Friday, May 20, 2011

God is Good!!!

Those who have been following my blog know that we started doing bible time every evening back in January. We have been using a guide called Character Building for Families. During multiple lessons there have been scripture references about being joyful and content during times of trouble. On Tuesday, May 10th, when Sierra was just 10 days  old, Scott was laid off from his job. I know that God had been preparing us for this in many ways and is with us now guiding us. I'll admit that I did get a little emotional at first. I just experienced a life changing, awe inspiring moment in this house, the birth of Sierra. I knew we weren't going to be able to stay here. I love my house, it's perfect for my family, but apparently God has other plans for us. It's just a house, home is where we make it. I have not been the least bit concerned about our future though. I have faith that God will see us through. I recently posted a verse on FB:

Philippians 4:11 (NIV)
"...for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances."

Having these lessons have made what would be a stressful time an opportunity to see God work in our lives. We were having a conversation with the kids about the situation and Summer, who just turned nine, said "God has a plan, He knows what He is doing!" How comforting is that!?

Starting in January as well, I thought my nesting had gone into overdrive! I attributed to having a home birth this time. I made a home maintenance list for Scott and became very obsessed with getting the house clean and organized. I told Scott at one point, I couldn't help it, I had this drive inside me, that said, we NEEDED to get all this stuff done before Sierra was born. Little did I know, that it was God talking to me!!!

God comes to us in all sorts of ways. Every Friday night we have Family Movie Friday. We had already received our movie for that Friday when Scott got laid off. I knew what movie it was, but not what it was about. It was Ramona and Beezus. It was about their dad getting laid off. Our circumstances are a bit different and so will our ending be, but it was still good for the kids. They know that we don't believe in coincidences or luck... Just Gods hand and blessings. 

Wednesday, the day after the lay off, Scott called a friend from his old job. It was late in the evening, that friend just happened to be out with two of his old bosses!!!! A week later and he has a tentative start back date of 6/1, given all the details are ironed out. That evening our concluding statement, that was in our book at bible time was, "Thank God for supplying our needs through Dad or Moms job, and also for other ways He has supplied." My eyes filled with tears and my heart filled with joy!! 

I'm not quite sure yet what He has planned for our next home. We are planning to stay with my parents until our house sells or another opportunity becomes more clear. I decided to look online even though I didn't think we could buy anything yet. I found a house in my best friends neighborhood that is listed below market value. That, combined with some other blessings, may allow us to buy our next home before this one sells. I'm assuming the seller is going for a short sale so it's no guarantee and will take time but we will see. It's in His hands... If it's meant to be, it will be, if not, it won't. We are just along for the ride. 

Some may wonder if I regret ever moving here. After all, we didn't even end up being here two years. Things didn't turn out the way we thought they would with Scotts family. The kids weren't crazy about the school or their lunches... Lol. They were starting to find other ways to occupy their time, but they missed being in a neighborhood and having a place to ride bikes. I, on the other hand, loved the break from small town suburbia! Did I mention I love my house here?! And the view is amazing. We tried to sell our old house before to move within Kentucky with no luck. Then when we put it on the market to move here, it sold in six weeks. I think it was part of His plan for us to come here. Who knows, if we hadn't, maybe I wouldn't have even gotten pregnant with Sierra and had my homebirth. For me, it was like an extended, mountainous, vacation. I'm ready to come home now. 

Monday, May 2, 2011

Prodromal/Precipitous Unplanned Unassisted Home Waterbirth

It started on Friday, April 29th. My mom and I took two laps around the block. When we got back I started having a lot of Braxton Hicks. We always watch a movie with our kids on Friday nights so we started watching Inception. I started thinking maybe this was the beginning of labor although the contractions weren't very strong at all yet. I went upstairs and ran my straightened through my hair and put on a little make up... Just in case. I sent my Midwife a text to give her a heads up. While I was up on my feet is stopped though. So I retired to the couch and movie. They started up again. After the movie I cleaned up the house a bit and it stopped again. I went to bed and slept better than I had in weeks!

My wonderful hubby and daughter brought me breakfast in bed at about 9:30. We went for another walk at about noon but only once around. Then at 2 twice around.... Then we went to Walmart and Tractor Supply. I was having Braxton Hicks.... Or I guess pre labor contraction all day but nothing significant. My wonderful friend Ferne brought me some baby girl clothes just in case, at about 6. We sat around chatting until 7:30. After she left we took 2 more laps!  I bounced a little on my exercise ball I had picked up earlier. Played on my phone and went up to go to bed around 10.

I sent my Midwife a text at 10:55 to tell her I was contracting again but that it would probably go away again. I mostly was giving her an update on another little issue I had been having. We shot a few back and forth. I told her I was going to time the contractions for a bit even though they weren't very strong still. This was 11:19. They started coming every couple of minutes so I sent her another text. She told me to get up and walk around or get in the bath to see if they stopped. I stood up at 11:25... Had a pretty strong one and felt a pop. At first there was no fluid but another came a minute later with just a small gush. Told my Midwife and she headed out the door. I woke Scott... He asked if he could lay there until she got there. I said, "No you have to get everything ready!" I started the bath while he attempted to make the bed up. I told him to get the cameras. First he got the video camera but forgot that I had told him.... And written in the birth plan... That it needs to be plugged in to work bc the battery is shot! So he went to get the charger. I had another contraction, they were right on top of each other, I felt the urge to push this time. I yelled to Scott to get back in there or he was going to miss it. He got in there in time for the next one and the head emerged. I told him to grab the other camera. I reassured him that everything was fine, one more push and we'd have a baby. Then the rest of her was born!!! The time stamp on the picture was 11:44!!! I got my April baby!



We tried to stay calm while Scott fumbled with cell phones. She made a few short cries but I really couldn't tell if she was breathing in between or not and seemed gunky. Scott got my Midwife on the phone. She said to lift her bottom higher than her head a little and sure enough the gunk came rolling out! I looked then to see she was a girl. Of course this was a very short amount of time and the cord was still attached, pulsing, and giving her oxygen. I had Scott go wake my mom to tell her.

She started rooting so I started to try to nurse, then Joshua came up so I covered up. She started rooting again while he went to get Summer and Jacob. I offered again and she latched right on! This was at 11:55. My midwife arrived at 12:15. She stayed latch until 12:30! 15 minutes later the placenta was delivered and I cut the cord.

We moved to my bed, everyone got to hold her and her newborn assessment was done. AMAZING!!!!!

Birthday Cupcake via Breastmilk