My pregnancy was pretty low key. So much so that we didn’t have our first doctor’s appointment until week 13. I participated in two wedding parties, visited 11 states, and traveled by plane on New Year’s Eve. Easy peasy.

And with that, we settled back into our apartment with a month to spare before my due date – just the right amount of time (in my mind) to efficiently nest and prepare for Baby Aurora’s arrival.

Looking to maximize my time in the office as much as possible, CC reluctantly picked me up from work to usher me into my 34-week check-up. We were ready to run in and out.

That didn’t happen. Instead we were sent next door to the hospital where I was to be on bedrest with monitoring until Miss Rory’s arrival.

I wasn’t ready! In my mind – Rory needed to seriously slow her roll. We didn’t have her nursery setup. I still had projects at work that needed to be closed out. And with how big babies are born these days, we didn’t exactly have newborn (or smaller) clothes at the ready.

Yet, here we were. I was hooked up to an IV and contained in a hospital room. I couldn’t do this by myself. In my weakness, I was going to need to rely on my best friend – to prepare our home for Rory, to select my clothes, to order and deliver food other than red gelatin from outside the hospital walls. And it was hard. So much pride was built up. I didn’t know how to ask for help.

Then the surrender came. And for the first time I was met with a heavy helping of humble pie.

I’m so thankful it did. A week later and Rory would be born via C-section, requiring a whole greater level of recovery time and support from family and friends. And as I learned to ask for help, I found that it wasn’t so hard to find.

People showed up to be a part of our journey. And I’m now learning this help goes beyond the birth and initial care of my child. Learning to ask for help as we navigate life is essential. Whether it’s about a new challenge at work, a potential job opportunity, figuring out how to be a trendy mom, dealing with our insecurities, or figuring out how to communicate with a sibling or spouse, seeking support from friends or mentors that align with our own values enables us to overcome major crux points along the way.

So, this lesson is short and sweet for me. Don’t do life alone. They say raising a child takes a village. I believe this to be true. I also believe this to be true for adults too. So eat your own helping of humble pie and don’t be so worried about asking a question, seeking advice, or raising your hand when you need some help.