What's important

Besides the whole rushed birth and emergency C-section of Monday night, we had another fun event. CR lost my wedding ring ...

Since I had no idea I was going to the hospital, I of course had fun jewelry on for the first day of school. I took off all the junk jewelry and put it in my purse, but gave my Aggie ring and wedding ring to CR to put in his pockets. If you know him, you realize this is perfectly fine because he is a "cowboy" and does not wear loose jeans. Anyhow, when we went to the OR we did not have our camera ... it was in the car and CR did not want to leave my side to go get it. So he put my phone in his pocket with my rings so he could take pictures with that. He had to put scrubs on to be able to go into the room. Still all was ok; he remembered checking for my rings often. Then when Kirby was born he was whisked away to follow her to the nursery and to strip down his scrubs. Meanwhile he is pulling my phone in and out of his pocket to answer texts, etc. After about an hour we got to go to a room and he begins emptying his pockets. No wedding ring ... actually, my wedding band was there; it was the solitaire diamond (engagement) that was missing. He told me and I looked at him with my daughter in my arms and said, "That's ok ... it doesn't even matter." What? I honestly felt that. Yes, the idea of the ring matters. What it represents and means matters, but the material part of it doesn't matter. I had my "diamond" in my arms. He went and asked the nurses for a lost and found and let me tell you, those nurses went on ring search lock down. An hour later one of the nurses comes in with my ring ... she had found it in the bottom of the nursery trash can, underneath his scrubs. I still feel the same though. I have always tried hard not to be a materialistic person, but even more so now. God has given us the gift of life here on Earth and eternal life with Him when it is our time. Soak up time with what God has granted you and realize what matters most. It isn't that drink at the end of a long day, that new outfit that makes you look smashing or the huge new home you just built. Yes, these things are nice but they are temporarily going to fulfill that desire.

Speaking of new home ... Saturday we had a moving party with about 5 guys from church and one of my students. They got all of our big stuff moved in! We are still in the other house until they finish up a few final things, but the big stuff is in and settled. CR wants to sleep up there tonight but I want to wait until the other things are finished. We may go eat up there tonight though, so that should be fun. I will post pictures once it is all in and mainly set up.

Here are some pictures of Grammy and Paw's visit this weekend. Mother was able to stay here all last week (such a blessing) and dad came down Friday. They of course had to head back yesterday, but it was hard. I wish we didn't live 5 hours apart; hoping that may change sometime in the future, though.

Remember how I said God laughs at our plans ....

well Poot is here. She got here the day after I wrote the post about having a "planned" busy week. The Lord blessed me with the opportunity to meet my students on the first day of school. While there, I really decided I should call my doctor to see about the possibility of leaking amniotic fluid. I knew that my water had not broken, but I just had a feeling something was not right. My contractions that I had been having really weren't there anymore so I just put in a call. This was at lunch. I was determined to meet everyone, so I stayed until 3:45 (the Lord really watches over me, I tell you). Then I picked CR up in Driscoll, we stopped at TCBY for yogurt because I was starving and thought it may be my last time to eat for awhile, then headed to the ER at Bay Area. My doctor was not in the office but thank the Lord he was on call. I had to go through the ER to get checked out. They totally admitted me and then did a swab to see if it was amniotic fluid. It wasn't, but everytime I had a contraction (that I still never felt even though they showed to be decent on the rector scale) baby's heart rate dropped significantly for a few minutes at a time. Once I heard that, my eyes were glued on the monitor and I just kept praying it would all be ok. Dr. Supnet came in immediately because apparently he gets the monitor screen on his phone and he said this wasn't good. I wasn't leaving and I had 2 options. 1) was to induce labor and have baby that way ... caution: every time you contract baby's heart rate may drop more and more and there is only so much she can take. 2) have a c-section and get her out of there as soon as possible. So I said, "well, we need to do what is best for the baby". "Lauren, if you go through labor we worry about cerebral palsy or still birth because of the heart rate ..." "ok, well then to me there is only 1 option, let's get her out!" 35 minutes later I was receiving my epidural and soon after that baby was out. IT'S A GIRL BY THE WAY! Kirby Rose Patrick was born at 8:36 pm weighing in at 6 lbs, 7 oz and 18 1/2" long. They said, "You have a little peanut!" The whole time I was being cut on I kept praying and saying, "You know the number of hairs on this precious baby's head. You have brought us so far with this pregnancy and the issues that it brought; I know this is the big finale and you have something so amazing to show me soon." Sure enough, I can not imagine being any more happy or in love with what He has given us while we are here on Earth. This was not the route that I of course would have chosen, but this is the route God took us through and He was amazing (did we ever doubt) the whole way through. I immediately began praying as soon as I heard I was for sure having the C-section and a minute later God sent me an Angel ... the nurse that was with me the whole time was the best thing I could have had while there. I have heard many bad stories about people who had horrible nurses that just did not empathize at all. Not Kris; she loved on me, rubbed my back and made me feel so warm and safe in this time where I was really concerned. CR took everything with stride, too. Over this last week in the hospital God just kept reminding me how blessed I am to have him for a husband. I will update more later, but mom, dad and Kirby need my attention right now. Enjoy her beautiful pictures at the new shutterfly ... I had to make a new one because somehow I was always a guest on my own and couldn't change things. So here is the new link :) ... http://kirbyrosepatrick.shutterfly.com/

Progress all around ...

So this next week is "planned" to be a very busy week. Wednesday we should finish with all the corn in the field, CR promises we are moving in on Saturday, and baby is scheduled to be induced on Tuesday (August 31st). Talk about everything coming together at once! Eek! and Yay! However, we know from our experiences that things do not always go as planned. I have heard the phrase many times, "God laughs when we make plans." Sometimes I agree with that, but to an extent as humans we have to have plans. Otherwise we would all be running a muck and it would just be the Pitts ... or as the Patrick's say the Dickens. (One time I asked if the Dickens were the Pitts neighbors! That one got a laugh for the books!)
When we went to the doctor last Thursday we got to see baby on the ultrasound. They were very cautious about not showing us any areas that we didn't want to see. According the them the baby weighs 5 lbs 10 oz, which the doctor said is a little small for being this far along, but that I have been measuring about a week smaller all along and all looks healthy. CR even asked to check for a hair lip or something like that ... I never would have thought about that. The lips looked good though. They confirmed that a foot has definitely been between my rib cage and its booty was to one side. I knew this because my belly has been slightly tilted ... Kyleigh lays like that when she is tired so I knew for sure that was what Poot was doing. Funny huh? I was still at 2 cm dilated and 50% effaced. They scheduled an induction for 5 am August 31st, but that I was "ripe, so really any day now ..."
I went and spoke with the person in our district office in charge of insurance and disability. I am going to end up taking 41 days ... just a little over 6 weeks. This poses a bit more of a funds gap than we were predicting, but my heart said to do it and I felt Jesus' hand reminding me He would take care of everything. With the weekends and such it ends up giving me almost 2 whole months to just think about baby. I know they will fly by and I will not be ready to go back, but it is what I could do.
School starts back tomorrow with the kiddos. It is going to be an interesting year. I am excited that I really do not know any of the students in my classes. I know a few, but nothing like the previous year where I got many of my old students back. I get to start fresh with these guys and that gets me excited. I am still co-teaching, which means that my classes are pretty stacked with what they call "SPED" kids. We know labels are often wrong, so I look forward to seeing what God is going to do with these kids minds, my heart, and my co-teachers talents. I have a new "partner", so this will be a learning experience as well. I love her so far ... she has lots of great ideas to bring to the table it seems like and her kids did awesome on TAKs last year. Ours did too, but maybe with her we will get that boost we need to send CHS into exemplary (we were 3 dropout kids away last year).
CR is frantically trying to get the house ready. He keeps saying, "I promised you we would be in before baby came ... and I let you down a lot with the farm so I am keeping this promise." I just love his sweet heart. I told him that it really didn't matter at this point, but it does to him because it is the principal of "letting me down". As I write this that brings tears to my eyes because his heart is so true. I am so blessed to have a husband that empathizes yet is also so much fun. I am so blessed to have a Godly leader. I am so blessed God lead me to CR for the 2nd time so that I wouldn't miss him again. I love how God sometimes just drops things in front of us and says, "TAKE IT".
No pictures to post right now because CR wants the rest of the house to be seen in person. I will tell you the fireplace got all finished up on Wednesday and it looks better than I could have ever imagined. The man that pieced Grandmother's rock together is a true artist. I am so excited that they got to use her rock ... I never got to meet her and now I feel like in some way she will be a part of us forever.
We will keep you posted on the progress of Poot. Pray with me that Poot stays put till the 31st because then we I go back, it will only be 3 weeks until Thanksgiving break!

Some pics ...

Poot's first pair of boots!

35 weeks and then some ....

Kyleigh was in charge of taking pics. These 2 women are what keep me going! My mother was able to make it to this Calallen shower and I was so glad that she got to meet the many mentor women that God has blessed me with. I really do have an awesome family of God down here. Kitty inspires me to be the "good wife". There are times when farming can get to me, but then I look at her and how she handles everything and gets involved, so it helps me to hike up my big girl panties and jump on the bandwagon ... or should I say the tractor?

The wonderful hostesses and my mentors!

Today we went to a birthing class. There really wasn't anything that they "taught" us that I didn't already know through my wonderful momma friends, books, and emails. My mind set is still to attempt this whole thing without an epidural. I may not make it, but at least I tried. I am already having some pretty regular contractions about every 20 minutes. Last Wednesday I had some really painful ones (which is when the doctor thinks I dilated) and they weren't unbearable. I know they get worse, but I think I can make it through the contractions. It's having 'Poot' squeeze through my body that I am so unsure of. Again, we shall see! I have my Ipod ready to sing me through it. I did learn, though, that if I do have to be induced next week then I will probably want the epidural. Apparently the inducing meds make the contractions come on stronger than if they were to occur on their own, so that may push it over the edge. Please be praying for 'Poot' and I this next week. I feel great, praise the Lord. I start in service tomorrow and I can forsee a long week coming on of sitting. I want to at least make it to the first day of school, meet my kiddos, and then tell them "see you in 6 weeks"! Honestly, the longer baby stays the better because then when I go back, I will be that much closer to Thanksgiving break. I know the Lord will give me strength to get through going back to school, but I also know it will not be easy. "He never said it would be easy ... He only said you wouldn't go it alone." Thank the Lord for that. Love you all and will update as we progress!

Progress

So, I went to the doctor yesterday and I am dilated 2 cm already. I am 35 weeks and a few days, so I am praying it stays put just a little longer. I go back on Thursday to get an ultrasound to check the measurements and such. If I have progressed some more then they will probably induce the following week. I am ready, but I am not. I want to start school to see all my new students, but if God is ready for Poot to be here, then we welcome Poot with open arms whenever He is ready. I had a wonderful shower today. This one was put on by some friends from Sunday school and church. Of course we were showered with many great gifts and the fellowship was great. It was so wonderful to see everyone that we miss since we go to the early service. I love the people that the Lord has brought into my life while being in Bishop. He is amazing! I will post some pictures soon :)!

Realized how long its been ...

So I just now looked and saw how long it had been since I last updated! I knew it had been awhile, but not that long. We do not have Internet at our house right now, so it has been a chore to just long on enough to check emails and pay bills. I think that we can live without Internet ... and then we do for a few weeks and realize how much of my banking and bills I do on there! Eek!
House is coming along ... slowly. The biggest project we are waiting on is the fireplace. This has been a long headache from the day that the framer put it up. Apparently they weren't supposed to frame for it ... they were to wait until the fireplace was in. Well, the fireplace just got put in. So now they have to come back and frame around it. And then the masonry guy comes to put the rock up. Then we can do the last of the floors and should then be able to move in. By the way, I am 36 weeks along. But I am ok with it ... we were told we would be in mid July and we weren't, so now I'm just going along and not stressing about it. We have a pack- n-play so we are ready for baby to sleep wherever we are! No sense in worrying!
Kyleigh has been with m all week. It has been such a joy having her here. I forget during the hustle and bustle of the year how much I miss getting to see her every week or so. Now it is usually months at a time. With Poot coming, though, hopefully that will change.
School starts back for us on Monday, then the following Monday we get kiddos. I'm very interested to see how this year is going to go ... lots of changes. Change can be good, though, if people embrace it and try to make the best of it!
That tis' all for now. More insightful updates later ... right now I get to go play with Kyleigh.