Pregnancy

Ezekiel’s Birth Story

June 25, 2018

Hey! Guess what!!!!!!!! Since the last time we chatted I had a baby! Wooohoo! The much anticipated arrival of Ezekiel came about 2 weeks ago.

I personally love hearing ~~war~~ birth stories because let’s be real labor and pushing out a baby may be about as close to fighting a war as I get, so I thought I would share mine here.

Ezekiel was induced. My body does this interesting thing where it dialates without being in active labor. I had already been at a 4, without active labor for 2 weeks and my OB was very surprised (as was I) that I had made it to my due date. This whole situation sort of left me a little on edge, because Finn came a week early and when I went into labor it was incredibly intense and a little stressful waking up in the middle of the night and realizing wow- ouch – I have to get to the hospital – then frantically calling our friends to see who could come stay with Caden and by the time I got to the hospital I was already at an 8… and begging every passing person for an epidural…. but that is a different birth story for a different time… poor 3 rd child Zeke- can’t even get his own air time here… already sharing his birth story with his bro’s. All that to say the whole, I’m just walking around dialated caring for 2 toddlers and seriously could be at an 8 within an hour, left me a little frantic with this ever revolving list in my head of who was available when to come be with the kids.

I went through transition without an epidural (and have long transitions) with both Caden and Finn. I was praying that somehow I would have time to get an epidural before transition with Ezekiel. So honestly, although I had an induction with Caden and it wasn’t very peaceful or a great experience (except ya know the whole meeting Caden part). So I was apprehensive about doing an induction again. Fortunately God gave us a lot of peace and clarity that we were to do the induction. Our hospital will only let you go 1 week past your due date, and our OB was going to be going on vacation at the one week mark. (I mean how could she leave at a time like that!). We really wanted her to do the induction so we opted to induce before she left.

Several friends had felt like the Lord was promising a very peaceful labor and delivery and a redemption from some of the drama and stress of my last 2 deliveries. But I still felt NERVOUS walking in there – at 5 AM!!! We grabbed some whataburger tacos before getting there and drove in the rain to the hospital… it was a long and dangerous journey…. j/k we live 2 minutes from the hospital- after arriving I was checked and was barely at a 5. I kept feeling like it was God answering my special request for an epidural before I went into transition.

They hooked me up to that pitocin and I was at a 6 in like a blink of an eye. So after getting my epidural, I did my make up and declared that this would be my most glamorous child birth experience – I had even gotten my nails done the day before -I mean Princess Kate and her team of stylists had nothing on me.

Less than 4 hours after starting the pitocin he was here after 4 pushes! I pushed for 2 hours with Caden so that was such a relief! It honestly could not have gone anymore peacefully or smoothly. The whole experience was such a gift.

I requested that Come Alive by Lauren Daigle be played as I was pushing him out.

Here is the significance of Ezekiel’s name

Ezekiel: Meaning is God strengthens. He was named after the prophet Ezekiel in the Bible, specifically because we feel there is an anointing on his life to speak the life of Jesus Christ to dead places. In this incedible moment in the book of Ezekiel, chapter 37, God tells Ezekiel to prophecy to a valley of dry bones and this is what happens:

Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! ⁵This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath^[a] enter you, and you will come to life. ⁶I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord. ¹⁰So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.“

Rains: His middle name is Rains. We named him Rains because in the Bible, rain is often a sign of God bringing revival and refreshment, and those are things we believe Ezekiel’s life will bring.

So this is awesome… it POURED RAIN during all of Ezekiel’s labor and delivery. Later that day there was a DOUBLE RAINBOW all over the city!

We felt like the double rainbow was a sweet confirmation from God that the words promised over Ezekiel’s life will come to pass! Also, I just recently realized that in the first chapter of Ezekiel, Ezekiel has a vision of God and uses the analogy of a rainbow to help describe His encounter with God, “Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.” Ezekiel 1:28

Ezekiel’s stats:

Day: Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Time: 10:09 am

Weight: 8lbs, 15 oz (our biggest baby)

Length: 20 & 3/4 in.

Thank you to everyone who was praying and has showered us with love! We are so thankful for this mighty little man of God!!!!!!

Ezekiel’s Nursery!!!

June 14, 2018

Alrighty….39 weeks and counting…hopefully by the time you read this I will be snuggled into my hospital gown, serenely laying on my hospital bed screaming “I WANT AN EPIDURAL!!!”….

Anywho…onto much more wonderful mental images….like Zeke’s cute nursery that we just finished this past weekend. I always love looking at pictures of nurseries…because they’re just sweet. However, this isn’t just your typical look at my cute nursery post so you can pin it on pinterest….

Nope…sigh…this is a post of remorse and confession…and perhaps my confession will in some way encourage you to not do what I did – or if you’ve been there with me, to acknowledge it and move on to a better way of thinking!

Shortly after I found out I was pregnant, a celebrity couple also announced they were expecting – Chip and Joanna Gaines of HGTV’s Fixer Upper, that kind of famous couple who have basically turned a ho hum city only a local could love (I can say this because I lived there for 2 years PG – that’s Pre-Gaines) into an iconic mecca for the design lovers. I mean people plan vacations and their honeymoons around going to Waco now…I still can’t quite believe this…because basically the first 6 months I lived there I begged God almost everyday to move me somewhere else…it was hot, it was flat, it was boring…but I really grew to love it. Like you can if you look hard enough anywhere, I found some incredible treasures in that city, mostly in the relationships with people I developed….some of those people becoming some of my best friends!

I have always loved Fixer Upper and the Gaines’ , think the Silos are so fun and I have really enjoyed seeing the diamond in the rough of Waco, TX emerge. I just think that’s cool…and how so often God works. So when I found out that Chip and Jo Jo were expecting I felt this sort of strange bond between us grow even stronger… we’ve lived in the same place, loved Waco before it became a hip vacation destination, I even attended the same church they attend. Most recently I had a dream where Joanna’s daughter pointed me out and said “look mama it’s the lady that always carries crayons in her back pack” – What can I say??? some people are noticed for their innovative revolution of the entire home décor industry and some are known for how many items they carry with them at all times to hopefully entertain their wild toddlers in any sort of situation they may encounter….we all have our callings….its clear Jo-Jo and I have both found ours….

So when I began to think about Zeke’s nursery….of course my mind instantly flashed the question – How would Jo- Jo design this space? And then that led me down this mental trail…..

I bet Joanna Gaines is designing her nursery right now…
I bet she has thought of the most epic nursery idea that will surely go viral on pinterest and revolutionize how we forever decorate babies’ nurseries.
If only I could see a glimpse of her design plans, than maybe my nursery could ya know win the silver medal of nursery designs.
Hers is going to be so much better than mine!
Maybe if I google farmhouse nursery style and exactly copy that style, I will come close.

Insert labored breathing, rapid heart beat…anxiety….

Yes, as embarrassing as it is to admit…My body actually started showing signs of the beginning of an anxiety attack, because I wanted to know what Joanna Gaines’ nursery plans were so I could somehow copy them and have an epicly cool nursery… I hope Jo – Jo never reads this…because she’s going to tell her daughter to stay away from the “crazy crayon lady”

So there you have it…I compared myself, my skills, my talents, my resources with someone else (in this case Joanna Gaines) and this comparison actually caused me to have anxiety. Not just emotional anxiety, but a physical response in my body.

I literally had to stop myself and have this reality check: I am not Joanna Gaines, I am not leading the forefront of trend setting in the design world and that is good, not just good but it is OK! I am so thankful for Joanna Gaines and every gift and talent God has given her. I am encouraged and inspired by her life to work hard and use the gifts God has given me to glorify Him, and to love my husband and kids and community well. I see her doing that well, and I am so thankful she is. I am also thankful that I am Charity Rios, that God has specifically made me the way He made me…crazy crayon lady I may be…but He loves every way He has made me. I don’t have to be Joanna Gaines or think like her to be happy. Actually it would lame if I was like her…(no offense Jo – Jo) because then the world would be missing what I have been created to bring to the world. My nursery is not going to look like Joanna Gaines…its going to look like the baby aisle of Hobby Lobby….and that’s ok…that is about where my skill set and time and resources put me right now…and that is more than ok.

What does comparision do: It freezes us. We become unable to walk into the fullness of our destinies.

Whether its comparing ourselves to another mom, classmate, friend, or family member. It can happen so easily and quickly and if aren’t vigilant to stop ourselves it can destroy relationships – creating distance between us and other people. It also prevents us from walking into the fullness of who God has created us to be because when we are focused on comparing ourselves with other people it actually blocks us from receiving from God. It stops us from spending the time and energy we have been given to seek God and obey Him, and to develop the talents and skills He has given us.

So what can we do when we find ourselves comparing ourselves to others:

Acknowledge what we are doing is wrong. Repent to God. Repent to a trusted friend. Receive God’s forgiveness.
Ask God what you should do when you feel tempted to compare yourself to others.
Get off social media! Step away for a season, or give yourself strict boundaries (and tell someone!). I also encourage everyone to take 1 day a week and completely stay off social media. It’s a good check for your heart to see how much comparison social media is breeding within you.
Ask God these 2 questions everyday for a month and write down the answers: God who are you? God who do you say I am?
Stop and pray for the person you are comparing yourself to. Thank God for the amazing way He has created them. Ask Him to bless them abundantly that day.

That’s it for today! Just for fun, let me know your guess for my delivery date and time in the comments below! My due date is Tomorrow, Friday, June 15th!

Pregnancy #GameChangers… How I prevented stretch marks, saved on Maternity Clothes and eliminated Back and Hip Pain

May 17, 2018

I am nearing the end of my 5^th pregnancy! 2 of my beautiful babies I will meet in heaven someday. So I have had 3 full term pregnancies. Crazy…It still boggles my mind the amount of weird, uncomfortable and downright annoying things that can happen in pregnancy. I have experienced several of them and many I fortunately have not experienced. I have found through my experiences there are a few products I highly recommend to help ease the annoying and uncomfortable parts of pregnancy!

I am not paid to promote these products. I may receive a small commission if you purchase some of these products.* I have no medical training, please check with your doctor to make sure these suggestions are appropriate for you and your pregnancy. All of my recommendations come from my own personal experiences and I cannot guarantee the success of any of them, for anyone else.

1. Blanqi Support tanks.I found these during my current pregnancy with Ezekiel and they have been a #gamechanger. In all of my pregnancies I have experienced, back, hip and shooting leg pain. Resulting in me needing physical therapy, and during my 2nd full term pregnancy, I developed sciatica and could barely walk. Every pregnancy the pain would start earlier and earlier, in this last current pregnancy it started at week 15! I pretty much panicked…how in the world I wondered would I continue to care for my 2 rowdy toddlers while going through my 2^nd and 3^rd trimesters with this kind of pain. I started physical therapy again and had to go every 1-2 weeks. I had been researching…again…for the millionth time..anything that might give relief when I stumbled upon the Blanqi tanks which have built in support for the belly and back and according to many reviews alleviated back, pelvic and hip pain. Friends, I was skeptical – I mean first of all the price tag was expensive and I had already tried belly bands and they had never done a thing for me…except for make me really hot and itchy….oh and compound my wardrobe problems- because how do you hide those things? Anyways, I was desperate and decided to buy one! #gamechanger Tomorrow I am 36 weeks pregnant which is usually around when my pain would be excruciating and intensifying daily. I have little to no pain every day. Within 30 minutes of taking this tank off, I begin to have shooting back, hip and often leg pain, which shows me how important it is to keep this sucker on!!!!!!!!! I ended up buying 3 because with sweating, and wash and air dry time, I never want to be without it. Choke…the cost is high, but if you use THIS LINK you will find a code for 20% off. Also at this point I would rather spend $72 on a tank top than be physically unable to care for my kids and have to get help and eat way to many take out dinners. That alone makes it worth it too. This post is not sponsored by Blanqi in anyway, I just know there are other women out there who have suffered like I have and want to get the word out that these are game changers! So there you have it my number 1 recommended pregnancy item. You can also find Blanqi on Amazon if you are ~~addicted to~~ really enjoy Amazon like me.
2. Lavande Lotion – I randomly found this product at a farmer’s market about half way through my pregnancy with Caden (my first full term pregnancy). I bought it because it smelled really good and the ingredient list was very simple – my skin is very sensitive to many lotions and skin products especially those that are highly fragranced with artificial fragrances. So I just started using this on my expanding belly and boobs at night. Guess what – I got ZERO stretch marks on my belly. I got only 1 stretch mark on one of my boobs when my milk came in, but it eventually faded. So not knowing if this lotion was a miracle or just a coincidence I decided upon the same regimin with my next 2 pregnanices. Guess what…no stretch marks either. So there you have it – can I guarantee you won’t have stretch marks if you use this lotion?…of course not…but at the very least you will be well moisturized with a beautiful, calming scent. This is much nicer lotion than I typically buy so it has felt like a fun way to pamper myself during a time I don’t feel so pretty…and also a bonus for others that have sensitive skin or are trying to use more natural boycare products – this stuff has worked very well on my highly sensitive skin! Photo Cred: Lighthouse Fine Art Photography Make-Up: Natalie Verboom
3. Cheap and Cute Maternity Dress – Y’all, my favorite maternity dress EVER! Was around $25! And it was from Amazon…hello FREE 2 day shipping and returns. If you have looked on other sites for maternity clothes you know that most maternity dresses easily range from $40-$100, which I have always found a little ridiculous considering how few times you get to use them. I don’t know why I had never thought to look on Amazon for maternity clothes before, but I was blown away by how many adorable and affordable maternity clothes they had.`Here is the exact style I am wearing, I think they are sold out of my pattern. But are so many cute patterns! For reference I was 7 months pregnant when these pics were taken and I am wearing a size Medium. My pre-pregnancy size is a Size Small. I think for this particular style of dress you should size up one size, especially if you are wanting to wear it in your 3rd trimester or a little on the tall size. I am 5ft 8 in. Here are a few more that I think are adorbs!
4. La Croix – Keep your fridge stocked with this magical drink if you are having Nausau – like I did in all my pregnancies! With Caden I drank a lot of ginger ale and sprite to help calm my stomach – which I didn’t love doing because #hellolotsofsugar But it was one of the few things that helped so I drank it. When I was pregnant with Finn a friend suggested I drink La Croix (sparkling flavored water) because you get the bubbles without the sugar! #win When I am pregnant I find the lemon flavor particularly soothing. When I am not pregnant, I love them but am currently obsessed with grapefruit.
5. Nuun tablets – leg cramps at night?…ummm yep me too…because its not like getting up to pee every hour is enough of an interruption to your REM cycle… At first I drank a lot of Gatorade and powerade to try and give me more electrolytes…but like the soda the problem was #sugar – if I am going to consume sugar I would like to in a dessert format…i.e. ice cream, brownies, cheesecake..ya know the good stuff. So I eventually found these and have found in my own scientific research that if I don’t drink one of these tablets in my water…I will have leg cramps that night…side note: bannnas and a magnesium supplement have also helped with the leg cramp issue.
6. Therapedic mattress topper. What Blanqi did for me during the day, this topper helped me with at night. In this pregnancy we splurged and bought one of these. Because #desperate. My hip pain was so bad at night starting with week 15 and I was barely sleeping…It has helped so much in alleviating the pressure on my hips when I hit the point in pregnancy where I had to sleep on my sides. Before this mattress topper I would wake up every 30 min-1 hr all night long with stabbing hip pain, would roll to my other side and flip flop all night long….it was miserable. I tried one million pillow configuarations, body pillows, pregnancy pillows and none of it helped. I realize these are expensive..but again if you are having to pay for consistent chiropractor care or PT care or aren’t able to move well and take care of your kids its worth the investment. To save on this cost, we used a Bed Bath and Beyond 20% off coupon, bought the Therapedic brand instead of the “name brand” Tempur-pedic. They have a phenomenal return policy and we bought a twin, much less than the cost of our king size bed…although now my hubby is jealous of my deluxe mattress topper and wishes he had one too . #sorrybabe… I also found this less expensive version on Amazon, if you are interested in that.

Kines Tape – My physical therapist would use this tape to tape my back and hips and it helped give me a lot of support. Unfortunately for me, my skin after a week or two becomes very sensitive and irritated by the Kines tape so its not a good long term option for me. Which is why the Blanqi tanks are a much better solution for me! But this stuff really is amazing, and there are lots of tutorials online about how to tape yourself to support your back and belly in pregnancy. Like this tutorial I found on Pinterest. If you’re not following me on Pinterest yet, you can find me here!

All right Mamas! I would love to hear from you! What are your Pregnancy #Gamechangers???

*(Note: Clarity with Charity is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. These are my amazon affiliate links, if you should decide to buy them, I receive a tiny percentage.)

Nursery Sneak Peak

July 30, 2014

I have a confession to make….I am ~~slightly~~ completely obsessed with paint samples.

Picking the color for baby boy’s nursery was no exception…I not only used my own collection, but the samples from a few friends DIY projects.

That’s 13 paint samples!!!

I know…. I know…its ~~kind of~~ ridiculous….

Although not as ridiculous as being personally known by the paint lady at the Home Depot…”Back for more samples?” she smirks with a twinkle in her eye.

I secretly hope she thinks I am just a really fast painter and am already on to my next project…

But, I think she’s on to me….

Rene and I actually set the record for the largest amount of paint samples bought for one room, in our former town’s Home Depot… they should give you a coupon…or a punch card for that….buy 10 samples….get the 11th free!

I had finally narrowed it down to these four samples:

And I chose the one on the far left.

Than I went to the paint store – realized the sample card looked like a tan color…was nervous because my final selection was from a paint sample several years old, and I was afraid time had corrupted the color. The thought of buying another paint sample was going to send me over the edge...so I did what every paint sample connoisseur knows to never do…I bought a whole gallon of paint, in a color un tested on my wall…oooopppsss

Don’t worry its – no VOC paint

I gave the room one coat…left for a few hours…came back…and I HATED IT!!!!!!!!!!

I thought I was painting a light blue/gray…but instead it looked like an icy pastel blue…and since we weren’t using Disney’s Frozen as a theme here I ~~was disappointed~~ had a complete meltdown…

I was like a momma bird who had lost all the sticks for her nest…

At church the next day…I found two friends with great DIY skills and even greater hearts. I gave them a hug, and silently pledged to not let go until they promised to come and tell me what color to paint baby boy’s room.

Noting the ~~slight~~ absolute look of pre-natal nesting hysteria in my eyes...they not only came and helped me pick another color but also helped me re-paint the entire room.

Ironically we chose a color that was in my final four

The winner is…. “Flint Smoke”….2nd from the left…however when I painted the sample on the tan wall it looked like Bright Teal (even brighter than it shows in this photo).

When I painted it on the newly painted wall, it gave a completely different dimension to the color which I absolutely loved!

Turns out I wasn’t a paint sample hoarding, hysterical Momma Bear after all. I just needed a new perspective to help me see that “Flint Smoke” was the perfect color.

My painting fiasco reminded me that sometimes when we are faced with a problem we just need a different perspective to help us find a solution.

I was thinking about all the times in life when a situation has seemed overwhelming, unjust, tragic, or impossible to my own human understanding, until I spent time with Jesus and I was able to understand His perspective and it changed everything!

I am reminded of Asaph’s words in Psalms 73. Asaph was a righteous man who served during King David’s reign as the head of all musicians.* He must have been a man familiar with singing praise to God and also humbly serving others in this role. I don’t know what was happening in Asaph’s life to make him write these words: Psalm 73:2&3

But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
my steps had nearly slipped.
For I was envious of the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Maybe he had experienced betrayal by a close friend or felt frustrated by the evil that he saw around him. I think many of us can relate to Asaph’s feeling of injustice…feeling like evil is winning over the good…and it can feel overwhelming like Asaph describes in Psalm 73:17:

But when I thought how to understand this,
it seemed to me a wearisome task,

When Asaph encounters the presence of God his perspective completely changes: Psalm 73: 17b-18

until I went into the sanctuary of God;
then I discerned their end.

Truly you set them in slippery places;
you make them fall to ruin.

Then he sets his heart on the safest and most secure place in the universe: the faithful and unchanging character of God’s goodness: Psalm 73: 25-26

Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

I also believe that God uses His people to help give us a needed perspective shift. If my friend hadn’t suggested re-trying the paint samples over the new color, I never would have found the perfect color! I thought we needed to go and get a completely new batch of paint samples. Fortunately her new perspective on my problem saved me from the humiliation of being “that indecisive preggie lady” visiting the Home Depot paint counter for the billionth time.

We are blessed with wisdom when we seek wise counsel!

What about you? What helps give you a perspective change? Anyone else out there a paint sample connoisseur? Have you ever painted an entire room and hated the color?

(*Reference: http://www.digdeeperdevotions.com/asaph.aspx)

How does pain become bearable? Lessons from my birthing class and the grocery store.

June 25, 2014

How do you respond to pain? Do you silently muscle through it? Clenching your jaw and holding silent stress in every muscle in your body? Are you a screamer (like me) who feels compelled to verbally process every ounce of pain you are experiencing?

Some people seem to almost enjoy the process of pain…friends who train for tri-athletic events on Saturdays come to mind.

I don’t enjoy pain and I don’t look for it. I am careful to avoid pain. I do yoga, pilates and water aerobics. Throughout junior high and high school I avoided contact sports and participated in theater. I decided to be the team d.j. instead of a player on our church’s kickball team….yes I am terrified of a ball hitting my head and yes I am in my 30’s. I don’t like dogs that are big, bark, or jump on you and I have been known to cross to the other side of the street when I hear one barking.

Emotionally I try to avoid pain by keeping everyone happy…this works…. so well never. I am also more inclined to apologize for someone else’s mistake than call them out and watch them suffer a consequence or work through awkward tension.

This picture makes me look like a giant flower bush!!!

You may be surprised to hear that this self admitted pain avoider is planning and preparing for a natural, drug free child birth…I shudder a little whenever I say that phrase.

I am not a woman with a list of 100 reasons why epidurals are evil and believes there is any greater glory to be found in a natural vs. pain medicated childbirth. Any woman who has gone through the challenges and difficulties of pregnancy and delivery of a child whether by c-section, naturally or with drugs is my hero.

I have read my fair share of articles on the benefits of an epidural free delivery, but that is not the reason we are choosing that route.

The reason we are preparing for a drug free, natural vaginal delivery…comes down to a conversation between me and Jesus.

Charity: Jesus, what kind of childbirth do you want me to prepare for? (please say epidural, please say epidural, please say epidural)

Jesus: Natural delivery without an epidural.

Charity: So maybe I should ask again….Jesus, what kind of childbirth do you want me to prepare for? (please say epidural, please say epidural, please say epidural)

Jesus: Natural delivery without an epidural.

Charity: Maybe we should talk about this later.

We did talk about it later…having the same conversation over and over again, until one day, I reluctantly surrendered. “Ok, Jesus, if you are saying to prepare for a natural delivery without an epidural then that is what I will do. But let the record show, I think this is a horrible idea.”

Fast forward this week’s Bradley Birthing Class, where we were welcomed to class with the announcement that we were going to have a labor rehearsal…rehearsal….that’s one word a theater nerd understands.

How do you properly rehearse for something as dreadfully unique as labor and childbirth? Turns out…you can’t…. but there are different relaxation and breathing techniques that you can practice with your birth coach (my awesome husband, Rene) to be more prepared for labor.

Our labor rehearsal consisted of each woman being given a bucket of ice water. We were instructed to lie in a comfortable position and close our eyes. Then our teacher told us to put our hand in the water and not to remove it until instructed. For the first round of our ice bath our birth coaches were not allowed to touch us or talk to us. I also had no idea how long my hand was going to remain suspended in ice.

Going into this exercise, I thought it would be a breeze, I mean I’m from Washington our definition of a nice day at the beach is lower 60’s with a light drizzle…I can survive cold…

That was one of the worst and longest 60 seconds of my life. My husband told me later he thought I was going to start crying… because I WAS! It took every ounce of energy and self control I had to not remove my hand from the water.

I kept trying to do all the relaxation techniques they have taught us in Bradley class, breathe deeply, think about a beautiful beach, focus on breathing air into the tense parts of your body…yeah..right…all I could think was: “ow, ow, ow…when is this torture ending and this exercise must be like freshmen chemistry….designed to weed out the weak from strong…alright Mr. Bradley…you found me out…I’m the weakest link…I’m out of here, this was a huge mistake, I can’t make it through natural labor if I can’t endure my hand sitting in ice water.”

The worst part of the experience was feeling so alone. I knew people were around me, but no one, including my husband could talk to me, touch me or give me an indication of when the torture would end.

The second round was better, because our instructor gave us a verbal countdown of how many seconds remained.

The third and fourth rounds felt like heaven, for one simple reason: my coach could talk to me and touch me.

Rene did such an amazing job of encouraging me, rubbing my back and reminding me of beautiful places we have been together…like the beach!

The activity went from torture to bearable with the insertion of one variable: encouragement!

I left the activity believing that I could actually survive labor without an epidural and realizing how thankful I was that Rene was going to be by my side because he is such a great encourager.

I was thinking about the power of a simple encouragement the rest of the night and it reminded me of earlier that day when I was at the grocery store.

I was headed towards the toilet bowl cleaner when I noticed a woman walking slouched with deep weariness. I felt the Holy Spirit nudge my heart to go and ask her if there was a way I could pray for her.

After working through my fear of how awkward and weird it would be to stalk someone in the dairy section and then talk to them about prayer…I went ahead and found her and asked if there was a way I could pray for me.

She responded by telling me I should probably get out some paper, because her lists of requests was that long.

What she was walking through was one of the most difficult situations I have ever heard. At one point she stopped, looked at me and said with tears in her eyes, “thank you so much for asking” and then she hugged me in the middle of the dairy aisle like she had needed a good hug and a long cry for a decade. I cried too and I prayed, asking Jesus to heal every place that needed healing and encouraged her that “Jesus loves you and He has His eye on you.” And then we both cried and hugged again next to some very confused customers buying their eggs.

She told me that day she had no idea how she would even make it through the end of the day. She felt so defeated in every way: physically, emotionally and spiritually….

But the simplicity of a question, “can I pray for you”

The presence of another human being listening to her story.

An embrace between 2 strangers, reaching beyond social norms, to simply say – I hear your pain, I care and I believe in you.

The power of a prayer, 2 people crying out to the only One who can fix and heal what was so broken…

It gave her the hope she needed to persevere through the rest of the day.

I wish I never missed or ignored an opportunity to encourage people. But I do.

I miss them because I am thinking about my own problems or agenda. I miss them because I am checking my phone. I miss them because I forget to ask, “Father what you are doing right now? How can I be a part of it.”

We need each other, we weren’t made to journey alone.

If you want to be a hope giver, find someone today with their lives stuck in a bucket of despair, in their real life drama starring pain and discouragement and offer them encouragement.

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:15- 16

I’m curious to know other reader’s labor experiences? How did you make it through? Who were your main encouragers through the process? Do you find yourself, like me, distracted and often unaware of those around us needing encouragement? How has someone encouraging you helped you through a tough time?

Baby Bean, Moving, Ice Storms, Kumquat and why I am thankful for Iron….

March 12, 2014

Hello Friends!

Wow, it feels like we haven’t chatted in forever. I hope you are doing awesome!!!! There has been so much going on the past week and a half that I haven’t had a chance to check in…so this should be an action packed update!

After saying good – bye to some of our favorite people and places in Corpus Christi, we have officially moved!

Beautiful Corpus Christi beach!

We’re going to miss our Saturday breakfast dates at Hester’s!

I have no pictures to share of our house covered in wall to wall boxes, because lets be honest I would like to forget that ever happened..especially since we are renting so I know we will have to do this all again someday. We were so blessed that my hubby’s company paid for movers – wow, movers – can I just say having someone come and pack your stuff, and then unload it is my favorite way to move – especially when you are preggo. I think I would still be back in Corpus Christi packing if it hadn’t been for that present from Jesus!

How are Jaxon and Sparta adjusting to their new life ????…all they needed was ~~our~~ their couch and ~~our~~ their favorite blanket to feel right at home.

I think its unfair for me to lose couch access because of these sleepy felines…but they look so cozy I don’t usually have the heart to move them….especially when we experienced a freak March ice storm our first week living in Central Texas. ~~I am so glad you didn’t see~~ I wish you could have seen my husband and I frantically searching for something to scrape the ice off the car at 6:30 a.m. Just a quick note for all the Texans who don’t have ice scrapers – giant barbeque spatulas work great!

And now for the most exciting part of this post…Baby Bean Update!

I am in week 12, which according to some people is the 2nd tri-mester although some sources say its the end of the 1st trimester. What do you think?

Being an eternal optimist I have been saying that I am at the beginning of the 2nd trimester…anything to distance myself from nausea, food aversions and feel like I am making progress. I can’t believe how much baby been has grown since Week 10:

Week 10: Baby Bean is the size of a Kumquat, which I learned is a garnish for beverages. And at $7 a pound…that’s all I could use it for. Try saying “Kumquat” 10 times fast without smiling…Its impossible to not smile when you are repeating that silly word!

Week 11: Baby Bean is the size of a Lime!
I like this pic because you can really see my baby bump =)

Week 12: Baby Bean is the size of a Plum.

Thanks so much for all your prayers for a healthy pregnancy! We met with our doctor before leaving Corpus for a last visit (so sad to leave her, she is truly amazing!) and she said everything was going really well!

We did find out at that visit that my iron levels were really low, which explains why I needed as much sleep as a 1 year old. Having never made it this far in pregnancy I didn’t realize that needing 10 – 12 hours of sleep at night and a 2 naps every day, while still feeling fatigued wasn’t normal. Ooooppppsss… Thank you Jesus for my Iron prescription, the first day I took it last week I felt like a different person!!!!! I still enjoy squeezing in a nap everyday but I don’t need as much sleep and I have lost the feeling that every movement I make is as difficult as trudging through mud.

More beef for me I guess…good thing I live in Texas!!!!

Are you on Spring Break? What are you doing for your break? Have you experienced iron deficiency before? When did your first tri-mester symptoms disappear??? – I am still waiting for that amazing 2nd tri-mester energy burst everyone raves about!!!!