just "went away" on its own. She, too, had to take medication in order to feel somewhat normal enough to take care of her children. So, I'm not crazy after all?
"No", she said. "Not at all."

We spoke for nearly 30 minutes in my driveway.

By the end of our conversation, she invited Austin and me to come over anytime, especially if I was feeling anxious or overwhelmed because... she understood.

Austin is sound asleep. I waited until he was asleep before letting the saline drops escape my eyes.