11 weeks in

Here we are, new parents of the most beautiful, precious, funny, yummy, perfect baby ever and it's hard to remember what it was like not knowing Stella. Do we sound like every other new parent? I still cannot believe that she is coming up on the three month mark already. March 5th feels in many ways like just a few days ago. Her birthday is and will always be one of the most incredible days of our lives.
Thursday morning I awoke to a few strong Braxton Hicks contractions, but wasn't startled because I had been having them on and off for a few days. I got up and began to get ready noticing that they continued about every 10 minutes. I had passing thoughts that today could be the day, but didn't want to get hopes up so I didn't dwell on them for too long. Just in case, though I thought it would be a good idea to take a shower and get ready for my day. In the shower is when I began getting stronger contractions than I had before. With these I had to lean against the wall for balance as I waited for them to pass. I quickly got ready and headed downstairs with my notebook, pillow, and herbal eye pillow to have Seth begin recording time and length of contractions. We were both a little giddy, but still didn't want to get our hopes up. We watched sports center together (that was the day that Terrel Owens was released from the Cowboys) and I began to get increasingly irritated with noisy commercials. The sham-wow guy came on and I all but yelled at Seth to turn off the TV as a new and increasingly strong contraction was beginning. A few minutes later we had a visitor. It was Rosie Whitelock coming over from her Bible study to let us know jokingly that today would be a convenient day for us to have Stella because she was going to be out of town for the weekend. Seth told her that I was having some contractions and she came in to check on me. Both of us were still pretty unsure if I was in real labor. We had heard so many stories of couples driving to Gunnison and then turning right back around due to false labor. We didn't want to have to do that. Rosie watched as I concentrated through a 30 second contraction, by now they were 5 minutes apart consistently, and she very calmly suggested that we call the doctor just to confirm that we shouldn't come in yet. Later, Rosie told us that she was trying very hard to stay calm because having had 4 kids of her own she knew what real labor looked like and I was definitely experiencing real labor. She wasn't too thrilled about the idea of delivering Stella on the way to the hospital. Dr. Niccoli conformed Rosie's very wise intuition and we began the scramble of grabbing overnight bags, cell phones, and the car seat. Rosie rode with me and Seth in the car and David followed. Barreling down 149 at an average of 80 mph, Rosie continued to record my contractions and distract both of us with funny stories. I laughed between contractions. As we reached Blue Mesa, the contractions shortened to 2 minutes apart. That is when Seth kicked it into high gear, passing semis and running red lights. I was lying back in the seat with my herbal "eye pillow" on my face when this was happening, which saved me from the white knuckled stress that Rosie was experiencing in the back seat as Seth made record time to the hospital.
We arrived at Gunnison Valley Hospital at 1pm and checked in with the nurses at the ER desk. They asked if they could help us and I just smiled and said "I'm here to have a baby." The OB nurses told me I was way too happy, so I must not be that far into labor yet. To their surprise, I was already dilated to a 5. After getting to the hospital and out of the car, the contractions slowed down a bit and allowed me to walk the halls in my awkward, pink hospital gown. I held tight to Seth as we walked and talked and stopped to breathe through intensifying contractions. My Bradley Method coach and incredibly faithful friend, Jess made it to the hospital after getting our messages at the top of Monarch mountain. She said she skied down that mountain fasted than she ever has in her life. The next few hours are a blur of back labor, Seth faithfully massaging and not massaging as I commanded, Psalm 23 running through my mind, David's random encouragements from the hall, Jess counting down as I breathed through ever building contractions, and Rosie making us laugh between the painful moments of silence. Right before Dr. Niccoli broke my water and it was time to push, my body felt as though it could hardly take any more muscle wrenching contractions. During the last 45 minutes, my entire body shook uncontrollably as I tried to breathe and allow it to do what it needed to do. All I wanted was for Stella to come safely out and into my arms. At 5:23pm, after 4 sets of pushes, the first 2 very unproductive and the last 2 unbelievably painful, a beautiful, purple, slippery little Stella was placed on my chest as she let out her first cry. Seth stood beside me unable to hold back tears as he looked at his little girl for the first time. When they took Stella to the table to clean her up, Seth and I gazed at each other for what seemed like an hour, exchanging a look of thankfulness and unconditional love and respect.
The entire experience really can be summed up in one word, which just happens to be Stella's middle name: Grace. An incredibly enjoyable pregnancy, a quick and smooth labor, a healthy beautiful baby girl, and the beginning of an adventure that has and will only bring that much closer to the Author and Perfecter of our faith.

anticipation...

WOW! It really has been a long time since we've updated this blog! I'm so sorry about that. As I was browsing through old pictures and deleting some to make room for new ones, it occurred to me how much really can happen in just two short years! When we packed the suburban in December of 2006 and started our journey, neither of us could have ever dreamed what God had in store for our new life here in Lake City. We have seen Him provide for us spiritually, emotionally, financially, and physically over and over again. And now, He is allowing us to experience the joy and privilege of bringing a new little life into the world. Right now, we are counting down three and a half more weeks until the arrival of Baby Stella :) In the midst of baby showers, nursery preparations, to-do lists, travel plans for family, date-nights, baby registries, youth events, and planning meetings, the overwhelming thought is that of incredible joy- that we will get to meet this baby soon!!
I have pondered so many spiritual parallels since first becoming pregnant.( I actually never thought pregnancy was all that weird until I had the chance to experience it!!) I am amazed that BILLIONS of women have done this and continue to do this all over the world. But, I know that every time a couple or an individual experiences the miracle of life it is a profoundly life-changing experience (well, for the majority it is.) What a testimony to our CREATOR!! Even though so much of Eve's curse in Genesis 3 has to do with the pain of bringing a child into the world, our God who is SOOO full of grace allows this experience to be one of the most satisfying a human being could ever imagine.
I'm sure that our next several blog entries will be about the ups and downs and revelations God reveals to us through having a child. I don't know what to expect of this next adventure... but I do know that He who breathed life into us to begin with, has more in store than we could ever dream :)

the abide factor

ABIDE. This five letter word has been a running theme in our lives since before Seth and I were married. As most running themes do, it has left it's shimmering trail on our hearts through every major decision we have made. The first revelation of "abiding" came six months after we were married. We were spending the summer in Lake City working for David and Rosie at the Inn at the Lake (little did we know this town would be a much bigger part of our future). Our goal for that summer was to pray together to seek out what the Lord's will was for the next phase of our lives. One evening, we were having our devotional time together and we came across the Oswald Chamber's chapter for the day- June 14th. Here is an excerpt:

"Abide in Me..." John 15:4
"Our Lord's inner abiding was pure and unblemished. He was at home with God wherever His body was. He never chose His own circumstances, but was meek, submitting to His Father's plans and directions for Him. Just think of how amazingly relaxed our Lord's life was! But we tend to keep God at a fever pitch in our lives. We have none of the serenity of the life which is 'hidden with Christ in God' (Colossians 3:3) ..."Make the determination to abide in Jesus wherever you are now or wherever you may be placed in the future."

Wow! After reading that chapter several times out loud, we came to the conclusion that God's ultimate will for us isn't found in a certain place, job, degree, or relationship. His utmost desire and calling on our life is to ABIDE IN HIM. How freeing that concept is! As humans we love to complicate our lives and then we whine about how complicated our lives are. God's original design for mankind was to live naked and carefree in a perfect garden with all the time in the world to spend with Him. Since the fall, we have a bit more on our plate to do just to survive, but His plan for our lives still remains. "The chief end of man is to know God and make Him known." How can we possibly know Him without spending time with Him? We trick ourselves into believing that if only we can do something for God, memorize enough verses, go to enough potlucks, serve on enough committees, share the gospel with enough people... we can be in right standing with Him and therefore figure out the higher purpose of our lives. All of these things are good things, but if they become ultimate and begin to take the place of our relationship with our Father they take His place and can become idols.
In Matthew 11:28-30 our Lord said "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
I praise the Lord for His competence. All the work that needs to be done for my salvation and eternal rest has already been done, through the blood of Jesus Christ. All I must do is accept it and abide.