I must have had it easy

Because this is hard. Newborns are not easy, and this is our easiest one. But things are getting better. Right before thanksgiving I got sick, could not eat or drink, and became dehydrated to the point of needing IV fluids in the ER. Lack of sleep was not helping, but that too is evening out. School work is pretty basic but gaining ground. In fact everything is in basic mode: dinner, laundry, shopping, cleaning. I'm blessed to have friends and family calling to check on me and dropping off needed items. Thank you so much for caring for all of us!

Oh Pray Please

Abigal's night have been getting worse. It was a bit familiar to drive for acid reflux reasons at midnight last night! It is my first day alone with three sweet kids. I never thought that would be scared of that ;-) My husband went to work with only two hours of sleep. He is facing a ten hour day and over an hour drive. My kids are facing another day of a less than ready moma. Pray for restoration and healing.

Abigail's Story

Well since I'm horrible at journaling, and there is no mention of this sweet girl, let me back up about 9 months. I had just gotten back from an Above Rubies retreat. A great few days away to be strengthened in my faith, homeschooling, and Biblical wife and mom stuff. On the way home I started not to feel great however. Yucky tummy and such. I thought I might just have a cold,but to put my hopeful mind at peace, I decided to take a pregnancy test. NEVER thinking that it would actually be positive! Oh my heart!! So now I had an explanation for my "cold" to explain to my husband ;-) However, the "cold" just got worse.

So here we are, in the doctors office with our two kids, trying to quietly explain the pregnancy (I have a horrible history of miscarriage, and we did not want to further frighten the children) as I'm slumped in a wheelchair and very pail. So off to hospital I go to be admitted due to the flu!
I quickly send a text to our family about the flu and ask for help with the kids. Before they leave us, we've had to quietly tell other medical staff about the pregnancy. One nurse was not so quiet (and our son is smart) and before we knew it, Everett looked up at Ian and said "Mom's gonna have a baby?!" Our answer? "Well, maybe", "We don't know yet" and alike. totally warping his sense of conception we know, but it seemed better than breaking his little heart if we miscarried. So now what? If the kids kinda know and our family will be coming to see me and care for the kids, we kinda gotta tell them too. So I did. It went like this "Hi mom, I'm in the hospital. I'll be fine. I have the flu. The kids are covered. Ian is disinfecting the house . . . and I'm pregnant". When my mother-in-law came to my hospital room, I joyfully told her too. Although in my extremely pale, eyes half open, nearly dead look, I'm sure she thought I was delirious. I was able to convince her just in time for my father-in-law to arrive. My yearly retreat usually as me away during his birthday weekend. So when he got there, I told him I got him a present, but he'd have to wait nine months to hold it! He had recently had a dream that there was going to be a new little one in the family.
So that was the beginning. I recovered from the flu and began 5 or so months of morning sickness. Serious head in the toilet, don't want think about let a lone eat anything, fabulously sick! For my pregnancies that was great news. Then it got interesting again. At one of the ultra sound appointments, it was discovered that the baby had excessive fluid in the back of the neck. This could be a whole lot of nothing . . . or a big something (chromosome abnormality, heart defects). I had been on a medication that had recently been deemed dangerous for
unborn babies possibly causing heart defects. Further testing would need to be done. Amen than Aunt Emily came with the kids and I to this appointment. She had taken them for a walk while I talked with the doctor, thus trying to absorb what he was saying. We chose to do further testing because we (I) was wanting a vaginal delivery after our two c-sections and it would matter where the baby was born for that.

It was a long couple of months. The chromosomes were as God knitted. So we kept driving to Bellevue to look at the heart and waited for it's development and

technology to be in sync. Four chambers? Check. Valves? Check. All working together? Check. Working properly? Check. Around six months along was when it was all over. And all without peeking at the gender of the baby! That was Ian's one request again. And since he gets to participate so much, I thought I could accommodate :-). Much to everyone elses dislike.
The next hurtle? Find a doctor and a hospital willing to help in our VBAC. That brought us to the University of Washington and Dr. Ma.

The doctors there had the facility to care for us if the 1% chance of uterine rupture happened. So back and forth we went, meeting great doctors and nurses that took time with us to answer any questions we might have and care for every possible development. My doctor appointments took on average over an hour! We never felt rushed or as an inconvenience. Everett and Isobel even enjoyed going. Ian's work schedule allowed him Friday's off, so he was finally able to come and talk to the doctors too. It was great.

The picture above is 24 hours before my water broke. My water broke here at home. Something I totally was not expecting, but glad to have happen. I had been have contractions for weeks and this was a clear sign that it was time to go. Which was good since I had my small team of support, Carolynn and Renee, coming with me. They had their professional jobs to do, plus I was counting on them as friends for support and protection from over eager doctors (which there turned out not to be). They were great! Renee distracted me by talking about homeschool stuff. Carolynn prayed with me and spoke peace amongst other physical help. And my husband? Wow! Fabulous. He breathed with me. He held me up. He encouraged me. He made tough decisions with me. It was a long road. Thirty hours. For twenty or so of that I was only 1 cm. We had done everything possible to get this baby out. The baby was down and engaging (that must have been around the time I was yelling at people that they just didn't understand the amount of pain I was in). I was almost completely effaced. And yet not dilated beyond 1 stupid cm! The hospital wanted the baby born within 18 hours of the water breaking. We were well past that. Here was the final check. If it was not more than 1 cm, it would be all over and headed for another c-section. The doctor was taking forever on this check. I told her, "Don't humor me with a simple improvement. Just tell me what it is!" She said she was taking so long cause there was so much change. Like 7 cm!! Ian and I looked at each other in disbelief. We had just succumbed to an outcome we did not want, only to realize now that there was a chance we could do it. I had three hours to make it happen!

The next thing I remember is my people telling me that they are bringing in baby stuff. They are getting ready for the baby to be born. The doctor is getting dressed. What? Really? I get to do this? In fact it is time to start pushing. An hour and a half of pushing. At first I was not sure about progress, until I could reach down and feel the head! Oh what a surge. A few more pushes and SHE was out.

Abigail (my father's joy)

Lael (Jehovah's gift)

6lbs 14 oz

21"

11/12/11

1:52 am

I'm so blessed

As I lay here recovering(I'll get to the reason later), my husband has been doing all the cooking, cleaning, housework, ect! He tells me to quit it and rest, if he finds me back in motion. I apparently don't stop moving very well. I find it very hard to sit and allow myself time. The kids are eager to help and enjoying the time off school. We had been working hard since the start of the year, because I knew we would need this time off! Ian goes back to work Monday, and I'm already thankful it will be a short week for him due to the holliday.

Picking right up where we left off

This is my friend Amy. We met in a birthing class over eight years ago. I clearing remember her saying that she had just starting wearing maternity clothes! We were in our 3rd trimester!! My regular clothes nearly quit fitting in my first week. We became good friends all the same.

I was recovering from delivering Everett, when Amy and James walked into our hospital room. They were in the process of birthing their first daughter Chase.
Chase and Everett became good friends too. A few years ago, after the birth of daughter #2 Cameron, our friends had to move about 45 min away. That has not stopped us moms having dinner together every couple of months, nor our kids picking up wherever they left off. Despite time, distance, and interests, these kids instantly match up and take off playing.

Today they introduced us to a new beach of theirs. We can't wait to take Ian back with us. It was a great break from the stress of lately.

Sailing

Today we participated in Discovering Sailing Days with the Scouts at the Community Boating Center. After an hour of land instruction on rigging and parts of sail boats, we were off to ride a 31 foot Catamaran. Ian rode up front, where the kids to crawl to him and ride also.At one point we asked how fast we were going. Nine miles per hour seemed so slow to how fast it felt!
Isobel was enjoying watching the water flow by underneath her.
On the way back, Everett go to steer us part of the way home. He had navigate around patches of seaweed too.

It was a great day.

Summer School

One of my brothers showed Everett the joys of a PSP. Everett then worked, saved, and researched his way to PSP ownership. Weeks later, another one of my brothers (and Papa) showed Everett the joys of a dirt bike. Everett has now been working, saving, selling the PSP, and researching his way to dirt bike ownership. Coincidentally, Everett's math lessons have been focusing on place value. Perfect real life application:

Ever tried taking your family in a row boat?

In attempt to complete some Cub Scout requirements, I've highlighted Everett's Bear book with things we could complete this summer. Rowing a boat was one of them. Here the boys try:

We had a great time at Silver Lake

On the way home, we stopped ever so briefly along side the road and look who walked out behind us

1st Eye appointment

If you take a child who is learning to read to his first eye exam, when asked to "read the line", it might sound like "bbbbkkkknnnnpppp" in stead of stating the name of the letter "B" "K" "N" "P".  Love it.

B'ham weather bad

The effect of the 49 mile per hour winds. It knocked down the chicken's fence too. Thus they were out and about when Ian came home and found all the destruction.

Everett turns 8!

Our oldest turned 8 today! We skipped school and went to Water Mania. As a special surprise I had reserved a Johnathan Park for the trip. This is the face of someone who is over 7 and therefore does not need to be within arms reach of me:

We had a great three hours! After changing, and a quick stop at Ikea, it was off to Karate class, then dinner at Grandma and Papa's. Everett's cake request was of course from Pure Bliss.

Happy Birthday Evie

Ode to Aaron

This is young man (10 yrs) is a friends son. He is a joy to have here:

1. He likes my cooking (happily eats, never asks for more; i have to offer)

2. He is a good sport (he plays great with both our kids, respects our rules)

3. His manners at the table are dream like (prays, asks to be excused, ect)

I am happy to have him at our house anytime. Oh and

4. He prays for my husband everyday!

I don't want to forget

Christmas 2010:

Isobel, completely un-coached, gave her brother a big hug and a sincere thank you for the doll he gave her.

Everett's favorites are known by his sister: $10 and his favorite drink.

How well the kids understand dad: wood shop and coffee gift certificates.

I got to see one of my brothers! Last time I saw him it was before Isobel was born. He is two years older than me, has a job of his dreams and a new love.

My family sent me on a number scavenger hunt for a beautiful necklace.

Breakfast in Seattle. A first.

The large box of karate gear that made the kid's jaws drop.

Remembering that Christmas gives us our savior! A new life in Him and a new year for it.