Blessings in my painting class

In the last few weeks my heart has been drawn back to the people of Haiti. Last term I fulfilled a goal that had gathered dust in the back of my mind. After traveling to Haiti in 2010 I returned with many pictures of beautiful children. I wanted to paint portraits of these children. 9 wks of class produced 5 paintings and at my final critique my instructor asked me when are you going back to Haiti. I replied I don’t know if I ever will. To which she responded you should consider it I can tell by your painting your heart is drawn to these people. Last Thursday I received an Email from Hearts a fire telling of an opening on the July 2013 team due to a cancellation.  My heart is tugged but I push the thought away because a louder voice of reason is saying “you don’t have the money to go.” Two days later I'm on FB when I get a message from one of the young Haitian men who helped with translation while I was on the Medical team. At the end of our usual interchange of how are you etc. he asked me when are you coming back to Haiti? I responded I have no plans unless God plans. To which he responded “ I will pray” . As I look at the paintings I remember how God blessed me through the opportunity to serve others.

 

 

 

 

Blessing of a new baby grandaughter. Makes her entrance via waterbirth

I'm finding it hard to put into words the blessings of this last week. The day after Christmas my first granddaughter joined our family. My daughter had chosen to deliver her baby without any medication and in water. As a labor and delivery nurse of 27 yrs I had never experienced a water birth. The hospital I work in has been trying get everything in order to offer water birth as an option for our patients who are low risk. It seemed like it was taking forever for the midwives to gain training and credentials. Staff had been trained but months had passed since the training and most of us were having a hard time remembering even how to set up the water birthing tub. two days prior to my daughters labor starting the midwife had approval to attend the first water birth at our hospital. I had worked 6p to 6a the night before and way woken by my husband saying. Brooke wants you to call her when your awake. she is in labor. She felt it was time to come drop off the 2yr old at our house so the papa and aunties could care for him while the new baby was born. I headed to the hospital at around 5pm to find my daughter swim suit on ready to enter the tub. What a wonderful calming environment. The lights were dimmed and all voices were kept at a whisper while my daughter used her breathing and relaxation techniques to manage through each contraction. It seemed like the water provided such natural support for what ever position felt best and provided a medium for easy position change. She would spend 30-40min in the tub at a time and then out to the bathroom, walking and using the birthing ball. Her focused phrases of "Come on out baby girl and My body knows what to do and is perfectly made to deliver this baby" Midwife June, husband,Doula in training, sister, labor nurse, sister on Skype from North Carolina and myself seemed like such a large number but all were calm and quiet except for words of encouragement and soothing caresses. Her breathing and intensity increased about 845 when her repeated phrases changed I can do this"" I can do this." She agreed to allow June to break her bag of water now that she was 9cm. Intermittent fetal monitoring reassured us throughout the labor that sweet little baby girl was fine. Back into the tub she went to continue her rhythmic breathing and some stronger more intense sounds queuing us all that it would not be much longer. On her hands and knees in the water a second midwife checked to be sure she was fully dilated before she started to push. Within 10 min of pushing the baby's head emerged. The babies shoulders did not immediately come and the midwife instructed her to turn over. with the turn the shoulders delivered. The midwife instructed my daughter to reach down into the water and gently lift the baby on to her chest. Baby opened her eyes to gaze at her mom for the first time. Mom softly stroked her dark hair and baby took her first breaths. All in the room were in awe to witness this incredible moment. Not a dry eye as my daughter cried "I did it" I did it"" Oh how amazing " Her husband hugged her and stroked the babies head. The sister on the computer screen thousands of miles away cried with joy to be in attendance over the Internet.


I was so proud of my daughter. She had set out to deliver her baby without any medication, no IV. I respected her choice although it was not something I had wanted to watch her endure. Her strength and joy is such a blessing. She is an amazing mother. I have had people say there are no prizes for women who deliver their babies without medication. I would argue that if a women has this desire the prize is the satifaction of experiencing the delivery the way they want. As nurses , moms, sisters or friends we should respect the wishes of that individual even if it is harder for us to watch the one we love in pain. My granddaughter is the first water birth to occur at Legacy Mt Hood family birth center. Very amazing blessing how every detail came together.

Thinking about Blogging again?

As I approach the new year Im feeling a little bloggy. I keep thinking about all the things I should write about, a new grandbaby due to arrive any day, healthy self and family, lessons learned and contemplation about lessons I need to work on. I sit here on the couch husband dozing next to me as I glance at the Christmas tree lights I think maybe I should start again reminding myself frequently of the blessings found in many places of my everyday average life.

6months of blessings

Baby Colton 6 months old. He is so expressive with his lips.






































His eyes are so bright.































A blessing in every way...
Blogging has gone by the wayside in the last 6months. As I snapped these pics today I thought I miss my bloggy friends. I had to share. so here he is the sweet little snugglio.





























Even tears and sad faces are sweet
























































His chubby fingers reach for everything.





























He makes the grandpa smile

Sweet face with cheeks o plenty

The sun has come to visit Oregon this week. It surprises me every year when we get a few days of sunshine in February and I feel like my spirit is completely renewed.
I enjoyed a day full of different opportunities to spend time with my kids. I worked the last 3 nights but got off early was home by 4am. I loaded the dishwasher, started it and sent a text to my 15yr old to remind her of her dentist and Dr appt later this morning. I then responded to a text from my oldest daughter about my plans for the day. She was going to her 7wk post baby check up. It was a little disappointing to find the 2baskets of laundry I had dumped on my side of the bed were still there unfolded and my husband was very sound asleep. So there I was in the dark at 4am trying to fold clothes so I could get in bed. Sometimes I wonder when Ill get better organized.
10am came early and off to the dentist we went, a quick lunch then on to the Dr office to discuss some treatments for Acne. (Age 15 is not the easiest)
I arrived home just in time to spend 20 min visiting with my grandma who lives on my street, ate my lunch now that it was 3pm and in the car again to pick up daughter #4 from school.
After arriving home with #4, the oldest calls and asks do you want to meet to go for a walk?
I was thankful to enjoy the clear sunny late afternoon. #4 daughter came along to run with and wear out the Grand dogie Libby. ( she feels a little displaced since Colton has arrived)

Colton is a joy, his eyes are bright,cheeks are round,he is calm and snugly. Or as my #2 daughter would say "schnuggly"
I am so blessed to be Mermie to such a sweet content bundle of preciousness.






We headed home after our walk had a little bite to eat and out the door again with #4 daughter to Jr church group. Finally spent sometime with #2 daughter hearing about her new job. I am so thankful she has a job to keep her busy while her husband is deployed and she settles back into the nest for several months until he returns.
The day is done punctuated by the sounds of my husband in his office playing on line "combat games" I periodically her "help" "oh no". It makes me laugh. The blessing of a full day. I better go fold the basket of laundry I left on my side of the bed again. Need Sleep.

When it rains it pours

Blessings Blessings Blessings.




















Yes the grand baby arrived safe and sound.
I arrived for my night shift at 6pm Dec 21. It was kind of quiet in my family birth dept. The next day would be one of the nurses birthday. We all commented "wouldn't it be fun if Brooke came in tonight to have baby Colton?" The evening marched on with outpatient triage's which included a very ill patient with severe preeclampsia, and an active labor patient. Midnight struck and it looked like things were again calming down. We sang happy birthday to Gayle and within minutes the phone rang and it was my son in law announcing Brooke's water had broken and they were on their way into the hospital. We all squealed and jumped around like a bunch of silly Jr high girls. The special delivery would happen today.
Brooke and Cody arrived at the hospital and she was still 2 cm dilated. I knew it would be a long night for Brooke.















Being the charge nurse I had charts to prepare for the next days scheduled procedures and as the Resuscitation Specialist I had to stay alert to respond to the high risk labor patient who appeared to be adding DIC to her list of problems. Thankfully the baby was doing fine.
I was pulled knowing both my department needed me and my daughter needed me at her bedside. by 3am I called in my Stand by charge nurse to relieve me so I could take off the charge nurse hat and put on the grandma hat.
Brooke did so well and Cody what an amazing coach. She labored all night finally reaching 4 cm at 10am by 11am an epidural gave the opportunity for rest that she really needed in order for her to continue. within the hour she was completely dilated. Labored down for another hour and 45min of pushing rewarded by a healthy 7#5 oz bundle of joy at 332pm. He didnt cry much but pinked up and went to breast within 10min of age.









Blessing after blessing I say because through out the whole labor Coltons fetal heart rate tracing remained text book perfect not one deceleration for the Gramma/L&D nurse to worry about. Im so thankful.




PS thank you Wife/mom/nurse for checking in on me even when I didnt post. You truely are an awesome bloggy friend.

Ill be home for Christmas?

Who will get her first? The song Ill be home for Christmas has special meaning at our house this year. baby Colton maybe here for Christmas. Counting down the days till Reed and Kelsey home for Christmas from NC?

Ive been wanting to make these Angel cookies with pretzel wings for many years.
Every year it fell off the projects to do list.
They were fun easy and worth the effort.

Practicing the gramma stuff with my friends granddaughters. Little fingers in the dough, flour, frosting and smiles make Christmas time.

One mom and one baby? Yep that was all the fun we had last night at work. Now that my daughter Brooke has arrived at 37wks gest is seems like not only am I excited to have her call with news that labor has started, but all the staff in my dept are excited to see who will be on duty when my grand baby arrives. Seeing my coworker snuggle a baby in the nursery I now am closer to grasping the reality my grand baby will be here soon.

I had the time to catch up with some of the staff I hadn't worked with in a while. I am reminded again why I love the staff I work with. They are very skilled dedicated to caring and willing to give of themselves to each other on a personal level.

Last week some of my coworkers announced that I would not be allowed to leave for the day until they came up with the name my Grand baby would call me. Of the top choices it was narrowed to "MiMi" or "Mermy". For some reason my own kids choose to call me "The Merm" So that's where Mermy comes from I guess a cross between Merm and Grammy. One of my grandmas we called Mammie. All the staff agreed Gramma or Grammy didn't fit me. Something about sounding to old and they seem to think I'm not an old grandma. I hope its not just that I don't act my age.