9 years ago...

August is our busy birthday month. Mr. Amazing's birthday is on the 19th, followed by my mom's on August 22nd, and ending with my first born's birthday on the 23rd. I still remember that first night. At 3 am on Sunday, August 22nd, 2002 I went into labor. We were living the two story house where I grew up. My mom had rented the main level for years, when my husband and I moved back to town we had rented the top level. I loved being so close to my mom. So when the labor started, we went downstairs and woke her up. I couldn't imagine doing this without her. There was a couple hours of timing contractions, then we were off to the hospital.

At 8am my doctor came in to check my progress. I was at a 3 and still having contractions every other minute. She decided to go ahead and break my water to get things moving along. I did a lot of walking up and down the hall. My mom was right there with me every step of the way. While my husband was in the lobby watching baseball with his family, my mom was there. I don't even remember her leaving to get something to eat or drink. Not once. She was always there. Even my mother-in-law was there almost constantly.

They finally decided to give me some kind of medicine to increase the contractions. That's when it all went bad. I started un-dilating. But the medicine had worked. I now knew what it felt like to need to push. I couldn't stop myself. Everyone in the room was screaming at me not to push because it might hurt my precious baby. My mom was asking for something to undo what the last medicine did, but they were telling her there was nothing. My mother-in-law, the nurse, told them there most certainly was (she might have even told them what, but I don't remember). They finally got me something that stopped the need to push.

It was early in the morning now on the 23rd. The on-call doctor was explaining the C-section procedure to me. He was letting me know that everyone had to live within 20 minutes of the hospital so we should be getting started within the hour. All I needed to do was stay calm and hold on.

Over an hour and a half later they finally came and got me to take me back to the operation room. I remember my husband was back and my mom was gone. She had spent her entire birthday by my side, but it was over now. Now I was numb from the middle of my back down. I felt little movements in my tummy, but not enough to know what was going on. I wanted to know if I was having a little boy or a girl, they told me to be patient, that they would let me know when they got that far. It seemed to take forever. I was finally told that I had a little boy. My husband got to hold him before they took him away. I had to stay to get sewn up, and I wasn't allowed to hold him on the table.

Next was recovery. I was in there for quite some time. Finally, I was allowed to go back to my room and see my baby. I was able to hold him and kiss him. The nurses told me that he shouldn't stay in the room with me, and took him to the nursery so I could rest. I wasn't happy about this at all. They also started giving him bottles of water, and gave him a pacifier, all things that I was against, but no one checked with me. I remember the nurses coming into push on my belly to help it heal. I don't recall it doing anything but being agonizingly painful.

I'm so thankful that I no longer have to rely on the nursing staff. My boy turned 9 today, and I can hold him, and kiss him, and cuddle him whenever I want to (provided that I'm faster than he is or he is willing). I now have total control over what he eats and when he eats. He want's Pizza for his birthday. It's amazing the changes that have happened in the past 9 years. If I hadn't been along for the ride, I would doubt that it was even possible for him to be the 7 lb baby that came from that terrible time. The one thing that hasn't changed though, is my love for him.

Mr. Monday: Happy Birthday!!!

Mr. Amazing's birthday was on Friday. He had to work, but we met him at the park for lunch. Then after he got home from work we had a surprise party for him. The kids each made him a card, and then we had made home made decorations. We ran out of time to bake the cake, so we got him an ice cream cake, which he said was the better choice anyway as he is always craving ice cream.

I love spoiling Mr. Amazing. He is like the only person I know who has ever responded to every single post on his Facebook wall wishing him a happy birthday with a personal message (yes, all 200 of them!), He never ceases to amaze me, and I love him more each and every day.

Happy birthday to me!

Today was my birthday! :) Of course Mr. Amazing made breakfast while attempting to let me sleep in. Then Mr. Amazing and I taught toddlers church (10 children between the ages of 2 and 4 make for a rather intense hour and a half). The boys did the dishes, and Mr. Amazing decorated my cake! This is special because he has never decorated a cake before (He always goes for the pre-made cakes at King Soopers). I think he did a pretty good job! He defiantly gets an 'A' for effort and for being his amazingly sweet self! After cake he took me out to dinner (Red Robins...Yum), and then since there weren't any decent movies in the theaters we went and played pool. (Unfortunately, I forgot my camera :( boo!)

F.Y.I. I am horrid at pool. I use to be rather okay, and maybe even decent, but I haven't played for over 2 years... I was excited if I hit the ball that I was aiming at. Our first game, Mr. Amazing sank the 8 ball on accident half way through. This is an automatic win for me! Woo Hoo! I'm so glad, because we played out the game anyway (wouldn't want to waste or quarters!) and he had all of his balls in the hole while I still had 4 on the table... it took me another 5-10 minutes to get mine all in. Did I mention I'm horrid at pool? The second game I won on my own merit... but he might possibly have let me win. He said he didn't and if he did it wasn't obvious, but after the first game I have to wonder! The third game, I sunk the 8 ball on like the 3rd shot... :( not that it would have mattered as we played out the game and again, I was the only one with balls left on the table. Only 2... but it took forever to get them to go where they belonged. So technically I won 2 out of 3 games :)

I am so blessed to have such an amazing husband! He really does do every thing that he can to make me happy :)

I can't finish this post without including Mr. Amazing's mother. She's wonderful too. :) She sent me the sweetest birthday e-mail, with my new all time favorite birthday blessing! It read as follows:

Happy Birthday to you, Only one will not do, Born Again Means Salvation, We're so Glad you have TWO.

Isn't she great!

On a sadder noted. Mr. Amazing found out that everyone at the corporate office was fired. One of the corporate stores near by found out that they weren't bought out and were just shutting down all together... tomorrow. So he might very possibly not have a job tomorrow morning, we just don't know. But God does! I am so thankful that we have an awesome Savior and aren't going through this time with no hope!

For this wonderful Mr. Monday, I would love to hear the great things that your Mr.'s do for your birthdays! Write a post or leave a comment (please). :)

Birthday flop!

So I posted earlier today about my wonderful husband's birthday... which has been not so wonderful. I mentioned earlier that I didn't get to leave the cake when I took it down this morning, well I didn't think to put it in the fridge, and all the frosting melted off the sides of it. I lost my recipe that I was going to use for supper but was excited when I found a better one. However, I am horrible at following directions and I used too much lemon juice, it turned out really good as long as you don't use too much (or any) gravy. Not that Paul would know, because he got stuck at work and still isn't home. But I fed the kids and thought that maybe we can have a nice candle light dinner later this evening? Then our plans for tomorrow have fallen through as he is now required to go to work. Sigh.

God has blessed my family in so many ways. It's easy to look at days like today and want to get discouraged, but the Bible tells us that trials make us stronger. I can let these things get me down, or I can look at them as opportunities. I don't get many chances to have candle light dinners with my wonderful husband with four small children running around. It might be reheated, but let's not get into details! I would have never found this new recipe if I hadn't lost my old one (and now I know not to over do the lemon juice...). God is good, all the time! Not just when things are going smoothly.

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; -- 1 Peter 1:6-7

Garlic and Rosemary Chicken Recipe

Happy Birthday, Paul!

Today is my wonderful Husband's birthday. However, this is his year to forget birthdays, and in keeping with the rest of them, he forgot his own birthday. He is working today, all day. I thought I would surprise him by taking him a cake and a card to work (which I do every year), but when I got there he had 4 of his bosses in his store plus some marketing people. So that didn't go so well. I ended up brining it back home. I will send it with him later so he can share it with his crew (he is a general manager for Quiznos). He has a great crew, and I would hate to leave them out!

He will be home around 5 tonight and we are planning on having a nice supper ready for him and the boys are helping me bake a cake to keep at home(the other was store bought). Then he has to go back to work to help them install a new computer system...

On his next day off we will do a combo birthday celebration for both him and our oldest son who will turn 8 on Monday. I don't know what we are doing. I think Paul wants to go swimming, but I'm really not up for that as I don't have a modest bathing suit yet... Last year we visited the Wild Animal Sanctuary and the year before we went swimming. It's always fun!