AUCTION!!!!

I LOVE how people come together to help those that they don't even know!!  What's better, is I LOVE seeing God's hand orchestrating it!!  After I published the most recent Burrell fundraising delivery blog (See it here), I was approached my one of our cousins (by marriage) about her wanting to donate something that is super cute for Emma's adoption fund.  I can't even believe it.  Kim makes some REALLY CUTE things for little girls and she wants us to auction off this - the tutu and leg warmers- It's value is $25.  

Here's how the auction is going to work.  Make your bid in the comments section over at Elizabeth Engelhardt Creations and help us raise money for Emma Charity's adoption fund.  The auction will go until 10pm on Friday, February 18th.  On Saturday, I will post the winner.  They will have 24hours to make their payment via paypal.  Please help spread the word & let's see how much money we can raise to bring home Emma Charity.

Her Debut...AKA:She's 7 today!!

I think I went to bed around 11pm to wake up at 4 or 4:30 am in labor.  It was going to be a LONG day.  I was able to labor in the tub for a little bit, but my goal of a 'drug free' birth was not able to take place.  About the time I hit transition I couldn't catch my breath since I was being moved (from the tub to the bed to be checked and back to the tub).  Because of the epidural, my labor stalled for several hours.

When I look back and think about that day, I feel in some ways I could have gone without the epidural, but I also have no regrets from that day.  Perryn made her debut at 4:58 pm and came out with violet (deep blue) eyes and beautiful red hair.  

Perryn,
As I look back over the last seven years of your life, I am amazed by your beauty, your compassion, your love, your imagination, and your creativity.  I love that God has place you in our lives to care for you.  I know that I'm not the best mom in the world, but I pray that I am showing you how to be a Godly wife, mother, sister, and daughter.

I look forward to a fun filled year of you being seven.
I love you precious girl,
Mommy

Now the excitement begins...AKA: continue down memory lane

Well, on this day 7 years ago, we woke up, showered, and tried to figure out what we should do for our day.  I was tired of 'waiting', so Gabe asked me what I wanted to do....church...so we went to church...Guess what happened within 10 min of the preaching starting (I think we were late and missed the singing), yep, contractions came back.  This time I had to pay attention to 2/3rds of them.  Gabe asked me if I wanted to leave and I said, "No way, these aren't going to last long..they'll go away just like the previous 3 days."

Well, I was wrong...they continued throughout the day...we went to lunch with friends and then went home to rest.  I watched Hitchcock's "The Birds" and Gabe played xbox.  Of course, after about 3 hours or so, Gabe suggested we go walking to see if we could get the contractions to kick into gear.  I begged not to go, because I knew that they would go away since that's what they did the previous days.  Guess what, I was right..they left after I was on the treadmill for 10 min.

So, we went back to the apartment, ate some dinner, and went to bed.  I remember falling asleep to "The Bourne Identity"....

.....to be continued until tomorrow, when Perryn makes her debut!!

Recap Continued

So, I didn't update how Miss Perryn made it into the world the last two days because well frankly they were uneventful days.  On Feb 5 and 6, 2004, we would wake up and get our day started.  Our birthing class swore up and down that walking helped labor...ummm...not for me...I would start having some contractions, so we would go walk the mall only for them to stop completely!!

However, on this day, Feb 7, 2004, I woke up and had some serious contractions...or so I thought.  We even called my friend Kecia to come over.  Gabe had the car running, I was laboring, he called the dr, but the midwife said I was in early labor, and not to come in just yet...so guess what I did...I walked...I paced the apartment, praying and hoping that it would help my labor along and we would get to meet our sweet girl on this day...but God had other plans for us.

Tomorrow, was very exciting day for us as we got ready to meet our sweet girl!!  Until then....

On this day 7 years ago

On Feb 4, 2004 I went to work and then went to see Dr. Valenti...my AWESOME OB.  He wanted a biophysical profile of Perryn to see some development stages.  They were measuring the placenta, the fluid level, her size, her head, and her breathing...or the act of.  Well, Edie pushed and pushed on my stomach, but this stubborn girl would not 'breathe', so off to the hospital we went.  They hooked me up to the monitors, fed me some supper, and tried the biophysical profile again.  She failed, again.  Dr. Valenti came in and said he was going to do it because my strips were 'too perfect', but he couldn't even get Perryn to breathe.

He had one more 'trick' up his sleeve to try to get her to breathe, otherwise, we were having a baby that day (which Gabe and I secretly were hoping Perryn would fail the test, so we could meet her sooner), but the black vibrating device he put on my lower stomach did the trick....evidently my girl was loving her sleep then like she does now!!  That vibrating device woke her up and she started 'breathing', so we were sent home to 'wait' for labor to start...This day was the beginning of 5 very long days of labor...no worries...it wasn't too intense...yet.

Her shirt says "Are you sure these are my relatives."

More tomorrow....

One day - One lunch

I just participated in Addisyn's One day - One lunch....Will you join me and the others with giving away your lunch money today to help orphans in Africa?  Here's where you can find out more about One day - One lunch.

a CUTE giveaway

My friend Caroline is having a giveaway of a VERY cute baby blanket giveaway!!  Go check them out!!

You get to choose if you want a pink or blue one!!  Woohoo....IF I win, I know who I'm giving mine too....

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T minus 1 week

Well, the count down has begun for my precious first born to turn 7 in one week....how in the world did time fly by so fast??  I've been thinking and reminiscing over the days leading up to her birth and the first few days and months after her birth.  It was crazy and surreal....but for now, I will leave you with this.

My due date was Feb 2, 2004.  I was still teaching special ed, I had already gained 60 pounds, it hurt to sit for long periods of time, and I could NOT wait to meet my precious girl!!  I will try to update you each day as to what was happening to us as we anxiously awaited the arrival of our first born....

Here's Perryn's meeting her Great-grandparents for the first time.