Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Selah's Birth Story

Wow, so it has been a long time since I have posted on my blog.
The last time I posted we had JUST moved to Arkansas.
Well, now we are back in AZ and we just had a baby! SURPRISE!
Life seems to fly by when you aren't documenting it.... or... it just flies by nontheless.

I don't know about you but I LOVE to read birth stories. Each one is different and very unique. Before Selah was born I would spend hours reading births stories, ya know, to kinda prepare me. I cry like a baby when I get to the part about the baby coming into the world and meeting mom for the first time. Gets me every time.

So, with that being said, I hope you all enjoy reading them as much as me. WARNING, I don't spare the details =) Here is Selah's birth story:

Selah Noel was born September 17th, 2015 at 7:44 am. She weighed 7 lb, 7.9 oz and was 19.5 in long.

It all started on September 15th. I went in to my 39 week appoinement with my midwife. As she was asking me questions she asked, "So, have you felt any contractions recently?" I said, "I don't know...what do they feel like?... wait! Feel my belly right now!" So she felt it and sure enough it was a braxton hicks contraction. It didn't hurt at all and just felt like tightening. Honestly I thought Selah was just stretching. Oh, I also lost my mucous plug that morning (YUCK).

Wednesday morning (the 16th), I was still having contractions but I decided I needed to go to the grocery store. If I was going into labor sometime soon we needed the refrigerator stocked!! All the while at the grocery store I kept feeling those tightening sensations. Nothing major. When I got home I had a strong feeling that I had better take a nap just in case I went into labor that night (mommy intuition).

When Dakota got home later that day we headed out on our last date (Isn't this always how it happens?). On the way there, I started having some back pain. All the sudden I didn't feel like going on a date and I really just wanted to get-it-to-go and head back home! So we did (it was Pita Jungle by the way, yummmm). As we were eating I was still having contractions, but they got to the point where I could actually time them and see some type of pattern. They were 10 minutes apart lasting 30 seconds to 1 minute. They still werent painful and sometimes I could barely feel them.

I still wasn't sure if this was the real deal or not... after all...I had read TONS of birth stories and I didn't want to go into the hospital with false labor. So I made Dakota's lunch for the next day and we went to bed. Well, he went to bed. I was awake for the rest of the night timing contractions. I laid in bed for the majority of them just breathing through it and timing them. I really didn't want to wake Dakota up because if this was going to be a long labor I wanted him well rested.

At around 2:00 am my contractions were 5 minutes apart lasting 1 minute. Well, this was progressing wasn't it!? So I took a very long hot shower and on my way out of the shower I tripped on my hospital bag and woke Dakota up. "I'm in labor" I said. "WHAT?!" He jumped out of bed real quick. As he was getting things ready I continued to labor on the bed. I had heard that it feels worse to labor in bed and that I should get up and walk around to help with the contractions. But honestly, for me, I felt more comfortable and relaxed when I was laying in bed. When I got on the labor ball, or when Dakota tried pushing on my back, I HATED it. Seriously weird. But you have to do what works best for you! 

We left for the hospital around 3:30 am. I don't really remember the car ride. It was a big blur. When we walked up to the ER I told them I was in labor and they said "It doesn't look like you are in labor". Que the next contraction!

Sitting in the wheelchair on the way up was seriously the worst. It pushed Selah's head against my back and made the pain much more intense. And of course the whole way up the nurse is just chatting away asking me all sorts of stupid questions that I would rather not answer.

Once we got up to triage they checked me and I was 5 cm! YAY! It was at this time that I started getting really shaky and I threw up a few times (it actually felt good to throw up... took my mind off of the contractions). This continued on until she was born. The nurses said that was a good thing I was having these signs because it meant labor was really progressing.

Well, they took me to a room and Dakota and I got straight into the hot tub. ohmygoodness. That felt amazing. This is where I spent the next 3ish hours. We had instrumental worship playing on my iphone and every time a contraction would start I would focus on deep breathing and Dakota would basically do what I told him to do. Sometimes I wanted him to push on my back, sometimes I didn't want him to touch me at all.

And then all the sudden.. I had this intense. urgent. desperate need to push! Its real what they tell you.. it seriously feels like you have to take the biggest poo of your life. I stood up in the tub and said "Dakota... get the nurse NOW! I HAVE to push!!!" Dakota jumped right out and got water all over the floor while trying to find the call button. It was pretty funny. I got out of the tub and went to the bed; all the while trying my hardest not to start pushing. The nurse checked me and I was a 10! YAY! I had dilated 5 cm in about 3 hours.

On my second push my water broke... or should I say my water exploded. That sure is what it felt like. A water balloon exploding. It kinda scared me. Anyway... I pushed for 30 minutes. It felt... uh... it felt like I was trying to push a basketball out. Pretty much.

Dakota was holding my hand through it all and I remember getting internally mad at him when he left me to go catch Selah. But all was forgiven and forgotten the moment that she came out. All the pain stopped as soon as she was placed on me. I remember looking at her and thinking "Oh my gosh... I did it... she is here... she is so CUTE!" Nothing compares to that moment. I thought I would cry... but I was so elated and excited that she was out that I think I forgot to cry. I was on a high!! Dakota didn't cry either which really surprised me. We were both all smiles (until later when we got alone time with her... that is when the tears came).

So, that is her/our story. No IV, no pain medication. It was immensely better than I thought it would be. Shoot, I didn't even miss a meal! I ate dinner, went through labor, and ate breakfast minutes after she was born. I am very thankful to God for a non-eventful labor and delivery, and I am extremely grateful to have such a beautiful healthy little girl. Thank you Lord.

More updates to follow about her growth =)









Tuesday, August 19, 2014

He will make your paths straight.











It is still strange to look at my drivers license and see Arkansas printed across the top of it.
I can't say that I always dreamed of living here. 
I can't say that even a year ago I believed I would be here. 
But isn't that just like God? To work in mysterious ways? To take us somewhere we never dreamed?

God took Abraham to a strange place he didn't know; same with the Israelites after they left Egypt; and same with Joseph and Mary after Jesus was born. 
Sometimes, God calls us certain places without explaining it first. 
Sometimes, he calls us to walk ON the sea before we know we can stand, or THROUGH the sea before it is divided. 

I can't help but feel absolutely peaceful about living here. 
For reasons that aren't absolutely clear, I know this is where we are supposed to be. 
Of course I miss my friends dearly… and I miss my little nephew who is growing fast… but God's plans are far beyond what I could imagine and I would not dare stand in the way. 

So, while we are living in The Fort (thats what they call Fort Smith!), we will live for Jesus. And when HE calls us somewhere else, we will live for Him there too. 

"Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all of your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Can you say Road Trip?

















I love road trips. Seriously.
I mean, planes are fun and all, but there is nothing like doing it old school by driving and camping across country.
The first tent is in Arizona.
The second tent is in Colorado (we took a detour through Utah to get there).
The third tent is in Oklahoma.
And the forth tent (which I don't have a picture of), was in Arkansas where our trip ended.

What a trip! Add in some hiking, reading, and Starbucks and we were all set.

However, there are sometimes the unglamorous sides to road trips.

Like what?
-Getting lost…. when you are hungry and it is late and you know you still have to set up your tent before you can go to bed.
-Fighting… about stupid things that I don't even remember now.
-Phone dying… when you need it most!
-Not taking a shower for 5 days.
-Getting the farts and diarrhea because you ate some bad instant rice.

The unglamorous sides of the road trip taught me many lessons though…
-Being positive is a CHOICE, not a feeling
-Love is a CHOICE, not a feeling
-Don't waste time being angry at the one you love the most, it is not worth it.
-Invest in a car phone charger and get a GPS
-Don't let Satan steal your joy.
-Don't eat instant flavored rice you got from a discount grocery store.

Overall, my soul needs to take delight in the Lord FIRST, and then all other things will be that much more delightful. Spending time with Jesus only increases our joy and love… if I am dry in that area, then my whole life will be dry too.

In other words, on a daily basis, don't choose to live in the desert when you could be living with the Lord.

I passed the NCLEX










I love celebrating.
I mean, if I could, I would celebrate everything.
First day of new job? Lets shop. First tooth? Lets eat. You're engaged? Lets party.
So, when I passed the NCLEX, Dakota and I celebrated by going backpacking on Mt Baldy.

Oh, by the way, this is AFTER we were married. Ha, forgot about that.

It was so much fun. Our first backpacking trip with our own stuff and everything.
This was also a post-celebration of me graduating. Cause, with the wedding hype and all we never got to really do that.

What a fun time it was. I know this was just a taste of great adventures to come.

Red Rocks












I am for seriously behind.
This was a day trip that Dakota and I took the day after I got home from Lake Havasu!
Talk about fun. I have wanted to go and explore red rocks for some time and you know what he did…. he took me there! I was extremely happy, I mean, can't you tell by how much I am smiling?

For me, there is absolutely nothing like getting into creation and really enjoying and basking in what the Lord has made. That is what we did.
It was wonderful, spectacular, and memorable.

Thanks baby!! This was a trip I won't forget =)

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

We had more fun.













I went to Lake Havasu for spring break.
And everyone who has been there for spring break says, "WHY? Don't you know why people go there??"
Yes... but then again, I know I went.
I went to watch the sunset, and the sunrise. I went to ride around in a boat, go tubing, and eat good food. I went to spend time with my sister, my brother in-law my nephews, and my best friend.
And you know what?
I remember ALL of it.
I regret NONE of it.
I had an amazing time.

Time spent on the fading things of this world will always leave a dull feeling.
Time spend on things that matter will only leave excitement and rejuvenation.

Goodness, I am so sincerely happy that I have never gone to Lake Havasu for temporary "fun".
Life has so much more to offer.