My Little Man Turns Three

Sorry, I have been MIA for 2 weeks now. It has been crazy around here. Between working and being a wife and Mommy...things have been non-stop. We're trying to get as much done as possible before Sam's busy season starts up. I try to prepare myself each year for "its" arrival...the months where HE is pretty much MIA for days on end...I never quite manage to actually "prepare." It always hits me like a ton of bricks, but then we settle into the new routine.

Well, this past week was full of excitement...Little Man turned THREE on Tuesday! Can you believe it?!!! THREE! We had a SMALL celebration at ...where else, but Chuck E Cheese with just one other family. It was great! I honestly can't believe it has been 3 years since we welcomed him into our family! Amazing. In many ways his birthday is a reminder of a, well, kind of a rough year for me. 2006 was not one of my favorites---except of course for Little Man's arrival!

2006---

February 23rd I taught 6th grade all day. By the end of the day as I was going up and down from the floor to standing grading book report projects, I was starting to feel pretty uncomfortable. But who wouldn't be at that point in the day and at that point in a pregnancy. I wasn't due for another 2 weeks, but the signs of impending labor were upon me. I had a regularly scheduled check up that evening, so as I closed up my room for the night and headed out, I wondered if it would be my last day in the classroom. I haven't been back in an elementary classroom as a full time teacher since then...seems so strange.

By the time I pulled into the parking lot at the dr's office where Sam was meeting me, I was sure I was having some random contractions. I ordered take out from a local restaurant to be ready for when we were done with our appointment, and I headed inside. Well, poor little guy was a little sluggish so they made me rest with some juice---I was stinkin' hungry, y'all! I just wanted my cheeseburger! By the time the doctor checked me I was 4 cm, and my water was bulging (sorry if that is TMI!). She gave me two options---because I was complaining about wanting my cheeseburger!!! :) Option 1--head to the hospital, they would admit me, and wait for his arrival--NO dinner till he's born! Option 2---go home, eat my dinner :), and head to the hospital when the contractions were 10 minutes apart. I, of course, chose option number 2.

I'm not sure that Sam was in complete agreement with the arrangements, especially when the nurses joked about seeing him on the evening news delivering a baby on the interstate. Little did he know that wasn't too far of a stretch!

By the time we got home, I really couldn't eat much because frankly I was uncomfortable. I packed a bag for me and for Cel, called my bosses and told them the situation, called my parents and told them to be ready (they lived about an hour and half away), and we headed to bed. I still remember vividly that night. I remember laying there gripping Sam's arm or the headboard periodically as the contractions although not completely consistent were pretty intense. They finally got to about 10 minutes apart so we called the hospital. The doctor (not sure WHY) said that I could wait until they were 7 minutes apart and then come in. I reminded him that it was my second, and he said 7 should be fine. I added, "my first labor was pretty quick." You should still be fine; don't call just come when they reach 7---he said. I should've known.

For the next hour my contractions did some random things and about the time I was ready to tell Sam...we gotta go. My water broke...yep, it broke. I remember thinking..."uh-oh!" Because that was exactly how I felt..."uh-oh!" because...I felt ready to push at that very instant. I couldn't move...the contractions were intense...and we were 30 minutes from the hospital...in freezing rain!!! AAAAAHHHHH!!!! Sam tried two calls to people who were supposed to be ready to take Cel at a moment's notice...NO ANSWER!!! He finally called my principal, who lived about 15 minutes away, to come get her. Those 15-20 minutes of waiting were probably the longest minutes of my life! Wow! I waddled out to the car so we could leave as soon they got there. Sam had the car backed up ready to pull out of the driveway BUT it was on a hill---gravity was working against me. I told him that he HAD to move the car or I would deliver right there. They finally got there to get Cel--we basically threw her at them and flew out the driveway. The roads were slippery, and Sam was frantically driving 90 miles an hour---the whole time letting me squeeze his hand and telling me "don't you dare push in this car!" Yep, isn't that great. We pulled up to the emergency door entrance (my parents were on their way); we "jumped" out---ha ha ha---I couldn't move...he got me in a wheelchair, told the security guard I was ready to push, gave him the car keys, and up to labor and delivery we went. Funny tidbit--after we were holding our little Micah---Sam says--"I really hope that was a security guard!" :)

The nurses in L&D thought I was one of those crazy women that don't know anything 'bout "birthin' " babies---and they moved SLOW!!! Three times in this process they made me get in and out of a wheelchair...seriously! C'mon! Just let me have this baby!!! Finally someone checks me----followed by a yell into the hallway---"Ladies, we're ready to rock and roll in here!"

Hellooooo!!! That's what I've been trying to tell you! What?!?! Back into the wheelchair? Are you serious?!?!?! Yep, down the hall to the delivery room---back OUT of the wheelchair---some silly nurse trying to start an IV---nurses everywhere!!! Sam tries to sit down to get out of their way---I respond with "you're not sitting down for this!" :) Gotta love those hormones!!! Poor guy, he was just relieved to NOT be delivering his own baby!!! Doctor comes in, sits down---says nothing. We were holding Micah Thomas---less than 20 minutes from the time we pulled up to the emergency room! WHEW! He was long and skinny---he was an excellent eater from the first moments! Wow! I'm still in awe thinking about it. My parents were able to make it shortly after he was born. Their first grandson.

I went home too early because well, I'm just not good at being a patient and being in bed. I was home alone with my nearly 3 year old and newborn just a day after getting home from the hospital. It was crazy. Spring came early that year, and Sam hit the ground running the first of March! My head swirls when I think of that first month, but the Lord is so good...gracious. I loved our little family!!!

April 2006---my grandmother's health was failing rapidly. I flew down to Mississippi with my little baby and toddler along with my parents to sit at her bedside. A week we watched her slip away. Sunday, April 24th---she passed away---Micah was two months old that day. I had never watched someone die before. Never watched them take their last breath. Never seen the life drain from someone so quickly. It was so obvious that our bodies are merely shells once our soul leaves us. It shook me.

That summer I left my kiddos behind with Sam and family---I flew to Korea for a school trip. It was so hard to leave them, but it was an interesting trip nonetheless. During that time, my mom had the opportunity to have Micah to herself one whole day. She loved it. They had a good day. She was proud of that day.

Summer was ending...school was starting. I was taking on a new position at school---organizing bus routes, overseeing our international students, AND advising the yearbook staff. August proved to be crazy with all the preparations. I spent the weekend before Teacher Inservice with my parents. I cherish the memories of that weekend---because what I didn't know was that would be my last visit with my mom. The Friday of that week, I received a call from Dad saying he had to take Mom to the hospital. She appeared to have some sort of infection; they had her admitted, on oxygen, and she seemed to be improving. Saturday...well, it went downhill. Sam and I headed to Maryland to be with Dad and Mom. They had Mom in a chemically induced coma. We left on Sunday afternoon---with Mom's last "sign of recognition" being a smile at Cel. By Monday it became obvious that something was terribly wrong with Mom. Dad called Joshua and I in. We both drove to Maryland with our families. That week was one of the longest weeks of my life. Here again...I found myself sitting in a hospital room---seemingly watching someone I loved slip from us. That week was bittersweet in many ways. My sister in law was amazing. She took care of all 5 kiddos (her 3 and my two)---selflessly so that Joshua, Dad, and I could be with Mom. Sam went back and forth from PA to MD trying to keep things together at work and still be with the family. We shared so many memories those hours of sitting...we laughed, we joked, we cried. No one really ready to admit what we all knew---Mom was dying. It became perfectly clear by the end of the week that Mom would never again be Mom. Saturday, September 9th, my Mom went to meet her Savior. No more pain. No more suffering. Home.

The remainder of 2006 was a blur. So many emotions...trying to regain some sort of routine...normalcy...a new normal. A new normal that I didn't want to accept. Thankfully, the Lord allowed us to be a reasonable drive from Dad so about every weekend he was with us or we were with him. My birthday came---the first "family thing" without Mom. Then Thanksgiving...we all gathered in her dining room without "her touches." Finally---Christmas...her favorite holiday. It was hard, but God's grace was so evident in our lives.

2006---so many memories. A new life...the loss of others. I can't believe all that has happened in the past 3 years of my Little Man's life. I am so glad that God doesn't show us the road ahead, but He promises that He is with us each step of the way. I'm thankful that He knows the plans that He has for us...that they are plans of hope...of future.