A Laughing Bear and a Chubby Little Lion

Picture Post: My sweet babies! We had an amazing Halloween with our friends! Isaac loved being a ham with his little friends! Eli just loved being my sweet little man!

Pumpkin Heads

Answer - Isaac, Eli, Eli, Isaac

Guessing game - which of these pictures is Eli and which of these pictures are Isaac. It's amazing to me how much they look alike but also how different they are! My Sweet little pumpkin heads!

Teaser

We've got big plans for the next few days and through the weekend!!! Be on the lookout for some great pictures of my sweet family enjoying some fall fun!

A little hint...a bear and a lion are involved! WOW! Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

I am often left breathless by God's goodness

I am often,
left breathless by God's goodness.

Eli is developing as a baby his age should! He's smiling, holding his head up during tummy time, cooing and talking and just the other day he giggled! All things that in God's goodness has aloud to happen to my Eli! To the sweet child that grew within me and then came into this world in a bit of a traumatic birth. Whose heart rate dropped to 30 during labor and came out not breathing, almost having to be intibated, but who's faint cry was finally heard, when God breathed life into his lungs! My Eli, who now cries with such gusto that you can't deny that he is full of life! God's goodness! My Eli, that brings such light into the world with his tender heart that is already showing to the world around him! My Eli, who I long to see what a little man he is going to become! My Eli, that I dream about his future and pray that he has strength and compassion! My Eli, given to me from God's goodness!

Eli's Birth Story

So I decided it was time to write Eli's Birth Story down before I forget any of it. I'm already having trouble remember some things. Eli was due on August 6 but he had other plans for us! We had actually been praying that he would come early or late because Stephen had some really busy weeks at the bakery with cakes and we weren't sure how it would work. We had been praying that he would come when he did because it was a "slow" week at the bakery. God had everything under control, as always!

At about 3am on Monday, July 27 I was awaken to what I thought were Braxton Hicks. They were stronger then they had been but really inconsistent, 7 mins in between and then 3 minutes. I tried to sleep but had trouble because they were so strong. When Stephen got up for work at about 5:30am, they were still the same intensity and still inconsistent but I had a feeling that our baby might be joining the world. We decided Stephen would go into the bakery since it is only 5 minutes away and if I needed him he would come right home. He really thought that it was false labor and that it was too early for the baby to be coming anyways. At about 7:30ish they were still coming with the same intensity and still inconsistent! I kept calling Stephen because they weren't stopping, no matter what I did and I wasn't sure what to do. I actually was supposed to have an OBGYN appointment that day at 2:30. So we decided that I should call the doctors office when it opened to see if they could get me in earlier. At about 9am I spoke to the nurse at Dr. R's office and she said to take a shower and walk around, it should make things more consistent if it was actual labor. She said they couldn't get me in any earlier but to call back if they got more consistent. By about 9:30ish they were coming more regular, so I called my mom and told her she better get my dad and come to our house. My dad was going be staying with Isaac while we were all at the hospital. My mom, and sister-in-law, Katie were going to be in the delivery room with Stephen and I, so Katie came to our house also to wait and see what was happening. At about 10ish I called the doctors office again and told them that my contractions were more regular and they said I should come on into the hospital. By this time I could no longer speak during my contractions so my mom said that we should probably time them to see how close the contractions were coming because they seemed to be coming pretty often. She was right, they were only 2 minutes apart. I called Stephen and told him he needed to come now. By 10:30 we were off to the hospital. I remember telling Stephen as we were driving into the parking lot of the hospital that he better hurry because the baby was coming now, in fact I thought he was already between my legs! When we got to our room it felt like it was taking forever for a nurse to come in. I told Stephen I needed to use the bathroom and then I started to get sick. My mom went to find a nurse and told them, "I'm not a doctor but I'm pretty sure my daughter is in transition, someone better come check her." A nurse came right in and checked me and I was already 8-9 cm. By this time I was pretty unaware of things that were happening, the nurse was asking me questions to get checked in so Stephen was answering them for her. Stephen said that he kept watching and the baby's heart rate kept dropping. I kept telling the nurse I needed to push and she said that I had to wait, that Dr. R was on his way! At this point obviously I was 10 cm. and was ready to have this baby. The nurse told me I needed to roll to my left side to raise the babies heart rate, that didn't help so I had to roll to my right. When she said that didn't work I had to get up on all fours on the bed. By the time I got on all fours, which took so much work, I had had it with waiting and started pushing to relieve some pressure. About this time Dr. R walked in and I remember hearing him talking to the nurses about the babies heart rate being low. He told me that I needed to roll over and push! So I turned over, again which took a lot of work in the middle of contractions! As soon as I got turned over he told me I needed to push. I was pretty out of it at this point and just so focused on having the baby I don't know much of what happened at this point. I just remember not hearing Eli cry when he was born. I kept looking at Stephen's face and Katie's and asking them why he wasn't crying if he was OK. They just kept saying yes, but I saw worry in their eyes. It felt like an eternity until I heard his first little cry! It was so different then when Isaac was born, I didn't get to see him as soon as he was born, they whisked him right over to his bassinet to work on him.

After I finally got to hold him, Stephen told me that Eli's heart rate had dropped into the 30's so Dr. R had to use a suction to get him out faster then was happening with just the pushing. So Eli entered the world at 11:59, only 51 minutes after we checked into the hospital. His birth was fast and scary! I'm so thankful that he was born a healthy beautiful baby boy!

Song for my Boys

Music has always been a big part of my life. I often hear God speak to me through music! His still small voice speaking to my heart in just the ways that I need!

I love Sara Groves. Her songs speak to me often! Recently I was listening to one of her CD's and there was a song on it that she wrote for her sons! This is also a song that I want to give to my boys! I pray that I can teach my boys these things!

"Song for my Sons"

This is a song for my sons for when they understand it
You know how life is full you know we couldn't plan it
your dad and I prayed for strength and understanding
for things we couldn't see or comprehend

This is a song for you, to carry in your pocket
take all our love with you in all the paths you walk in
I can't say your life will always go like it should
but I can say that God is always good

and when the cold wind blows like I know it will
and when you feel alone like I know you will
and when the cold wind blows like we know it will

Don't let your love grow
Don't let your love grow
Don't let your love grow cold

This is a song for my sons for when they understand it
You know how life is full you know we couldn't plan it
your dad and I prayed for strength and understanding
for things we couldn't see or comprehend

This is a song from my heart a small refrain to hold you
for times when we're apart and I cannot console you
Be honest with yourself and don't forget to pray
and read your bible everyday

and when the cold wind blows like I know it will
and when you feel alone like I know you will
and when the cold wind blows like I know it will

Don't let your love grow
Don't let your love grow
Don't let your love grow cold

My blessing, My mom

My mom, is an amazing women! One of the strongest women I have ever met in fact! She has been such a strength and compass in my life. I am proud to call her not only my mom but my friend! She has taught me so much about life, compassion, goodness, faith and most of all love. She's the type of women that you long to spend time with! Her goodness just exudes her body and she makes the room shine just by being in it! If you ever have the fortune to meet her or even just be near her your life will be better for it. She has such a love and faith for Jesus that she continues to teach me about. In my life I have never questioned my parent's love, not even once. I know that this is such a blessing and one I am eternally grateful for, one that I pray I will give to my boys! I pray that I can be half as good of a mom, women and wife that my mother is!

When I moved away soon after high school, which ended up being just a couple months, my mom gave me a CD by Erin O'Donnell. She told me to listen to the song "Hold Onto Jesus" because it was her song to me! From her heart to mine. I will never forget this song or how it still makes me feel when I listen to it!


"Hold Onto Jesus"

You're a little piece of heaven
You're a golden ray of light
and I wish I could protect you
from the worries of this life

but if there's one thing i could tell you
it's no matter what you do
hold to Jesus,
He's holding onto you

The world will try to tell you
that might is more than right
and beauty's on the outside
and being goods a losing fight
but remember what I've told you
'cause the world will make you choose
hold to Jesus, He's holding on to you

Hold on to Jesus, and cling to his love
rest deep in his mercy, whenever things get rough
and don't lose sight of his goodness
and don't ever doubt this truth,
that when you hold on to
Jesus He's holdin onto you.

Hear me dear Jesus, rock this little one to sleep
keep her close when she's scared, and
give her grace when she is weak.
I know she'll stumble, but i know she'll make it through
if you hold on to her just like you said you'd do
hold her Jesus so she'll hold on tight to you


Mom, I know I don't tell you often enough! I love you and I am so thankful that I call you mom and friend! I am who I am because of you! Please don't ever doubt that you were/are a wonderful mother! I have been so blessed by being your daughter, I could not ask for more!