So much to be THANKFUL for!!!

Last year in November I found and participated in the http://nablopomo.ning.com/main/embeddable/list blog post every day to give thanks, this year life has been crazy and I realized it has been over a month since I've posted anything!!!

I do have soooo very much to be thankful for. I'm thankful that when Liam got sick we had Dr's who figured out what was wrong and that now all we have to do is go in every so often to check on things and band off any new veins that may have become enlarged since the last procedure. I'm thankful that after the one at the beginning of Nov, we don't have to go back for another 6 months.

I'm thankful for a husband who has a job, even when it keeps him very busy, and the kids don't always understand why he works such long hours... I'm thankful for a husband who seeks learning and as a bonus after all his years in the service that he is able to take advantage of the G.I. bill, and Though it means more hours 'working' on homework, he is able to have his Doctorate Degree paid for.

I'm thankful for wonderful children who are learning and growing. Who are over all compassionate towards others (even if it isn't as often shown toward their own family members), and who often go out of their way to help others. I'm thankful for children who are growing in the Gospel, and willing and unembarrassed to share it with their friends.

I'm thankful for the opportunities we have had to travel this past year. I'm especially thankful for a wonderful extended family who is able to put up 8+ people over a long Holiday weekend, who are so welcoming and willing to share with us. I'm also especially thankful for all the friends who have helped us out over the past year in particular when we have traveled, and for when we've been in the hospital with Liam. It is so wonderful to know that I don't have to worry too much about my family back at home, as others are so kind and willing to jump in and help in whatever ways we need.

I'm Thankful for my health - for limbs that work, since when you sprain an ankle or hurt your hand, thumb, wrist, etc. you realize how lost you would be without them on a regular basis! I'm thankful for insurance that covers (most) of the medical care and attention we need.

I'm also very Thankful for the opportunity I have to witness Miracles! The see the Miracle of Birth unfold. To help women find their strength, and to see that little life as it comes forth from it's mother, fresh from Heaven! I am always in awe at the miracle of life! I wonder how anyone can see that sweet new little baby, and not know that God has created this amazing process! How from two little cells, a whole little person develops and grows under his/her mothers heart, and all the intricacies of the human body, and all the processes from breathing to circulation, to reproduction again that can create a whole nother person...

And as we approach this Christmas Season, I have so much more to be thankful for... I'm Thankful that God has a plan for me, even if I'm a bit impatient or don't always ask for the help to know what that plan is, and how to implement it in my life. I'm thankful for the Birth of My Savior Jesus Christ, and for the season we have to remember it. I'm thankful for the opportunities I have to share my love of the Gospel and Jesus Christ at the Christmas Festival that we hold each year.

Another baby... :-)

I attended a birth last night. It was really sweet to be there with friends, to see a young mother be born at the birth of her baby... To see how a mom goes though this time, watching as her daughter becomes a mother.

I work with mom's all the time: It is fun, exhausting, exciting, difficult, and awesome... But this one was different for me. I've known this young mother since she was in High school, I saw her in her prom dress, and she was the Young Woman that my young woman looked up to (as a new young Bee-Hive). Remembering back to the day I was able to attend their wedding, as she was sealed for time and all eternity to her sweetheart, and now, to be privileged to be there as that sweet young couple became a family of their own.

It is a bit overwhelming, looking forward to the day when that is me with my baby(s) all grown up, and becoming a mother. Realizing it is not all that far off in the future... I had to wipe at a tear or two today, thinking about these things.

Thank you to this sweet family for letting me be a part of their lives. Thank you to my family for being supportive of me and my desire to help mom's and families. For holding things together when I leave for a birth, late night phone calls that inturupt their sleep, and for being my additional cheering squad, and my sounding board when I get home. For sharing my joys, and listening when I need to vent!

I'm thankful for the opportunity that I have to work with mom's, and for the desire in my heart to help mom's have beautiful births.

p.s. Baby P was born at 5:33 a.m. (labor really started at 11 p.m. on her due date), he was 8 lbs 4 oz, and a tall 23 1/2 inches long!!! The nurse measured several times to make sure that was correct!

He is adorable! and Mom did a fantastic job! A beautiful natural birth.

The Big Push Summit

In the case that any of you were unaware, my mom is a homebirth AND midwivery advocate. :]

(she's awesome!)

(above written by Rebekah)

I just spent the last two and a half days in B'ham attending The Big Push for Midwives Summit meeting. It was very interesting to learn what is going on Nationally as well as in each of the individual states around the country. The Big Push was organized about a year and a half ago to help states work toward licensing of Certified Professional Midwives in every state. http://www.thebigpushformidwives.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/home.showpage/pageID/2/index.htm
There is a very cool slide show/video on national birth statistics, etc. Check it out... give it a thumbs up. ;-) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps7WANXhZXA

If you have any interest in helping Alabama moms have more birth options/choices, please check out the Alabama Birth Coalition http://www.alabamabirthcoalition.org/ And here is a link to a video made about the History of Birth in Alabama by some students at UAB last year. It was seen as such a good little documentary that is is now housed in the National Library of Medicine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tLzjyuJdiQ

Sometimes Women feel like birth is something that "just happens" to them instead of feeling empowered by their births. This Monty Python video is a total exaggeration, but birth for a lot of women feels a bit like this sometimes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arCITMfxvEc

I got involved in birth in an effort to help mom's have positive and compassionate births.

The Miracle of life...

I have attended two births this week. Amazing! (I also taught a childbirth class, and have another mom due in a week)...

Every time I had one of my own babies, I remember looking at them all stretched out, and trying to truly conceptualize how on earth they could possibly have fit inside of my belly?!?!

Along with that, is this awesome new WHOLE little PERSON!!!!! It is a miracle! Every single time! I don't think I will ever stop being amazed at the process!

I look at that new little being, straight from GOD and Heaven... I just can not understand how anyone can not believe in Creation, and that anyone could seriously think that because of the big bang, and evolution... How can anyone imagine that all of the intricate parts that make up each and every one of us, was just happenstance? A coincidence... From every organ and every little eyelash and strand of hair, to fingernails, and the fact we have lungs that inhale and breathe and a heart that pumps blood and takes the oxygen that we breathe and takes it to every cell in our bodies so that we can grow and run and talk and breathe and sing, and be!!!!!

And all of this, can be made inside another human being/ a mommy, who grows a whole perfect person, that starts with just two little cells! WOW!!!! and the that each and ever species of animals on the planet all work essentially the same way, each after their own kind... and the bugs and the birds and the plants and trees and flowers and food... How can a person think that God in Heaven did not create all of that?!?! and that we were just an accident that happened?

Impossible!!!

And then the fact that after a person is created and grows, the amazing process that brings forth that life?! It is truly a miracle that can not be chance. The hormones and the chemical symphony that bring labor about, and the path that the baby takes to get to the outside. God created this amazing body to be able to do so much! And how the lungs intake air, and push the remaining liquid out and breathing begins, and the eyes open up and that sweet new little baby - again, a whole new being - looks into his mothers eyes!!!

Bliss.... Miracle of miracles...

Amazing Birth Video...

I found this birth video link this morning. It is amazing! It is beautiful! This is how birth can be. This is why I do what I do...

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7yo8v_naitreenchantee_lifestyle

(Most of it is in French, but the spirit of birth is universal)

ELVIS is in the house... and other life happenings.

So... my day was going to consist of going to visit a friend I haven't seen in a long time...
But! My phone rang at 4:30 am... the mom I was working with - her water broke. No contractions yet. I managed to wake up and get moving, and started to get my ducks in a row. I left the houe at 6 something for H Hosp. It was a long day, but... it's a boy, 9 lbs 6 oz, and 22 in. and he's a CUTIE!!! As the dad made his phone calls to share their good news, several people commented that it was Elvis's birthday! (also one of the nurses commented she'd heard it on the radio comming to work that morning).

We want to thank K (mom) for being so willing to let Liam come play! Bill said that he pouted, dragging his little Diego backpack all the way up to the door and was saying, 'daddy, don't WEAVE me!'
He seemed to have a great time, and tonight when I asked him what he did today he told me, "play with K (little sister)! K is my best fwiend!" Sooo sweet!

Rebekah has started taking a College class this semester at UAH. So, she has class in the morning (m-f), and she has her college class monday and wednesday afternoons. So... she had an idea! She went to Hannah's school and ate lunch with her today. How fun is that?! She'd like to be able to go eat with Marissa as well, but her lunch time is earlier, and Rebekah gets out at the same time or 5 min's after it starts, so... she'd miss it. She thought perhaps she'd come with dessert for her or something, sometime.

Anyway, so Rebekah had lunch with Hannah, and then checked her out of school for us, because she had a Dr's appointment. Bill picked up Liam from K's and then met the girls at home and took Liam and Hannah to the Dr. (they both had an appointment with the orthopedic Dr.)

Liam pretty much has scar tissue that is causeing his hip to not fully extend. The Dr. told Bill he's seen it before, and gone in for another surgery to remove the scar tissue, and it really didn't make any difference, so rather than go through a surgical procedure for no reason... (essentially). His little ball hip joint is growing at a slower rate as well. He suggested we just continue with Physical Therapy as needed, and continue what we're doing.
They removed Liam's pants and the Dr. undid the Diaper to check the hip joint, and then put it back together... He then had Bill sort of walk around the office from room to room to get Liam to follow him so the Dr. could see how he walks. At one point Liam got ahead of Bill, ripped off his diaper and RAN giggling around the office hallway. Bill said it was pretty funny seeing his little butt cheecks sticking out from under his shirt, just running away! He told me all the nurses were just laughing, which of course fed my little streaker's enjoyment and he ran and ran around. Oh my goodness!!!!!!!!!
Hannah is a post for another day...

Hope all of you had a great day!

It has been quite a week...

We went to physical therapy to start things out on Monday. I also had to take Marissa to Karate (usually dad tries to take her). I have been Bill's chauffer all week long, since he has been on serious pain medication, and not allowed to drive. I have enjoyed spending time with him, even if it was just running him around to Dr. appointments, or hanging out at the house with him half drugged.
Tuesday I took him to the urologist, and the Dr. took more x-rays, and the Kidney stone hadn't really moved at all. So, they scheduled Bill for Surgery to remove the stone on Thursday. Bill was drinking tons of fluids; water, cranberry juice, and nettle tea (good for kidney health), and despite that the stone hadn't moved. After we got home that night I had a prenatal appointment with a couple in Harvest/Limestone.
I drove Bill to the Eye Dr. on Tuesday, for an appointment he had.
Bill continued to drink massive amounts of fluids through the week, and late Wed. night a friend J brought over some lemon juice - he called and found out Bill had the kidney stone and after having gone through hat himself, had the 'miracle' cure! Lemon juice (you know from the 'real lemon' juice in the little lemon shaped plastic bottle), and olive oil (2 -3 oz. of Real Lemon, and 2 oz of EVOO). 4 times a day. Bill did one dose, but then had to stop, as he wasn't allowed to eat or drink anything after midnight, in preparation for the surgery the next day... I wonder if we'd have it longer if it would have worked or not, but we just didnt' have time. Thanks J for trying to help us out.
We got up Thursday morning, and while I was in the shower getting ready for the day, I got a phone call from one of my mom's... she had thought she was in preterm labor (33 wks) during the night and had taken a trip to the hospital at midnight. They came home around 4 am, but were supposed to go in to their Dr's office around noon.
On the way to Crestwood hosp. for Bill's surgery, I got a phone call from another client. She had been checked in to Crestwood hosp (luckily it was not HH where the other mom had been in the night), for an induction. I told them I'd be there soon and would come up and see them. Luckily I had thrown my birth bag in the vehicle with us, (in case the other mom needed me). We got there and Bill signed in, I ran up to see mom. She was doing alright, they were about to begin the Pit. I went back down with Bill and then they called him (on the beeper/buzzer, like you get at restraunts) for pre-op. They told me I had to stay out in the front and wait, until they got him ready, then they'd call me back. I found this somewhat odd. When Rebekah had her surgery to remove her tonsils a few years ago, I went with her for all of the pre-op procedures. When they did call me back I asked Bill what was so 'secretive' about the Pre-op stuff. They had, had him change into a gown, they had put in the I.V. and that was pretty much it... I watch as women have lood drawn and get I.V.s all the time. Why this was a big deal and the family member couldn't go with, I have NO idea!
When the couple called and said they were being induced, Bill called a friend of ours (Mr. Scott), and asked if he could help us out that day. He was more than happy to help - he's a great friend. He brought me lunch at the hospital, and waited for Bill to be finished with surgery and was giong to drive Bill home, since I would still be at the hospital for the birth.
As we awaited for them to take him into surgery Bill began to get a little anxious about things. We had a time crunch... and now I was going to be at a birth on top of that. His surgery was supposed to start at 1 pm. The anesthesiologist came in at about 1:45 to talk to him. He asked im what he liked to be called, so he knew what to say to him as he went under and when he woke up out of the general anethesia. He said, "Bill", and that when he woke up to tell him to "wake up, he had a birthday party to go to". They all laughed, but it was the truth, and it actually helped. Bill said as he was coming out of the anesthesia, he heard them say somethign about a birthday and e was suddenly absolutely awake, and aware, and wanted to get going! ;-) They called me after the procedure and said he did well. I went on upstairs at that time, since I couldn't go see him until he did wake up.
While I'd been gone from mom this time, they'd broken her water and resigned her to be stuck in the bed for her labor, on Pitocin.
When Bill did wake up I went back down to see him. He said all that he had to do was to go to the bathroom, and then 15 minutes later... he'd be released. He wanted to leave, so he did what they wanted and they told him to get dressed and he was free to leave after they discharged him.
So... after 2 weeks of pain and hassle adn a not so fun surgical procedure, where the stone was pretty stuck, and ther Dr. had to tug at it to remove it...
We are the not so proud parents (well Bill anyway) of a not so bouncing Kidney Stone!
Meanwhile, Rebekah (and her friend R) drove all the kids to Chuck E. Cheese where Bill and Scott met them for Hannah's Birthday Party.
***Hannah will get her own post about her birth-day, but... it's been a crazy week, and at least wanted to post something.***

Appearantly Chuck E. Cheese was a hit! Hannah's friends all seemed to enjoy themselves, and Hannah had a GREAT time! She said it was the best birthday she'd ever had!!! The lucky part for us was that since we'd already scheduled it there adn for that day, other than the stress fo Bill being out of surgery in time, and me being at a birth instead of at her party (which she was o.k. with), It worked out really well, since They handled everything, and she had even said she wanted their birthday cake this year - not mine... (should that hurt?), but it made it nice. All Bill had to do was sit there. :-)

For information sake - Mom delivered a darling baby boy- 7 lbs 10 oz, 20 in, at 2:04 am on 5 December. So now Hannah has a birthday buddy. (I hope to write out her birth story on my birth stories blog).

births, babies, fun

I have only been home just over a week, have had sick kids, and crazy life, and Marissa had her Birthday party, and we cleaned and I made cake, and I have been at two births, in the past 5 days.
One birth was quite quick to a fourth time mom, I got the call at 6:30 a.m. and I almost made my friend J's birthday lunch... Happy B-Day, sorry I missed the party...
Then I came home finished up birthday party stuff - Thanks so much to my hubby and to my sickly child Amanda, who did a lot of it (decorated and put together the party bags), and generally helped a lot!
Friday night it was CRAZY at my house with a house full of squeeling 7 and 8 year olds!!!!!! They were out of control! I thought I might lose my mind! Bill wasn't feeling in top form, and he was falling asleep on the couch, in the middle of it all. There was some drama... we almost called parents to come take their little 'princesses' home by 9 pm. Rebekah came home from the football game/band trip at 11:45 p.m and by then I was exhausted, Bill was asleep, and Liam was insane... so I took Liam upstairs to get him setteled down and put him to sleep, and Rebekah sat downstairs with the crazy girls till they all finally setteled down and fell asleep, without doing anything mean or crazy to anyone else after 1 am. Thank you Rebekah!!! (I'll post pic's ina separate post).
Sunday, Bill took Hannah home from church she wasn't feeling well, and Rebekah stayed home from church sick.
Monday we spent most of the day with one kid or another trying to help them/ get them to clean up their rooms! Then Bill took the girls to the fair across town, Rebekah was at work, and Liam was stayed home with me. Tuesday I took Rebekah to the Dr. to see if we could get her something, before she spent a week home from school like Amanda did the week before.
Then I went to a postpartum visit with the mom who had her baby last week, and while I was there I got called about another mom in labor, so I went off to that labor/birth, and Rebekah helped with the kids, and made dinner.
Wed. our sweet friend J came over and spent the day with Liam, since I still wasnt' home (no baby yet), then she helped transport kids to their activities, like Karate, and Activity Day, YW's. What a great friend she is, and we are all going to miss her and her sweet little girls dearly when she moves in a few weeks! :-( boo hoo!!!
The little mom that I was working with, was a trooper! She was like the little train that could... whenever we gav her a suggestion or asked for her to do something different, she would say, "I'll try." or "I guess I can try". She only sort of said she didn't think she could do it once in her over 30 hours of hard labor! She was so amazing!!! First baby, 9 lbs, no tear or anything, she was amazing! I'm totally behind about writing down birth stories in my birth stories blog, but I will have to get to this one soon, before the events of the day fade away...
Next week Bill will be in Munich. He was supposed to leave on Sat. however with the storms blowing up from the south... they would have been rerouted from Charlston to Denver (an extra 3 hours of flight time, etc... so they are all flying out Friday (tomorrow) instead, ahead of the storms. Yay! Then he's home for a week and gone again to Orlando for a week.
Never a dull moment!!!

The True Face of Birth: Waterbirths!#links#links

The True Face of Birth: Waterbirths!#links#links

Busy week

Last week I planned to make some freezer jam, with strawberries I ordered in bulk from a friend in a food co-op, (the farm called and said they didn't have enough ripe berries to fill the whole order so it would be another few days/or a week). :-)

We had our garden plot put in by our Scouts as a fundraiser. Brother H came and tilled the plot and the boys came and put cotton seed soil in our garden plot. (thank you so much for helping us, Brother H and Brother M, and the boy scouts!) I bought a bunch of seeds (the kids helped me pick out some of them). We'll see how it all goes. We are novices at this whole gardening thing... We are excited, but... I'm a little afraid of how much work it will be! I may have bitten off more than I can chew... literally. ;-) We have carrot seeds, and zuchine, crook neck squash and cucumber, and beans, and pumpkin and today I bought tomato plants. Little grape tomatoes, and Roma's. Yummy! I have other seeds as well but can't think of what at this moment.

Saturday, I got to help a mom at her wonderful VBAC birth! She already had three girls and now she has an adorable son! What fun!

This week was Stake Conference, I missed Sat night, since I was at a birth... Sunday the youth choir sang, so Rebekah and Amanda sat on the stand and sang, and attended two sessions (since our stake is so large and the building isn't, so we have to split the stake for conferences and do it twice).

This week Bill had signed us up for the transition assistance class, to help us plan and prepare for getting out of/retiring from the Army. He is down to just about a year left. With leave etc... he will be finished next year in mid April or the beginning of May. WOW!!! I can't believe that nearly 20 years have come and gone! The class is all day 8-4:30 daily from Mon-thurs. Although Thursday is Take your Child to work day, and Bill's office has activities planned so Bill is going to take them all to that (not Liam - who by Thursday will be MORE than happy to have me home - this is the most I've ever been away from him! Thank you Mrs. J. for helping us out and keeping Liam for us this week!!!). The class and lectures so far have been somewhat informative, moreso for Bill, but I did learn a few things. I hope the next couple of days are interesting at least.

Tonight after we got home, we spent several hours working on our little garden plot, mixing in the soil, and putting a little fence around it to keep the kids out of it I hope! At least when they are just running wild in the backyard, mostly just to show them for sure where it is at; like they don't know... however Liam thought playing in the DIRT was so much fun!!! I need something to help keep him out of it, when he's out there playing, so he doesn't pull up anything before it even has a chance to grow!

the kids mostly just played and jumped on the trampoline. Amanda helped lots. Bill worked really hard trying to get some posts up from the trees in our backyard, to use to hold the fence up around the garden. They were really hard to get out, with the growth from the tree over the years. Soon I'll start planting...

That's the latest from our little corner of the world.

She's Here!

M had her baby girl today. A beautiful big baby girl 8 lbs 14.5 oz. 20 1/2 in. at 12:17 p.m. She is currently Princess K. as mom hasn't decided on a name yet. She is sooooo cute! Fat little cheeks! She has rolls on her fat rolls, and a double chin, with a cleft! CUTE! CUTE! CUTE! I LOVE my job! Thanks M&J for letting me be there!
M is amazing! she did so great!
http://kilpatricksonline.com/default.aspx Update: She is Darci (what a cute name!)

Luckily for me, my Rebekah was sick and excused from school, so I had a sitter all day and didn't have to worry about Liam at all.