One Month

We survived one month today!!!!!! Carson is officially one month old and he is growing so much. I had an appointment today but they had to call and reschedule so now I won't know how much he weighs or has grown until Monday, but he is fitting into newborn stuff now perfectly and soon will be wearing all 0-3 months stuff. I think he is starting to focus more on me now, and sometimes I think he actually is smiling purposefully at me. It is so cute. And definitely this week he has been more alert and awake without crying, which is nice too.

This month did come with some challenges. My mom was here for almost all of it, and I know that is a long time but it was perfect for us. The 3rd week of Carson's life I got pretty sick with an infection and then a side effect of the antibiotics, it was terrible and I almost gave up nursing every day. But I pushed through it, and only got through it because I still had my mom here. She was so so helpful with everything. I really believe that God knew I was going to get sick and perfectly worked out the timing of her stay here. She is a godly woman who always sacrifices so much for her children. I really hope I can show my kids that sacrificial love like she always does to us. She was away from her husband for over 3 weeks (which I was hard for her, and I don't know if I could do that) and she helped financially and time wise with so many things while she was here. God thank you for a wonderful mother.

My best friend from College (kristen lownes (steinmentz)) came that week too. I was pretty emotional and did not plan on spending our time together as sick and crying as I was, but she was such an encouragement to me and helped me through it. I loved spending so much time with her since we are so far apart now. She is truly my best girl friend and we have so man memories together. She really is a good example to me of a christlike wife and homemaker, and I am so thankful that God put her in my life to challenge me to be more like Christ. I can see her desire to be a godly woman and she always challenges me, even if she doesn't know that.

SO I survived through the worst of nursing I hope and came out on the other end still nursing. ( I won't go into too much detail in case there are male readers).
Now we just have to make it through one more week of school. The end of the semester is always pretty terrible, and I think it's mostly because throughout the rest of the semester school is always what gets put off first, so then we pay for it in the end. But this week has been pretty hard on Richard, and then I am hard on him too. I hope that one day I will not be selfiish about things. It really is so so hard and sometimes I think impossible to not be selfish about his time, but I know that God can help me through it.

My mom left on tuesday this week and so far I've been good. :-) I am still really enjoying being home all the time.

The month of May will be pretty busy and at the end of the month I go back to work, so I have much to accomplish in May. My grandparents and my sister Juli are coming that month too which I'm really looking forward to.

We just can't wait until the summer. We have high expectations of enjoying this little boy together as a family without school work. :-) I hope it doesn't go by too fast.

Carson William Gardner

So as all of you already know (because facebook is so much easier to notify quicker), I am no longer pregnant and have a BEAUTIFUL baby boy in my arms.
I started having contractions on sunday 3/22 about 4 or 5pm. They didn't hurt so I was basically convinced that they would just stop, so I didn't get excited because I didn't want to get my hopes up. Then about 9 or 10 pm Richard said (because they were coming so rythmically, although painless, just tightening) " Maybe you should go get some things together for the hospital just in case". We were going back and forth about what we should do. But at about 10:30 or 11 we figured, well it will probably continue like this for at least a day if not more so let's just try to get a good night's sleep and went to bed. Once I layed down the contractions started becoming slightly painful, and then I got up to use the bathroom and then my water broke. Oh Boy!!!! WE just looked at eachother (it was unmistakeably that my water had broke) and were like, "ok, lets do something now":-) So I called the hospital and they said to go in. So we got the bag that we had just gotten ready and drove to the hospital. (and by the way, once your water breaks, it just keeps flowing, it's not just one gush, it will flow for a while, I didn't know that).

So we were in for a long night and day. I was in labor for a while and once the pitocin started things progressed great, and I got an epidural, and then I was feeling good. Up until the epidural (at about 5-6 cent.) I thought I was going to die. It was not very fun. But after that point, thing went great!. I was feeling good, and got to the pushing stage. WE were so so so excited that it was almost here. So I started pushing through a few contractions and felt great and was doing a good job. Then all of the sudden the doctor and a whole slew of people rushed into the room and said no questions asked, we had to go to a c-section. I was very very disappointed but trusted teh doctor. (throughout most of the contractions once the pitocin was started Carson's heart rate had been dropping a lot, and I had to keep moving posistions to try to help it, and I guess the pushing was making it drop way to much and he was under way too much stress). I really was looking forward to it being over soon, but instead was rushed to a c-section which was not fun, and now have had quite a longer recovery.
But he was born on Monday 3/23 @ 4:22pm. He was 6lbs and 13 oz. and 19 inches long. He has quite a bit of blonde blonde hair and was the talk of the hospital that day. Every nurse that came into our room said, oh this is the blonde baby that everyone is talking about. :-) I felt so proud.
For a day or so every nurse that walked into our room and said how cute he was I got so teary eyed. I have never thought that anything was so precious and cute as when they brought him over to my head after he was cleaned up (see pics on fb).

So we left the hospital on thursday afternoon and were so thankful to be home. Jerelyn was here for that day and the next until my mom got here. Richard went and picked her up from Newark airport on Friday night, and she has been the biggest help with everything.
So this week has been a process of learning about nursing, and enjoying my beautiful baby. Richard had all last week off of school and work, but this week has jumped right back into everything. It's going to be a long 5 weeks until the end of the semester for him, but I know he can do it. I sorta feel like I can't ask him to help me with anything so he can rest, and do homework and work, but at the same time, all he wants to do is hold his son and help me take care of him. So we will just all be glad when this semester is over, and we have the whole summer together!!!
I'll add a few pics, but for a lot more just look on facebook. :)

Lots going on

So I have a lot going on in my life, but nothing really that exciting to write about. Although I figure I do need to update since who knows when this baby will be here, and when I will be tired and busy with my baby boy. :-) So yes, I am 37 weeks pregnant, and would be fine with the baby coming any day now. (I think all pregnant people say that). Although I sort of am hoping and praying that he will come on March 28th. (My last day of work is the 27th and my mom flies in that night, so it would be perfect)

I haven't really slowed down on anything or stopped doing anything yet, and that is getting pretty hard for me to keep up. I still go to work every day, and still help with the weds night program at church, still doing lots of things throughout the whole week after work, and staying on top of my seminary wives fellowship duties. Between all of that I feel very busy every night after work and on the weekends. But I guess it helps the time go by faster. I also have been preoccupied with getting the nursery ready. I would not say it's "nesting" because it's my nature to make sure my house is clean, things are getting accomplished, and that things are ready and planned for anyways, so I just am staying on top of everything that I need to plan for. In no way do I feel like I'm "nesting".

I did have a shower given to me by my fellow friends here at our wonderful new church. They did an amazing job, and I had so much fun. My twin, Jerelyn, was able to come up (she is 20 weeks pregnant) and we had a wonderful time. it was a fast trip for her and her little boy, but I loved spending every minute with her. It was special for me to have her here for my shower too. They also did a great job of involving my mother, and she had written a beautiful letter to read to me and frame for the baby's room, and my mom also gave me the bedding that I really wanted for our crib. (My mom is so amazing at always making things special for us, even though she lives overseas.) Thank you friend for knowing how much it means to my mother and I to have that special time too.

Richard and I have been so overwhelmed by God's goodness to us. Whether its been through showers, gifts, money, jobs etc. God lets us have things that are so nice even though we realize that we don't need all of these things. He still give us these nice commodities. We both need to remember this time when we are going through hard times financially (which will probably be here after this baby is born, and other ones come on the way). People throughout this whole pregnancy have been so generous to us. A couple times I have been down to the old office I used to work in, and they always take me out to eat, and give me money for the baby, and other people from the office have given us gift cards. The showers that I have had have given us so many of the things that we "wanted". We can truly say that we have everything we need, and everything that will just be nice to have. Through gift cards we were able to also get a really nice travel system (car seat/stroller combo).

I could go on and on about all the things that people have given us, or how things have worked out financially for us through our jobs and taxes etc. But I really just want to get across the fact that we are truly truly grateful for how God provides through circumstances and people, and how he takes care of his children. We hope that the rest of our lives, Richard and I can also be as generous and giving as people have been to us. We are so humbled by everything.

Another thing - My job has approved me to work from home after the baby is born. I will have about 8 weeks off, and then I will work about 16 hrs a week from home, and after maternity leave status is through (4 months) I will go to about 20 hrs a week. And most of those hours will be from home!!! and if I do have to come into the office, my manager is gracious enough to let me bring the baby with me. :-) God truly has worked through this whole job, and we are so grateful.

So now all that is left is to pack my hospital bag and for the contractions to start. I am definitely ready. As impatient of a person that I naturally am, you can all imagine how I'm getting. :-) I'm always ready for the next phase a while before it actually comes. "Enough thinking and planning for all of this, I'm ready to just do it" !!! That's what I say. :-)

Food for Thought

So I need to admit something, I don't think that Northland's mandated devos helped me too much for my normal adult life. I still find it very hard to get consistent purposeful time reading God's word. Sometimes I wonder if I even thirst for it anymore. (and sometimes I think I rely on my husband's spiritual life more than mine, because he is so much better at it than me). But recently I have really been challenged not by anything specific but just that if I am going into this new phase of being a mother and do not ground myself in the Word how can I be a godly mother to this little boy? So I have purposed for 2-3 weeks now to wake up earlier than normal and try to read the Word and concentrate on some prayer. Now mind you, I have not had any wonderful revelations or huge experiences, but I do appreciate the quiet time I have been having so far.
Last night was our Seminary wives fellowship . . . We had a lady speak to us about our daily walk and "devotions". (how appropriate huh) She was a great lady and very grounded in the Word. I had never met her before but liked her instantly. She said probably 2 things that stuck with me so far. She asked what we are called to and then asnwered it by - our highest calling is to be faithful to God and his Word. None of this mumbo jumbo about what is God's calling on my life or anything, just plain and simple he has called me to Him and to his Word. So if I want to follow his calling, I need to spend time with Him.
Also she said something about having a biblical based foundation for what we do. She was specifically meaning in regards to being a wife and a mother. So many (even me so far) have our ideas of how we should be as a wife and mother and that is why we do the things we do. The ideas are from presuppositions, how our mother did it, books we've read. But she mentioned that when we go through the hard times, we need to be grounded in the reason we raise our child that way or take care of our home in a certain way. That if we are not biblically grounded we won't have a good answer to the testings that come. It is my goal now to develop a bibilically based foundation and purpose for why I do every responsibility when it comes to keeping my house, being a wife to my husband and raising my children. I want to do it with purpose, not just because I have a bunch of ideas that i've talked about with friends, and read about in a book, or been taught by my mother.
It was a very encouraging time. A lot of things that I need to concentrate on, and I also realized how much I have slipped in my daily life of not being a Word driven woman.

Swag Bucks

http://swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-register&rb=311298.

Click on this link and then use swagbucks as your search engine instead of Google or something like that. Everytime you use it you get points (well its pretty random) but those points build up and then you can redeem them for anything they offer, like Barnes and noble cards, amazon.com cards. starbuck cards. I think its worth it. And if you use this link, then I get points from you signing up too. :-) It doesn't change anything so why now. :-) Try it out.

First Baby Shower

This past weekend we traveled to Boston on friday afternoon after work. I always get worried about Richard being able to get off of work, but thankfully we were walking out the door in record time. We got to Boston in good time, and amazingly enough I didn't make Richard stop too much for me. He says he doesn't even hardly notice a difference. Although, riding in the car is more uncomfortable.

We stayed at my Auntie Terre's house (she is my mom's sister, and I lived with her after graduation for a few months) and I always love visiting with her again. The shower was a brunch shower on Saturday morning, and I must say brunch showers are so fun. My aunt is a wonderful entertainer and always throws a great party. I got to see a lot of people from my parents home church at the shower, and loved catching up with child hood friends.

I was amazed once again at how God amazingly provides for us, and completely overwhelmed with gratefulness. For my Aunt and cousin who threw the shower for me, and for all the wonderful gifts. It is so helpful for first time parents. I did get 2 of the pack -n-plays off my registry (I don't really know how that happens), but its ok, becuase I will return one and put it towards my stroller, and I didn't even know if I would be able to get one, so two is even better. :-) The only problem was the awkwardness when I opened them up one right after another, it was like uh, oh, sorry. :-) I got a lot of other useful things also, like a Bumbo (which was another luxury I didn't think I would be able to get) and a lot of practical things instead of clothes,(although I did get some), but it was a very good shower.

We didn't get to go to church on sunday because they had so much snow and i was sad not to be able to see people again from the church I was married in. But the snow had stopped by the afternoon and we were able to make it back to our place that night for Richard to go to work on Monday (thankfully i had the day off!!)

I know that my church here is going to give me a shower too in Feb, and am looking forward to it again. They are just fun. Like Christmas just for you!!! (but I cannot express how thankful I am also)

Christmas/ New Years 2009

Well, we're back. :-)

We were very busy leading up to our trip to Ecuador as you already know. IT was a long awaited vacation trip for us.

WE left really early on Christmas Eve with Jerelyn and her family to fly out of Newark about 2 hours from our house. I don't really feel the need to go into detail about our trip. But I will say that it was a very hectic pretty stressful, long and tiring day of traveling. But God also took care of us, our luggage and the schedule. He had a plan, and thankfully we did arrive in Quito and then had a 4 hour drive to my parents house. It made for about 23 hours of traveling, but God worked everything out.

Needless to say we didn't do too much on CHristmas day. Between my being 26 weeks pregnant, my mom's blood pressure, and (big news!) Jerelyn being 9 weeks pregnant!!!! we didn't do too much. Us pregnant people were just laying around alot of the day chatting with our mom and loving the little baby that was there.

The altitude didn't affect me too much, just maybe a little extra tired and out of breath after walking up the stairs. I did take naps just about everyday.

I think the best thing about the trip, is the laid back atmosphere of living in a 3rd world country, cooking with my mom, helping her with things, chatting with all the girls in the family and speaking spanish again. Juli came the 28th of Dec and left a few days after us, but we did have one full week together and we enjoyed every minute of it.

In Ecuador the big holiday is not christmas but New Years. Its an experience that is very hard to describe to someone, and you just pretty much have to see it and experience it with your own eyes. They burn an "Old Man" which supposedly is the old year and then bring in the New Year. So all day on New Years Eve people construct the old men to burn that night at midnight. The town is crazy and does a lot of crazy things. OF course what is saddest to us, is the profanity, and sinfulness that is associated with this time of year, but its also neat to show the new christians how to experience it in a God honoring way. So we had a get together with the church and burned our own old men. The years I have known Richard I had told him about this, and finally he was able to experience, the sights, the sounds, the smells of the town of Riobamba during their festivities of the New Year. We were so thankful to be there during this time, with my family.

WE have a lot to be thankful for over the past year. But especially for his provision and protection and the enjoyment that we had on this trip. It was a great way to end the old year, and start the new year.

The trip back was pretty uneventful but also very tiring again, and had a day to rest before we are back into the grind of things.

Meanwhile, my pregnancy keeps progressing without complications so far, Praise God. Things are going well, and I definitely can feel the baby kicking me a lot! and am starting to get bigger and bigger every week. ITs a little hard to get used to, but that is life. :-) This was my 26 week picture in Ecuador. I loved that I could take one in front of the snow capped mountain. :-)( I am now 28 weeks along though)