And the Oscar goes to.....

This post is probably going to seem a little like an Oscar speech.....without the music to interrupt me and someone standing by to escort me off stage; this will be long and boring (unless you're mentioned....and even then, you may want to skip ahead to the part with your name in it), but I want to thank everyone who has been there since the very beginning, since that first shocking appointment. I am under NO impression that we have gotten through this whole thing so well by ourselves. And even though I have yet to write about the babies' birth story, this post jumps back and forth a little - we've received SO MUCH help/support since the babies were born, it would be impossible to leave that out. Warning!!! I will use LOTS of capitalization (Tim says I overcapitalize - SORRY, CAN'T HELP IT :) and I will use words like amazing, truly, blessed, and lucky WAY too much, but I can't help that either.....those are the words that I feel sum up my life :)

Tim (I'm already getting teary), from the moment I called you and you met me at home (to find me in bed curled up in the fetal position and crying my eyes out), you have been MY ROCK. From the start you said, "We CAN do this," and you NEVER wavered. So you got a little annoying with all the picture taking and videos along the way (which I am now SO grateful for :) and you were the strictest of "pregnancy police," but you were THERE for WHATEVER I needed. You held me, supported me, took care of me, loved me....and made me laugh EVERYDAY (you still make me laugh everyday :) You are my BEST friend and THE LOVE of my LIFE! Thank you for being an AMAZING father and for EVERYTHING you do....to say you are helpful would be an understatement. You have been right by my side doing everything I do (and more) EVERY step of the way (when I call you a MOM, I mean it with the utmost respect and as the HIGHEST of compliments). YOU are the reason I have made it through this with a smile and I feel SO BLESSED to be on this crazy journey we call life with you....I'm the LUCKIEST girl in the world!!! And you were right...WE CAN DO THIS!!!

Mom and Dad (Grammy and Popop), you guys have ALWAYS been there for me through ALL of my ups and downs...and this has been no exception! Your love and constant support made me feel like Tim and I were NEVER alone and I can't tell you what a difference that has made. Thank you for all of the babysitting you've done, for all the meals you've cooked, and diapers, clothes, toys (and too many other things to name) you've bought. At a time when you should be golfing (Dad) and shopping (Mom), you have been in the "trenches" with me - feeding, changing, and diapering babies....and all while putting up with my moodiness (I don't know how you guys do it :) I am so glad that my babies have gotten a chance to know you...to hear your voice, to see your faces and look into your eyes, to be held in your arms, and to be LOVED by you! SO UNBELIEVABLY LUCKY. (Now I AM crying)

Julie and Jim (Tim's parents - Grandma and Papa) , there are countless things to thank you for....babysitting, meals (between you and my parents, I don't think Tim and I worried about making a dinner for the first 9 months after the babies came home), groceries, diapers and toys (and by toys, I mean swing sets and play houses that my babies LOVE - as soon as they can talk, I'm fairly certain they'll ask to move to Grandma's house. They would also want to thank you for all of the donuts, ice cream and other treats you give them :) Thank you for loving and spoiling our babies the way you do...they are SO lucky to have you as grandparents! PS- Julie, I still think you're crazy when you pick up ALL THREE kids, but you'll never know how much I appreciate the break - THANK YOU!

Lori and Dave (Auntie Lor Lor and Uncle De De), gosh there's so much to thank you guys for, too. Let's start with the nursery - Dave, thank you for your SKILLS and perfectionism (is that a word?) in the babies' room...we love how it ended up :) Lori, thank you for being my sister and my FRIEND. I love you and feel truly blessed to have had you as an example of what an amazing woman/human being should be (I have always looked up to you and I STILL do). Without you guys (a third house for an overnighter), Tim and I may have never got a full night's sleep in the beginning (THAAANK! YOUUU!). Thank you for wanting to take the kids, whether it's overnight or just for the day to do something fun. The kids LOVE you guys and love being with you. And now you get to be the fun Auntie and Uncle who do all the cool things and we're the boring parents :/

Brianna (CC- Crazy Cousin), I don't think you can understand right now just HOW important you are to me AND to Timmy, Emma, and Kallie. It seems like just yesterday, you were the same age as the babies and now you're here playing with them, loving them, and HELPING me. They love you SOOOO much are SOOOO lucky to have you as their CC. Tim and I can't wait to spend the summer with you and the babies - baseball games, beach trips...endless fun :)

Auntie Becky, Uncle Mike & Auntie Sarah, THANK YOU so much for loving our babies, taking the time to play with them and always trying to help by being an extra sets of eyes and hands when you're around....we know you're busy with your own kids! I think it's so neat that all of our kids are so close in age and I can't wait to watch them grow up together.

Kami, you have been my BEAUTIFUL best friend FOREVER (BFF :) and you've heard all of this before. I try to tell you on every birthday, holiday and with each passing year what you mean to me, but I can NEVER tell you enough. You are my ANGEL here on earth...I don't know who I'd be, what I'd be, or what condition I'd be in if it weren't for you! You are my chosen sister, a soul mate, a kindred spirit...there are lots of words to describe the special bond we share and you are ALL of them. THANK YOU for continuing to talk about pink extensions and anything OTHER than having THREE babies when I was pregnant. I knew that I could always call you and not feel like a circus freak - with you, I always feel like ME :) I'm HONORED to call you my friend and the TRIZZLES are LUCKY to be loved by you. You ARE going to be the BEST, most AMAZING, WONDERFUL and EXTRAORDINARY MOTHER someday and I can't wait to watch our kids play together (STILL crying! What have these babies done to me??? You know I used to NEVER cry this much)!!! Thanks for coming to visit us so often - we can't wait to see you this weekend :)

Aimee, THANK YOU for ALL of the ADORABLE and THOUGHTFUL gifts you've sent for me and for the babies (starting as soon as you found out we were having triplets). I was always so excited when I got a package from you....and seeing what CUTE things you found were some of the only times I would get REALLY EXCITED about having triplets. Thank you, too, for our occasional "chats" (usually ending up LONG conversations) that make me feel like a person again, rather than just a mom. Jenna, Joce, and Anita - THANK YOU for our many lunch dates. You know I love to eat :)...and I don't think I would have ever left the house or seen the light of day if it weren't for you guys. Monica, thank you for showing up in my hospital room after the babies were born even though I had Tim tell everyone I didn't want visitors...it meant the world to me to see another caring face! I have some UNBELIEVABLE friends....I love ALL of you!!!

There are SO many other people to thank, as well....all of our family and friends that don't live close by - thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers, as well as gifts you've sent for the babies. We miss you and wish you were closer! Thank you to everyone who came to visit us and the babies in the NICU and when we got home (from near and far). The love and support we were given by EVERYONE gave us the strength to make it through one of the hardest times of our lives!!!

And last, but not least, I can't end this without thanking all of the NICU staff at Kaiser in Walnut Creek. ESPECIALLY Amber, Leslie, and Allison (a few of our primary nurses)- there really are NO words to express the amount of GRATITUDE we have for you, but THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for taking care of our babies and for teaching US how to take care of our babies. Thank you for listening to all of our worries and concerns and for answering our never ending questions. Thank you for making us feel at home in the most stressful and unnatural of settings and circumstances. Thank you for putting up with a very scared Mommy and Daddy who hated seeing their babies being poked and prodded with what seemed like an overwhelming amount of needles, IVs, lines, wires, and tubes...and THANK YOU for doing it - you SAVED our babies' lives! We know that WITHOUT A DOUBT, our babies are home and healthy because of YOU. There is not a day that goes by that we don't remember where we started and remember YOU and ALL you have done for us.

Exit stage :)