Rose Gave us Quite the Scare

Last Wednesdsay (5/19) I went for a gorgeous 3.5 mile walk along the lake with some of my friends in the city. It was pretty warm, I was pushing a stroller, and I forgot my water bottle (yikes!) It wasn't a great combination to say the least. I started feeling tightness and pain on the way back from our walk and even kept taking breaks, but I remained uncomfortable. I came home, laid madison down for her nap and then laid down myself and drank a ton of water. I couldn't help but time was I was sure now ere contractions. They were about 6-10 minutes apart. But eventually stopped after an evening of rest and water.

So when the following Saturday (5/22) I was out hitting up yard sales with Madison, I didn't think too much about the tightness and pains I was feeling again. It was pretty hot out and I was pushing Maddy around the neighborhood checking out the deals (which I found some great ones that I will hopefully post on later). The pain and discomfort continued until I got Madison home and laid her down for a nap. I again laid down again and tried to rest and drink a bit of water (but I was feeling kind of nauseous too, so I couldn't down too much at once.) Maddy and I got an hour of downtime before it was time to church. The discomfort continued, but wasn 't horrible. Afterwards, I was in charge of setting up, running, and cleaning up after a pizza dinner at church. I wasn't feeling great, but kept busy. By the end when Tim and I were cleaning up, I was really feeling pretty bad. I even asked tim to carry everything out to the car for me so I could just walk out behind him empty handed. But again, I thought I would just go home and lay down and drink some water and the contractions would stop.

Tim had already planned to go to his previous boss's birthday party (which was 45 min way) and I told him just to go - that I would be totally fine and would call him if I needed him. Maddy and I got home at 8pm. I laid Maddy down and immediately had some water and laid down as well. Over the next our the contractions got to be anywhere between 4-10 minutes apart and they were feeling more painful. I was on my hands and knees on couch before I finally called tim around 9 and said, "babe, you had better come home" He rushed home as I called the doctor to see what I should do. Since I am only 26 weeks along, my doctor said to head into the hospital to see if they could get the contractions to stop. Fortunately our dear friend Stacey who has babysat Maddy since she was three months old, came over right away to stay with Madison while we headed out to the hospital.

I honestly thought that we would go in, get a shot to slow things down and head back home. But things kept coming up and before we knew it were there over 24 hours. The contractions continued even though they had hooked up me up to an iv for fluids. My last ultrasound indicated that I my placenta might be over my cervix, so they wanted to do an ultrasound before they could check if I was dilated. Things seemed to be progressing, so while we waited to get the ultrasound, they gave me a shot to slow down the contractions and a steroid shot to help Rose's lung development just in case she did come early. They also did a swab test to determine if I might be likely to have her preterm (crazy they can do that!), and a urine test to rule out any infections. At that point a midwife came in

and gave us the worst case scenario - if we couldn't get the contractions to stop, we would have to be flown over to Loyola because they have a high level center to take care of Rose. I did not need to hear that. I started to cry immediately. Fortunately the nurse came over right away to encourage me that there were many steps that they would take before that would ever be a possibility.

After that, we went to get the ultrasound. It was about an hour long and it was already past midnight. Tim and I could barely stay awake. But we were very thankful for it in the end, because the technician let us know that the placenta was just where it was supposed to be, that for SURE we were having a girl (the other tech had been unsure) and she even is mailing us a profile picture of our little Rosebud ;)

By the time we got back to our room, they let us know that the swab test came back negative as well as the urine test. THey check me and I was not dilated yet. So basically they wanted to still monitor me over night. and then stay til the next day so that I could get the "steroid booster shot" -they needed to be spread out over almost 24 hours. The contractions completely stopped by morning. The next day we got to relax and nap as we were taken well care of. I was glad that Stacey was able to stay with Maddy so that he could keep me company.

*The Doctor basically said that I was having preterm contractions, not preterm labor. They were consistent contractions, but did not seem to be leading to labor. He thinks I have a sensitive uterus and need to just be extra careful to drink plenty of fluids and take the time to rest as soon as I am feeling tightness and pain. I am so thankful that Rosebud did not come early and that she has some more time to keep baking. Thank you all for your prayers!

We ended up watching the LOST recap and finale from our hospital room. Quite the memory!

Savoring the Moment

I sit here in the quiet of our home while my sweet 16 1/2 month old daughter naps peacefully in the next room. Worship music is playing softly in the background; I have a freshly steamed vanilla latte sitting on my coffee table and I just closed my Bible after reading and contemplating Job 6 and 7. I have resolved to savor this moment- the day after a busy four months of Clinical practice and finishing classes for the semester. It was heartbreaking for me to leave Madison each morning to teach other parents' children when my heart was longing to stay with my child and invest my life in hers. But I knew it was necessary for a time. I am glad I did it, but oh so glad it is over now.

So here I sit soaking up the peace of the moment. My heart rejoices with the opportunity to pour my energy, love, and gifts into Madison, my home, and my husband. I fully understand that this gift is not possible for every mom and family and may not always be possible for me. So I choose to treasure these days of watching our little girl discover the world for the first time, of teaching her the difference between right and wrong, of playing silly games on the floor with her. I choose to cherish the opportunity to plan healthy meals for our family and to make our home a haven as a gift to my husband. Oh no- I am not naive, I know that in a few months (especially when baby Rose arrives) these tasks may become routine,ordinary, and perhaps even overwhelming again. I suppose it is the knowledge of that fact that compels me to write this now. I don't want to forget this moment.

Dear Lord,

Grant me a heart full of love, joy, and thankfulness for this time in my life. Help me to treasure the little blessings that you bestow each and every day. Equip me with patience and wisdom to be godly mother who prays for her children daily and trains them in the way of the Lord, reflecting your love. May I honestly be able to say to my children, "Follow me as I follow Christ".

Amen

Belly Pics

Katie Barker, Madison and I all went on a walk in the forest preserve near my house the other night. We had such a nice time together. She was gracious enough to take some belly pics for me. I think she did a really nice job. Thanks Kate!

I can hardly believe that I am 24 weeks pregnant with Rose. There are less than

4 months left now. We are getting excited to meet her.

But at the same time I am really looking forward to spending some extra time with Maddy before #2 arrives ;)

How can eternity influence a mother’s daily tasks?

I first read this on my friend Kelly's blog. I couldn't help but pass it on. What a wonderful reminder as Mother's Day approaches.

[Excerpt from a sermon by John Piper.]

I believe it is a very high calling to be a mom charged with teaching everything she possibly can to one, two, or eight kids.

The women who flourish most and who delight most in that calling—and who are best at it—are not women whose lives are enclosed by their houses. They are women who are aware of the world. They’re aware of God’s global purpose. They’re aware of the ultimate purposes of God in history. They’re aware of things in history and in the far off reaches of the world today that God is doing. And those are part of what they want to build into these children. They want to raise global Christians, world Christians.

A mother will delight most in the little baby in front of her when she has a vision of God and a vision of the world that’s big enough to admit that this little child has a destiny in front of him or her and might become this or that.

If she is totally absorbed in her little home—with no vision for the world—then I think her domestic scene is probably going to shrivel up on her, and she is going to feel that it is small and constraining. But if she sees it in the wider context of what she is a part of in the missionary enterprise, I think every detail of her life can take on a global significance, indeed, an historical significance.

I really believe that. When I used to sit down for devotions with our four boys at home my mind wasn’t simply, “OK I have a duty as a dad: I’m supposed to do devotions at night.” My mind was, “What will they become?”

Ralph Winter used to say that nothing has an impact on kids except what they do daily. So we did prayer & devotions daily.

The goal isn’t just to fulfill some little task that parents are supposed to do. Rather, you’re building men & women who hopefully someday will have absorbed so much of God and so much of the Bible that it’s going to shape their whole world.

Amidst the dishes, the diapers, the laundry, and the carpools, might we never forget that we are shaping the world-view of our children. They need to daily see a big vision of God and a big vision of His global purposes.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms out there! May your day be blessed and each day with your child be honoring to the Lord.

Few pics and update

I finished all of my assignments thus far and only have two more major projects due Monday May 10th! My last day of clinical practice will be Friday! I have learned so much from being in the classroom again and really did enjoy my time with the kids. I will miss them, but I have to admit, I just can't wait to be home with this little gal again!