Introducing Our Miracle

Scott and I anxiously hop into our car early Sunday night along with our faithful pomeranian Lina... on our way to a totally new place in both of our lives. What am I thinking at this point? I think I was trying to numb my brain of any thought, trying to to go into auto pilot mode. Poor George is left behind with a large bowl of food and the house to himself. Little does he know that when we all return, it is not just Lina who he will be competing with. We drop Lina off with my parents, and Mom asks me if I'm worried... No I say, even though inside I have no idea what to expect and no idea what I am about to come upon. We walk into the hospital along with our bags and things to keep us busy, little did I know that I would not need anything to keep me busy during this process. We approach Labor and Delivery room 315... So this is where our lives change forever? I lay in the hospital bed and the process begins. Things seem to move along quickly from night to morning, and I am given false hope of not even having to get pitocin. Than the orders are given, and I decide I would like an epidural before any real pain starts. Why do women not get epidurals... it's like having the option of being hit by a bicycle or a bus? Anywho, the epidural makes me a happy girl and I think I have everything figured out until I remember that I hate the feeling of being numb anywhere! So, all the sudden my legs feel like an elephant's and I am sentenced to a bed for the remainer of delivery. This is okay, I think I can handle this right? Well, I move along okay until I come to a hault of Sam's heart rate raising due something with the epidural, and the nurse and doctor start to run in and out, and I'm not really told anything. My eyes begin to water and Scott puts on his strong face. Thankfully my nurse is a christian and she grabs my hand and tells me everything will be okay and smiles. Sam's heart rate returned to normal about an hour later. Scott goes to get something to eat and returns with two simple daisies, a rose, and a card saying he lo ves me, and I automatically get a boost! How thankful I am to have such a supportive wonderful husband. Something I learned was that labor and delivery nurses answers are always, "soon". Never listen to the nurses when they say soon because in all reality they don't know and they are just trying to keep you positive. Around the 24th hour of labor by epidural begins to slowly subside on my left side... Thankfully the (lets call her the epidural lady) epidural lady was able to give me some boosts. Around midnight Sam was dropping, and my back was very sore from laying in the same spot all day. There was no such thing as a comfortable spot. I turned from happy goofy patient to patient who all the nurses are talking about at the nurses station. My nurse continues to come in and tell me soon, soon, soon.... Finally I scream in tears that she keeps telling me soon but it's not soon and that she is a liar. I don't really thing this poor nurse knew what to think of my bluntness, so she smiles and walks out. After my outburst it is finally time to push. At this point I really do not care if it is going to hurt or not, and we begin to push. I am told that you can push anywhere from 5 minutes (kelli) to 3 hours (BLACH). I decide for myself that the three hour is not an option. We start to push and before you know it, fourty five minutes later Samantha Rose is finally here! All the sudden I have forgotten about all the fun I have just had and my world has been flipped. I think Scott and I were in so much shock that we did not have much to say to each other besides, "wow..." The nurse tells us that Samantha is easily an eight pound baby... Well, that's not so bad I think... But then the scale told us the truth... Samantha Rose Campbell came weighing in at 9 pounds .16 ounces! 21.5 inches long! Keep in my the I am 5'2" about 130 pounds (pre pregnancy). Can you imagine the shock on Scott and I's face? It was all worth it though. Little baby Sam is such a joy to be around and everyone has been helping us out a lot.

Little Sam napping on Daddy's Shoulder

Sam in her "going home" clothes, we were very ready to go home!
You just can't help but to love her sweet scented skin and her cute smile
Scott and Sam Last Night/This Morning snoozing away

Patience

"A patient man has great understanding."
Proverbs 14:29

Unfortunately, patience is not something that runs through my veins. I guess Scott got that part in our marriage. I've never been patient. My family will tell you I don't wait till my Birthday for gifts, I don't wait for tables when dining out well, and I do not like to wait for Scott to come home in rush hour traffic. So, these past couple of weeks have been a challenge. Don't get me wrong, I am glad that I am not working and enjoying the time off. But, it took me awhile to find things to fill me day. Yes, most the day consists of napping with Lina on my cozy bed, but I've learned to not be such a busy body, and let things wait. For instance, if there is a pile of dishes, I will not wake up at 6 in the morning to do them. I am slowly becoming okay with letting them sit till' mid day. The best thing for me right now is to be resting because once Sam comes, I will not be resting all that much. I guess I've become more okay with waiting for labor to begin. Maybe it's the fact that having a screaming baby in my arms scares me a little bit. Don't get me wrong, I am beyond excited to have her here, but I can wait for that moment. I'm not sure right now if being pregnant for two more weeks is more of an irritating thought than going through a long labor. Tomorrow is my 38 week appt. and it's when they decided if they are going to to induce me on Monday or not. I don't really know what I am hoping for. Part of my wants them to say YEAH Let's do it! and part of me wants them to tell me that I should wait for natural labor. I guess my fate will be decided tomorrow. Wish me luck.

No Work

So, today is my first official day of not working. I guess it's good to be able to have some spare time to myself before my whole world is flipped upside down. Little Sam Rose will hopefully be here by the 24th but we'll have to see how everything goes. I slept in this morning, ate some honey nut cherios than sat down for some TV. I guess I'll have to find some new things to take up the time in my day. We'll see... I put in a half hour of Wii Fit Plus and now my knees ache so I guess that's a sign to take a break. I think I might take Lina out for a walk, she hasn't been on one in awhile. Maybe there's a spot for a nap as well. I don't think the animals know what to think about me being home and them not being locked up. Well, hopefully Scott doesn't have to work too hard this week and he can get home at a reasonable hour. My next OB appointment is on Friday, so until than I won't know much about what's going on with little Sam. Hopefully I'm dialated to something! Cross your fingers.

A Creature of Habit

"I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go... I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you," says the Lord.
-Genesis 28:15

Why is it that we all become creatures of habit in some way? I mean for me it feels good to have my habits. Is it a safe zone for us or is it more like a sense of escape to your own world... or maybe both? I know that when I'm our room by myself I feel that it's my escape to find myself. While I'm work it's busy all the time and I have a walkie talkie in my ear all day, then when I come home I look forward to being able to catch up with Scott on how his day went, but then I like to have my alone time. I remember when I was younger, I looked forward to bed where I would have "Jenny Time" and I would gather all my thoughts and sort through how I felt about things, and I always felt so relieved the next morning. Somehow though I lost the ability to have "Jenny Time", and it was not until recently that I figured out how to do it again. Usually Scott is not tired enough to come to bed with me so I come in our room while he watches TV, and get the privlege of sorting through my thoughts for the day or even just getting to know myself a little better. I think that everyone needs to take time not only to know Jesus but to know yourself better. When I get to just sit and think, I seem to rationalize a lot better and figure out things a lot easier. I used to only grab the bible or a devotional when I was struggling to find an answer, but than I learned that the more I just try to learn and devote my life to Him, the more I get to know myself, and the more I feel more comfort in Him. So, sometimes I wonder is it bad that I am so attached to my 1/2 hour a night by myself where I pop open my computer and sit with Lina? I'm guessing that the answer is no. As long as your habit includes getting to know yourself and Jesus better, I think your headed down the right path. The hard part is is keeping honest and truthful with yourself? A Challenge?

Avoiding Negative People

Your sin prompts your mouth;
you adopt the tongue of the crafty.
Your own mouth condemns you, not mine; your own lips testify against you.
-Job 15:5-6

Sometimes work seems really easy and other times I dread going in. This week I have to work with a different assistant and she isn't the best team player. She seems to have the common problem of talking about anyone and everyone to anyone who will listen. She often feels sorry for herself as well. This leaves me in the situation of not knowing how to handle it. Naturally I get angry and want to lash out on her, but if I sit there and think about it for a little then I realize that getting angry about the way she acts isn't going to help me at all. It is only going to make me more angry and prevent me from working my hardest. So tonight on the way home, I was realizing how angry I was getting about this next week, and how it was ruining my night? How stupid is it to let someone like that ruin my night. Why not take the approach of she is digging her own hole and there is not reason to dig with her. Why not just take the issues as they come and take a deep breath and realize that I only have to work with her for two days and then I will be home free. Instead of letting her negativity ruin my night/day, why not stand up and just go with the flow and keep a positive note... You never know it may rub off on her as well? I know sometimes I'm not the "peachiest" person to work with so maybe if she sees me just keeping my head in work and not being negative, she'll follow. I guess the real test will be this week.