The reason I haven't been blogging...

Well, my daughters were commenting that I haven't blogged in awhile. My sweet blogging friend, Susan, has referenced my blog a few times lately, so here I am! I decided to explain, maybe in pictures, what has been occupying my time lately.



This was the end of July...




The shower...




The due date! 8/9/10 I love the birth date! :)



Her arrival. Miss Ava Faith weighed in at 9 lb. 14 oz. Happy, healthy arrival...thank you, God!



Welcomed by her adoring fan club.





One of my friends, long ago, told me that it takes about three months to adjust to a major life change. I have found this to be very true for me. Now, Ava is almost three months, cooing and smiling, and making it very hard to imagine life without this sweet darling. And now, I can sit down to blog again.

Just a few things still remind me of the adjustment. For instance, she is sleeping on my shoulder after nursing, while I type this post. Everything is a little slower, specially one-handed typing. As I told, Susan, I am also redirecting my energy right now. This short phase in my life will be over before I can blink.

During this time of welcoming our newest arrival. my second oldest has completed driver's ed and received her license. Life speeds by!

Help me, Lord. to number my days...and enjoy each moment!

Love,
Susan

Sonogram

I finally made it to my sonogram appointment and I always love seeing those fuzzy gray shapes that resemble a baby! The moving pictures are always better than the still photographs. I got to see the baby yawn and wave...the heart beat sounded wonderful and everything looks great! Yea! Thank you, God!

My search for a doctor still continues, though. I have gone to a birthing center with a midwife for my last three births, but my last birth was quite a bit more difficult. With my age and the last difficulties, my midwife said I really needed to go to a hospital for this one. I had come to terms with that and started my search...how in the world do you find a good ob/gyn??? Late nights searching the internet, looking at hospitals and the one comment about the doctor. I have just been praying! It turns out the doctor that was connected with the sonogram said he would do a C-section. He didn't even talk to me or really give me any reasons. He actually didn't even talk to me, it was the receptionist who rather rudely informed me of his decision.

I will back up with more of my history. My fourth pregnancy was my twin boys. I did have a c-section with them because they were feet first and twisted all sorts of ways. Thirteen months later I gave birth to my daughter in the same hospital with a very uneventful VBAC. We moved shortly after that and found a wonderful midwife who was willing to try a VBAC three more times with me. I think I only realized now how AMAZING (and what a God-given grace!) that was for us. The past two days I have not found a hospital or a doctor that will do a VBAC with me!! Automatic planned c-section only. I guess the hard thing for me is that I feel like I am not the best candidate for another VBAC anymore, but that does not mean that I don't want to hear reasons and at least discuss it with the doctor. I did find a much kinder nurse and doctor who at least pretended to sympathize with me. That did make me feel better, and I decided I would make an appointment with him instead of the first one.

The whole idea that once you have had a c-section you will always have one, is SO detrimental to the idea of having more kids. My dear friend, who just had her eighth baby, had to have an emergency c-section. She was in tears when I went to visit her, because she was afraid she would have to have c-sections from here on out. I did not realize at that time how true that might be! Just the little research that I did showed how basically safe VBACS can be.

VBAC research


I found out most of the time it is the hospital's policy that prevents the doctors from being able to help a patient with a VBAC. The main thing behind that is the insurance policies won't cover the hospitals if they allow VBACS. What a mess!!! The other hard part is that midwives really can't take the risk of a first time VBAC either! ARGGG! This really does make me angry.

Yet it does make me amazed and thankful that I was able to have my first VBAC at the hospital so that could pave the way to my other midwife delivered VBACS. God has always provided a way for us to obey Him!

I feel like I have been ranting and raving..., but the bottom line is I am excited about this new little one entering our family. I read Proverbs 3:5-8 this morning and was comforted by our Lord's wisdom instead of mine.

Resting In Him,

Susan

Blogging...

My life is wonderfully full right now. I often wish there were more hours in the day and instead, I am conking out earlier than usual! I want hours to write, take pictures, read, etc. but instead I am watching my children become experts in all these areas. I am so glad! I have wanted to sit down and keep track of all my scattered thoughts, so finally I am taking a moment and just giving an update. Maybe then I can feel like getting back into the swing of blogging. I really love it and the possibilities available with the computer. I love the picture journaling that my friend Susan is working on her blog.

I will go ahead and take the excuse for why I haven't been blogging. I am three months pregnant with number ten! I have been tired, but that is passing more each day. I have really felt great! I usually have fairly easy pregnancies until the end of the time. (I think everyone is uncomfortable then! So we will be willing and ready for labor! :)) We are excited about this new baby and are looking forward to our first sonogram. I always think...(is it twins??!) We are thankful for God's continued blessings in our lives. I am always amazed at the way He works through each detail in our day. Yesterday was one of those days! (more on that later...)

Anyway, this has been what has been going on here. We have been trying some great new GF recipes that I will try to post soon. Right now GF pancakes are waiting along with hungry children...

Enjoy the Sonshine today!

Susan