Wanna know how it happened?

Hey there! I've missed blogging. I always think of things to write in the wee morning hours but never get around to writing these things down. So finally after four weeks do you want to hear the labor story?

Well as some of you might remember our due date came and went. Six days to be exact. And that's because we decided to go with an induction on May 10th. I've heard some crazy induction stories, most of which didn't end that well so I was a little nervous about it. Thankfully in our situation everything went super smooth.

We arrived at the hospital at 5 am which wasn't really that early to me since I had been tossing and turning the whole night before in anticipation. We did all the preliminary stuff and then started the pitocin around 7:30 am. My friend, nurse and amazing midwife Michelle Overby was working that day and switched with another nurse so she could help deliver Brielle. I was so excited to have her there because she helped deliver our first child Isaac. She is so calming and amazing.

After an hour or so I was having contractions according to the monitor but I couldn't really feel them at that point. Blake and I decided to put in Julie and Julia on his computer to help pass some of the time. I love that movie! We got about half way through before the contractions started to pick up.

Our midwife Lisa came in at 11 and checked me and I was only 3 cm dilated. (I was already 2cm when I went in that morning) I was pretty discouraged at that point. Mostly because I felt like I wasn't progressing quickly and I was nervous it was going to end up being a long process like it was with Isaac. My labor and delivery with Isaac was around the 36 hour mark. Not one of my most delightful experiences.

Lisa and Michelle

Anyhow, shortly after my water broke on its own and then things really got intense. I mean intense. I remember thinking distinctly to myself "this is probably gonna need to be our last child. I don't think I can do this again". I'm sure I thought that with Isaac and just don't remember . :)

Just before 1 I looked at Michelle and told her I couldn't do it anymore. I didn't know how far I was dilated but I couldn't stand the pain anymore. I just wanted the epidural and I asked her to order it. I also asked to be checked even though we weren't going to do it again for another hour or so. At that point my legs were shaking and I thought I was going to die. :)

Shortly, after that Lisa came in and she told me I was 8 cm! I couldn't believe in two hours I had progressed that fast. I was a little shocked and immediately requested the epidural once more! Much to my dismay, I was informed it was "too late". At that point I may or may not have blurted out some minor four letter words that would not be appropriate in this post.;)


It wasn't long after that I started pushing at 1:30. Brielle was born 1o min later at 1:40. That's a vast improvement from 2 hours with Isaac! Shoooweee!

Brielle Colette Dameron 7 lbs 2 oz, 19 inches

Brielle means "strength in God" and Colette means "victory"

I just couldn't believe after it was all over how well it had gone. Many of you are familiar with what we have walked through as a family over the past year and a half. I am so thankful to Jesus for how he worked everything out. For months after our miscarriage I just kept thinking about fear and fear of death. I felt like that was the moment it all came to the surface and that it was a very negative thing. Now in hind sight a year and half later I see that moment as the beginning of my freedom from fear. That experience has made me look at issues I had stuffed down for years and maybe most of my life thus far. In the process God has truly worked everything together for good. A part of me will always wonder what that child would have been like but the other part of me is at peace with the way our family is growing now.

In the weeks leading up to Brielle's delivery I kept coming across passages about Gods faithfulness and His kindness. I really do feel like He has redeemed whats been lost. He is faithful. He is good.

Brielle Might Just Be Like Her Momma

This past thursday I went to the doctor for my 37 week check up. What I thought would be routine turned into more excitement than I was looking for. I saw the midwife and she checked the heartbeat, all was good there. Then she checked Brielle's position and to my somewhat surprise she was head up near my right rib. Once she discovered that, she left the room to go talk to the doctor and see if I needed an ultrasound. So anyway long story short the scan comfirmed it and the next thing I knew I was in the doctors office scheduling a time to go to the hospital the next day for a version (try to turn the baby).

I left the office feeling slightly ovehwhelmed and wishing that I had brought the hubby to that appointment. I had that underlying feeling like everything was gonna be okay but the other half of me was freaking out a little bit. Mostly because I figured it probaly doesn't feel pleasant and there was a risk of having an emergency c-section or the babys heartbeat dropping.

So anyway, I went home and told Blake about everything and then he had to leave to go to VCM. The Lord was so gracious that night. Isaac was the best he's been in weeks and so compliant, even when it came to bed time. I spent some time in the Word that night and by the time Blake got home I felt so at peace.

After midnight I wasn't allowed to have any water and I could have a light snack at 6 am. My appointment wasn't until noon the next day. It was tough going that long without water! :) I just took that day a step at a time. That morning I had read a verse in Psalms that was so simple but stuck with me all day. "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord". I kept repeating it to myself and telling Jesus His word said if I trusted in Him I would be blessed. I didn't know what the outcome was going to be, but I knew I had to trust Him. I just took it step by step that day.

Waiting for the doctor to come in!

The hubby hanging out with me. I tried to freeze him out of the room :) It was good training for the big day! Better dress warm Babe!

Looking back Jesus covered every single detail. My friend Michelle Overby happened to be working that day in the L&D unit so she met me at the door and helped me check in. (She helped deliver Isaac too) We went to the room after that and I got changed and hooked up to some monitors. The nurse had to move the baby heartbeat monitor about 3 times because Brielle kept moving. At one point I felt some intense pressure on the left side for a couple minutes and then it passed. Five minutes later the doctor came in and felt for Brielle. He looked at me and said "I think she's head down!" Sooo, he did another ultrasound and sure enough, she turned head down! It turns out Brielle is a lot like her Momma. A little stubborn at times, but does the right thing at the last minute! :)

One happy camper! I get to go home and Michelle being the saint she is brought me the most delicous cup of apple juice and ice!

The doctor told us Jesus answered our prayers and for Blake to take me out to lunch! :) I just want to say thanks to all of you that prayed for us. I felt so at peace and I am so thankful for the discomfort Jesus spared me from.

March Madness

Well it's not March Madness in the way you would normally picture it (I'm not an avid sports fan) :)
However,March is a busy month for us, and it's only half over! Or shall I say it's already half over!

This past week ECU had their spring break so I took advantage of Blake being a little more "available". We cleaned out the spare bedroom, made some room for Brielle, painted furniture and moved Isaac to his big boy bed. We also got our taxes done and Blake was able to get some school work done as well. In the middle of the week we went up to Raleigh to take Isaac to the Marbles Kids Museum. He had a blast!

Isaac catching a fish! This was probably the longest he stood still in the 4 hours we were there. He was busy!

Helping Daddy sand his "big boy bed" so we could paint it.

On Wednesday of last week Katie came by and helped me paint a tree on Brielle's wall. I had seen this tree on the Pottery Barn website and loved it. It was a decal, only costing $165 or something like that. Absolutely ridiculous. Katie painted the same tree for $6! That's right! The cost of pink and green paint samples. We had everything else we needed! Katie is an art student at ECU and is a valuable part of our college ministry at ECU, she did such a great job! Thanks Katie!!

At the end of spring break on Saturday I threw Blake a surprise 30th birthday party. We had a few friends over and had a cookout and played corn hole. It was a good time. Happy Birthday Babe, I love you!

It's hard to believe he's 30! :)

And lastly, it seems as though Isaac has just blossomed over the past couple weeks into a "little man"! He is always cracking us up, and of course at times trying our patience. :) Here are some things you might here him say:

"oh no, what happened" usually coming from the other room and not a good sign!

"funny, mommy, funny" says this with a smile on his face when he knows he's not supposed to be doing something.

"why"

"Excuse me mommy" and even the unsolicited "please or thank you" at times!

He plays ball with Vandy and tells him "drop it" and when Vandy does Isaac says "Good boy" They have become such good friends. At least once a day Isaac tries to ride Vandy like a "Forsie!!" (Horsie)

When he gets stuck on a phrase or question and you don't catch it the first time you will have at least 15 more opportunities to hear it again because he will repeat it for you.

And lastly, I have found myself saying something I never thought I would this early. . ."Because I said so!" :)

This age has it's trials but it's also so wonderful. I love how much he is becoming his own little person and becoming better at communicating with us!

Thank God For All I Missed

When I was driving in the car the other day I heard this song and just thought I would share it. The song is by Darius Rucker (You know. . . Hootie from the Blowfish). :)




I know in high school and college I was devestaed many times by relationships that didn't work out. Now looking back I am so happy they didn't. Cause just as Hootie says "Thank God for all I missed, cause it led me here to this!". I'm so thankful for my husband. He is more than I could have ever hoped for as a best friend and life companion. And of course I'm so thankful for our little man and baby on the way! Thank you Jesus for your many blessings! Your perspective and plan for my life was much better than what I had in mind!

Don't Fret My Pet

Lately, for my quiet time in the morning I've been reading in my One Year Bible. This in itself is an accomplishment, simply because I usually don't make it out of January before I fall behind! :) I think this is the third year I have attempted to do the One Year thing. So hopefully I will be able to continue to follow through!

Anyway, I came across a passage in Psalms the other morning that really spoke to me.

Psalm 37:8-9
"Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret-it leads only to evil.
For evil men will be cut off, but those
who hope in the Lord will inherit the land."

I knew that 'fret' meant to worry but I looked it up for a further definition.

Fret: to be worried, irritated, agitated about something. To eat or gnaw into; corrode.

I love this Psalm but had never spent much time thinking about these two particular verses. I usually just read right over them not paying much attention to the meaning. I love that "do not fret- it leads only to evil". Repeatedly the Bible gives us verses to not worry. This leads to evil. Why? Probably because when we worry it communicates that we don't trust Jesus or we think we could handle it better than the way Jesus would work it out. OR we doubt that Jesus will come through for us. In any case all roads of worry lead to evil. It's good to be reminded we need to 'hope' in the Lord and when we do we will inherit the land. We don't need to trust in our own abilities or accomplishments, just trust in Him.

Over the past years Blake has said a phrase to me that you've probably heard before: "Don't fret my pet" He says it as a joke when he can see I'm starting to get worked up about something. And so after reading those verses it reminded me of this phrase. Sometimes we just need Jesus to spell it out for us, "Don't fret my pet". Everything's gonna be okay, if you just trust me.

Martha's Handbook

Happy New Year! I hope you had a great holiday season. I know we did. We had a great time with family and friends AND enjoyed our white Christmas playing in the snow. I also enjoyed the precious moments I had to do nothing and simply stared at the wall. Does anyone else enjoy that? Sitting in absolute quiet, staring at the wall, letting your thoughts just whisk away to any old place.


I have had lots of thoughts lately, but to be honest, I've been too lazy to sit at my computer and write them down! Maybe in the weeks to come. I've got a few more weeks left in my 2nd trimester and the "nesting" seems to have kicked into high gear. I better get stuff done while I'm crazy! :) You know all pregnant women are crazy right? It's the hormones. Moms with newborns are crazy too. That's due to hormones AND lack of sleep. Just to clear things up. Moving on. . .



So back to this whole "nesting" thing. My house has actually been consistently tidy these past few weeks. To be honest I'm a little freaked out. I've wondered to myself "Am I ok? Can I really make this last?" I think I've finally gotten into a routine that is working in our family. I was greatly encouraged by that until I remembered the wee little one that will make her debut in early May! :) All well. We'll enjoy it while it lasts.



When I was at my moms house last year for Christmas I borrowed a book from her called Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook. I found some great bits a pieces in there to keep in mind when cleaning. I remembered that book when I was at the library yesterday and it just so happened they had it, so I checked it out!



Last year when I looked through the book I told Blake I could start a blog about it like Julie and Julia. I could work my way through the book cleaning my house over the course of the year. Blake of course looooved the idea. And then I thought to myself "I have a one year old, am I completely delusional?". I will have to save that crazy challenge for another time. I also forgot to mention the book is 744 pages long from cover to cover. Like I said, delusional.

So I thought I would leave you with one helpful list from her book. Make sure to read this list with Martha's voice in your mind, it's more entertaining that way ;)

SIX THINGS TO DO EVERY DAY:

1. Make the Bed: Tidiness begets tidiness. A crisply made bed makes the whole room seem more orderly, which makes it less likely that you'll let other things-such as clothes and papers-pile up around it.

2. Manage Clutter: Whenever you leave a room, take a quick look around for anything that isn't where it should be. Pick it up and put it where it belongs. Insist that everyone in the household do the same. ** Yeah, can you see me "insisting" on my 2 year old to constantly put up his belongings :)**

3. Sort the Mail: Take a few minutes to open, read, and sort mail as soon as you bring it inside. Trash junk mail, drop other mail into one of four in-boxes: personal correspondence, bills, catalogs, and filing.

4. Clean as you Cook: Instead of filling the sink with pots and dishes, was them or put them in the dishwasher as you prepare a meal.

5. Wipe Up Spills While They're Fresh: Whether it's tomato sauce on the cooktop or makeup on the counter, almost anything is faster and easier to remove if you attend to it immediately.

6. Sweep the Kitchen Floor: Every evening once you've finished washing up after dinner, sweep the floor. This will keep tough-t0-clean dirt and grime from building up, which will make the weekly mopping much quicker. **Martha assumes I mop my floor once a week. Martha assumes too much**

What's in a name

If you haven't heard the news yet we found out last Tuesday that we are having a baby girl! We are so excited. It's such a blessing to think about having one of each,the best of both worlds.

We had tossed around a bunch of names and the day we went to the doctor we still weren't sure. It's kind of funny because after the ultrasound all the names we thought of for a girl went out the window. They just didn't seem right. It's funny because the same thing happened with Isaac. I know you don't see the baby in person but it's like when you see them on that screen they become way more real to you. There is an actual little person in there being formed and fashioned by God.

You can't just throw any old name on that baby. I can't help but always think about Abraham and Sarah in the Old Testament when I think about names. I mean, doesn't it seem like names are really important to God. I believe they speak of who God wants us to become. Abram's name was changed to Abraham which means "father of many nations". Sarai's name which meant quarrelsome or argumentative was changed to Sarah which meant "Princess". Aren't those awesome meanings.

I always think to myself, "I would never want to name my child something that means 'bitterness', or 'despair'. Don't get me wrong, I know God is redemptive and all that, I just want to start our kids out on a positive note if it's in our power. :) And I also know that some people don't feel the same way about this. That's okay, we can still be friends. I'm not trying to throw my convictions on anyone else. However, this is my blog, and after all it is called "Michelle has Thoughts", and well, these are my thoughts on the matter. :)

In any case, back to the matter at hand. All this to say after some searching, praying and looking at meanings we have decided on a name. Just a first name. The middle will come later.

Brielle Dameron. Who we have affectionately been referring to as "Baby Bri" around here.

You want to know the meaning? It means "God is my strength". It's derived from the name Gabriel, you know, like the angel. :)

We also chose it for another reason. The meaning is so appropriate for our family as a whole during this season. You've heard me say before that this past year has been the hardest in our lives. However, we have to look to the good that has been accomplished in it. That good is that God has taught us to rely on Him and His strength. We would never have made it through with out Him.

So, with Isaac which means "He laughs", it was fitting at that time in our lives because it was so happy. There is no experience like having your first child. The excitement, expectation and unknown all wrapped in a beautiful gift.

It was timely for our family, and so our children become living stones. . . testimonies of God's faithfulness and all that He has done and continues to do in our lives. We will name her Brielle because God truly has taught us in this season to rely on His strength.