Play by play of Calvin's arrival ... "sumo baby" lived up to his name

A whopping 9 lb 13 oz and 21 inches long! Born Fri Oct 16th @ 8:48pm.

When I woke up Friday morning, I wasn't sure if these cramping pains were contractions, or just gas, lol! Around 9am, I thought I should maybe contact Nate at school and just give him a heads up, it could be today. I had been to my Dr the previous day and they said I was 3cm and 80% and that the baby looked like he was still big, and had gained 3 oz from last sono, so he was expected to be 9lb3oz at that time. Dr Apgar said, i'll give you a 50% chance you are still pregnant next week ... guess he was being a little conservative on his estimate :). I end up calling the clinic and they said to come in to get checked out. Dad stayed with the kids, I took everything with me "just in case", picked up Nate and headed to the clinic around 10:30am.

At the clinic they monitored contractions, which were definitely happening, and he said if I was 4cm that he would admit me - I was. Before I got admitted, we ran across the street to Smoothie King - I hadn't eaten anything and knew once we got to the hospital that all I would be able to have was ice chips and popsicles at best. (SO glad we did that!). We got checked in @ 12:45ish. I was Group Strep B positive, so they wanted to make sure I got 2 doses of antibiotics prior to baby coming. So they took it slow, and didn't try to help anything out until that was done. I got an epidural around 5:30, at 6pm they broke my water. 7:15pm I was 5cm. While we were waiting, Nate got on Skype with Dave & Janie (two of our closest friends in MN). It was hilarious to be talking to them while I am in labor. Then Dr Tran came in at 8pm and checked me (Dave & Janie still on the computer with Nate) and she says "your at 10!" So we got off the computer and got ready to push.

The complete amount of time I had to push was only about 20 mins, his head came down very fast, barely had to even push to get him there. But he had "Shoulder Dystocia", which meant both shoulders were pinned in my pelvis. His heart rate slowed and before I knew it there were 8 or 9 other people in the room and there were 3 nurses standing on chairs next to me, pressing their fists into my abdomen as

hard as they could to dislodge this little pork-chop and get him out. As soon as they did, they took him to the table and immediately began trying to get him
to breathe. It took about 4 minutes for him to finally cry - THE most wonderful sound I had heard in my life! After 30 mins of tests, I finally got to hold my new baby boy - he was so purple and puffy from coming down so quickly, but he was still perfect.

Sumo Baby Update

Went to my Dr appt today and the 2nd sonogram reveals the same exact things as the one we had a week and a half ago - BIG BOY! It was a different tech and her measurements were exactly the same as the last, so he is still off the charts and measuring about 9lb 3oz at this point. And he is DEFINITELY a boy as I saw today, lol! But everything looks perfect, no concerns or worries.

I am now 3cm dilated and 75% effaced - Dr Apgar said he'd give me a 50% chance that I am still pregnant this time next week. So we will see. I am totally not anxious about any of that, weight, arrival etc. It's in God's hands and I am grateful for this big healthy baby boy who is thriving in my tummy.

The nurse did say "i'd just put this one in the refrigerator when he's born" - meaning he's as big as a Thanksgiving turkey, so we should just save him. Last time he was "cooked", this time he's in the fridge, maybe next time he'll be on the table and ready to serve :).

Fall Blessings

Just a little testimony on how God TRULY does provide for the desires of our hearts.

I've been reading the local newspaper frequently over the last month and have seen a Harvest Festival advertised at Butler's Orchard - which is only like 10 mins from our house. It looked like so much fun and a great way to experience Maryland in the Fall - and maybe even a great

event to do with my dad while he was here visiting from CA. The thing was, it is only open on weekends, (Nate is usually studying and testing out on the weekends) and it would be $10 a ticket for ages 2 and over. So I pretty much scrapped that idea.

Sunday afternoon I got an email from Julie Purswell saying that someone from the church donated 8 tickets for any PC families wanting to go. There are 17 families in our class, so they were basically going to be distributed once she knew who was interested. I replied and said, if 3

tickest were available, we could swing $10 to go - PLUS they were open Monday for Columbus Day (they are usually closed Monday's which is our family day, so it has never been an option to go then) ... long story short, only 1 other family replied, so we got 4 tickets and all of us got to go and enjoy a very fall-ish day at Butler's Orchard, for free! Lord, you are SO good to us!

Potential Future Sumo Wrestler ...

Today Nate & Sophie and I went to my 3rd trimester ultra sound together. We were SO excited, and Sophie was especially excited to see pics of her new baby brother.

Baby boy @ 19 wks 3 days - who is now so big at 37 wks they couldn't even

get a face shot of him - the nurse said "yep, he's cooked" lol!

We got into the sonogram room and I hopped up on the table, expecting to see hands and feet and a cute squished face as we did 17 weeks prior... The technician measured his head and the next thing she came across was his belly. She measured it, and then measured it again. Checked her charts and measured him again. Nate asked if there was something concerning, and she said "well, see that 'OOR' right there? That means 'out of range' basically his stomach is measuring larger than 41 weeks." I looked at Nate and just laughed. She tried a couple more angles and still 'OOR'. His head was also so far down and pressed into my pelvis that she couldn't even get a picture of his face "Yup, he's cooked" is what she said.

So we walked into the exam room and waited to see Dr. Apgar. Jen his nurse came in to take vitals and told us that he is a big boy and as of now is measuring 9 lbs!! She said at this point in the pregnancy, you can give or take a pound with that estimation - I'm thinking, OK, so he's 8 lbs OR he's 10, HA! Dr Apgar said that they really don't have concerns, my glucose levels are exemplary and there is no possibility of gestational diabetes. So basically we're gonna let nature take it's course (well, God and HIS sovereignty is what WE are trusting in). I also found out I am 2cm dilated and 50% effaced (thinned out) already.

This answers my questions in regards to the 6 additional stretch marks I have recently discovered and the fact that I am waking up at least once an hour, if not twice, at night to use the restroom - I have a mini-sumo wrestler pressed against my bladder!

(I'll be going in next Thurs and they are gonna do another ultra sound to check this guy out and see how he's doing then too, so I will keep everyone posted. CRAZY!)

SNAKE!!!

So Nate was in the backyard, finishing the grilling that I had started before he got home. Sophie goes out with him and yells,"Daddy, snake!" SOOO thankful it had fallen down into the window well and couldn't get out, he was a good sized snake. We had some neighbors send their kids over to check it out - it was really mean and would strike at anything you put down there. We weren't sure what kind it was, but the boys across the street said that it was a Copperhead - 1 of 2 poisonous snakes here in MD.

So, they took the gracious liberty of ridding us of the snake, and after a careful dissection and removal of the frog that it had just eaten along with who knows what else - boys, I'll tell ya, haha, and I will soon have 2! - they also confirmed that it was a venomous snake! Just the thought of Sophie frog hunting in our backyard and coming across this guy on her own ... I never realized I hated snakes so much until this one made it's way into our yard. Thank you Jesus for your protection, and for neighborhood boys who thrive off of things like this :).

Biblical Fellowship - Week 4

Last week, we wrapped up our class on Biblical Fellowship, taught by Kenneth Maresco (I failed to get up our last two weeks up, so I dropped them into a separate post - here is the link: Week 2-3 - Hermeneutics and Old Testament 1). Kenneth is one of the two executive pastors at Covenant Life. He humbly served us with great wisdom and care, as he taught from many years of experience as a husband, father, and pastor. He helped us see how through the power of the Word and scripture, the gospel connects to changing our lives, using the means of the the local church, community, and primarily in contexts such as Care Groups. One of the books of study this week was Jonathan Edwards' - "Charity & Its Fruits", writing on 1 Corinthians 13. The chapter we read as on "Charity (Love) suffereth long, and is kind". A very real part of life in a fallen world is that we suffer pain, injury, and hurt when people sin against us. Having a community of believers to care for us, and remind us of the gospel in those times is so vital. Edward's words are powerful, sobering, and helpful in setting our hearts right in moments of injury from others:

"...love to God tends to humility, which is one main root of a meek and long-suffering spirit. Love to God, as it exalts him, tends to low thoughts and estimates of ourselves, and leads to a deep sense of our unworthiness and our desert of ill, because he that loves God is sensible of the hatefulness and vileness of sin committed against the Being that he loves. And discerning an abundance of this in himself, he abhors himself in his own eyes, as unworthy of any good, and deserving of all evil. Humility is always found connected with long-suffering, as says the apostle (Eph. 4:2) — "With all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love." A humble spirit disinclines us to indulge resentment of injuries, for he that is little and unworthy in his own eyes, will not think so much of an injury offered to him as he that has high thoughts of himself. For it is deemed a greater and higher enormity to offend one that is great and high, than one that is mean and vile. It is pride or self-conceit that is very much the foundation of a high and bitter resentment, and of an unforgiving and revengeful spirit.

It is from littleness of mind that the soul is easily disturbed and put out of repose by the reproaches and ill-treatment of men: just as little streams of water are much disturbed by the small unevennesses and obstacles they meet with in their course, and make a great deal of noise as they pass over them, whereas great and mighty streams pass over the same obstacles calmly and quietly, without a ripple on the surface to show they are disturbed. He that possesses his soul after such a manner that, when others harm and injure him, he can, notwithstanding, remain in calmness and hearty goodwill toward them, pitying and forgiving them from the heart, manifests therein a godlike greatness of spirit. Such a meek and quiet and long-suffering spirit shows a true greatness of soul.."

Jonathan Edwards, "From Charity and It's Fruits-Sermon 4-Charity Disposes Us Meekly To Bear The Injuries Received From Others"

(Overdue) Week 2-3- Old Testament 1 & Hermeneutics

Old Testament 1
My second class was Old Testament 1, with Bruce Chick. A little about Bruce, he is the pastor of Sovereign Grace in Roanoke, VA. Bruce has an amazing testimony that he shared with us, from growing up in and out of church, to getting saved, playing professional baseball in the Triple A, to becoming a pastor. He is a godly man, humble, and wise. We were so served all week by his example of humility, but his amazing knowledge and skill in handling the Old Testament texts.

OT 1 focused on the Pentateuch, which is the first 5 books of the bible. It was a challenging week, probably the toughest yet, but sensed God's grace through it all, and learned so much!

God was at work creating categories for me to see the richness of the Old Testament - that are rich with God's covenant making and keeping power for his redeemed people.

Hermeneutics

Following that, was Hermeneutics with Mark Mullery. Mark is the pastor of the Sovereign Grace church in Fairfax, VA. "Biblical hermeneutics is the craft of interpreting scripture." It is the process, skill, and steps that we use to approach and interpret scripture. Here is an excellent quote that came out of our lectures to help explain:

““Biblical interpretation has as its goal to discover the original meaning and intention of the text. Its goal is exegesis—to lead the meaning out of the text—and shuns eisogesis—bringing meaning to the text. Or as Luther put it: ‘The best teacher is the one who does not bring his meaning into the Scripture but gets his meaning from the Scripture.’” ( Bernard Ramm, Protestant Biblical Interpretation, p. 115.)

This would be my aim too - to allow scripture to speak for itself. May God continue to grant us at Oasis to do that very thing, that the emphasis and focus would never be our words, but that we would allow God to speak to us through His word! That we would tune in and listen to His voice in scripture!

20 Minutes with Mickey D and Sophie

I had the delight to run out for a quick daddy-daughter desert time after dinner with Sophie the other day. I never knew how fast a 3 year-old could down a entire McDonald's Ice Cream Cone! While being amazed at her whoofing down soft serve, laughing and having fun, I was able to learn few things about my little princes. I learned about her:

Favorite friend: Chasey (Chason, her little bro)

Favorite Color: Blue

Favorite Movie: Monster Inc.

Favorite thing to do: Color and read books

Thing that makes her sad: Chasey when he cries

She loves her little bro!

More than these neat details of her life, I learned a few other things that evening about being a dad. I gained insight into the potential that just 20 minutes can have with my children. I see that taking advantage of a simple but unique setting can create magnificent memories in the mind's and heart's of my children. It is also amazing that a simple buck-25, and just 20 minutes can be a precious investment with a profound impact.

Family Day

Monday's we have dubbed "Family Day", Nate is off of school and for the better part of the day is free to spend time with the fam - other than studying in the afternoon during the kids naps or in the evening when they go to bed. Sophie just glows on Monday's, she LOVES hangin' with her daddy :).

This morning we headed out early to a new favorite spot we have "Yummy Donuts" for breakfast. Sophie opted for the "pink one" instead of her regular favorite "the ball donut" which has the little ball sprinkles. Then I went to my Doctor's appt while Nate and the kids played at the fountain at the hospital next to my clinic. After that we changed diapers and had potty breaks and drove out to South Germantown Recreational Park, better know as "Castle Park" to play some more.

Home for lunch and naps and now Sophie is accompanying Nate to his chiropractors appt - which she thought was pretty cool. I need to figure out what i'm gonna make for dinner, but just wanted to get caught up a bit on blogging - thanks to all who are checking in on us, we can so sense God's grace and kindness and provision for us during this crazy and wonderful season of our lives.

*Oh, I get to go to school with Nate tomorrow all day, to his Biblical Fellowship class. Will be fun to see what his day looks like at the PC. And another exciting side note, we have an ultra sound scheduled for Oct 5th, so we'll get to see our baby boy again, and we plan on bringing Sophie with us this time. All is going well, they say he is still measuring big - I believe them, lol! And he is looking healthy and well. So we'll keep you posted on that too, hard to believe in a months time we could have baby #3 here with us!

Here are some pics from our day ...

Hard Times in MD

It is amazing how much more "date nights" are thoroughly savored by us now that Nate is into the PC full swing. With failed attempts at sharing the details of our day with one another at the dinner table in the midst of the chaos of the kids, Saturdays have turned into such a sweet time of sharing what Jesus has been doing in our hearts, what has been going on at home with me and with Nate at school. And this last Saturday we hit Hard Times, Hard Time Cafe that is ... www.hardtimes.com

A recommendation given to us by a classmates wife who is a local. It was a total hole in the wall, the kind of place we both love to try, and unknown to us, their specialty was chili.

I had the Frito Pie with Cincinatti style chili and Nate had a HUGE Chilicheddar Burger topped with a spicier Terlingua Red chili. It was great, and next-door was a little italian ice place that had some tasty mango italian ice. It was nothing fancy, but a great way to spend our evening - oh, and I even made a good joke that impressed Nate - which is rare, I think I make jokes and he laughs just because it's goofy, but it was actually witty this time, lol! As we were waiting for our food, the power went off and on (apparently someone had hit a power line outside, but we didn't know this at the time) and I looked at Nate, raised my eyebrows and said "hard times, huh?" and he said "that was good" with a big smile on his face. Those are the things I live for being that he is usually the one making me chuckle :). Fun times at Hard Times, those date nights always leave me refreshed and more in love with my husband, always looking forward to the next Saturday.