Nana and Papa come to town!

Two weeks after our precious baby boy was born, Jonathan's mom and dad had a chance to fly out to meet him. It was so exciting to have them here in Hawaii for the first time. This is first time that both my parents and Jonathan's parents have spent time together since our wedding, so I know they were also looking forward to getting to know each other better. We got to do a little bit of sightseeing with them, and as usual their time here was anything but boring, but filled with joy of a new member of the family and the wonder that comes from such a beautiful place.

It was definitely exciting to travel with a newborn baby. It meant for lots of driving breaks, so we could feed, burp, or change the baby while we were traveling. For me, it was definitely a wonderful break from the monotony of being in the house all the time. It certainly was a blur as I reflect on that week, as all these things were so new to me, and I was (and am) still getting to know this little man!

It was fun to bring Rob and Theresa to some of our favorite places to dine. Micah is a great traveler. He slept through most of our stops, and seemed to love snoozing to the sounds of people talking. :)

The furthest place on the island we went to was Southpoint, which is the southernmost point of United States. The geography in this area is incredible with the cliffs and deep blue water below.There usually is a group of daredevils jumping in the water. On this particular day however, the conditions were extremely windy and a bit chilly

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I was really impressed with Jonathan when we took his parents on a tour of the University of Nations campus. He walked them all around explaining the history and purpose of each building, I even learned a lot that day.

This was our first family outing to the beach. We took them to our favorite place Kua Bay. It is certainly one of the most picturesque beaches locally. I think it is safe to say they were having a really good time. :-)

On another day, we went to the northern part of the island so they could see the Pololu Valley.

He LOVES the Ergo Carrier. I highly recommend baby wearing.
Even on his fussiest days, this would immediately calm him.

Just seemed like a dream that our sweet baby
was finally with us!

We scoped our the Petroglyphs in Waikoloa. Here's more info. 

On Easter Sunday, we had the privilege of dedicating Micah to Jesus. It was such a special service, and so wonderful to have both sets of grandparents together. Here is the video if you'd like to watch!

 

We had such a wonderful time together. We were definitely spoiled by Rob and Theresa and Micah is sure to never forget all the love they gave him. 

We hope to see you in the near future. We love you so much!

Our Birth Story

Every mom has one. It's one of the most important days of her life as everything changes in just a moment
when her newborn baby is placed in her arms for the very first time.

There are just no words to describe the absolute joy
this little person has brought to our lives.

When I found out we were pregnant and figured out the due date, I resolved in my mind that baby would come whenever he decided he was ready. I didn't want to get stuck in a mental box of impatience at week 39 or 40 about the fact that he was taking too long, so I kept telling myself that he would come a week AFTER his projected due date. The first due date we figured was March 30, the second one (based on the ultrasound) was April 3, therefore I told myself that I wasn't going to hold my sweet baby until April 10.

I wanted everything to be as natural as possible. I wanted to labor at home, then go to the hospital during active labor so the baby could be delivered as soon as possible when we arrived. I didn't want to succumb to the temptation of pain relief via epidural.

Meet Braxton Hicks

It was spring break and I finally was getting the rest my hugely pregnant body craved, well sorta.. I had 2 weeks until the due date and spring break was when I had to finalize substitute teacher plans, finish report cards (my teacher friends can sympathize), and clear the classroom of my belongings. My 1st day on leave would be April 1.  One day as I was embroidering coasters (I was still in the denial phase of procrastination), I felt my belly tighten up like I had never felt before. Weird, I thought.. 30 minutes later it happened again! Whoa! I waited, and sure enough it continued to happen every half hour through the next day. The next day, it went down to 10 minute intervals and I started to get excited. What if???  I kept thinking, even though this was technically 3 weeks before my self-given due date. I texted my doula to let her know, but strangely, I wasn't feeling any pain. Through the rest of Spring Break this continued, and my resolve to remain patient definitely wavered. The last night of Spring Break, I told Jonathan, "I want this baby out, I'm so done," after I had given him a hair cut while maneuvering around my protruding belly. Most people feel super tired and worn out at this point, but honestly I felt good, too good I worried. Maybe baby was just so comfortable in there he would never want to come out! The main side effect I was having was major heart burn, and my bones ached from the relaxin my body was producing to prepare for baby's birth., but I could (mostly) keep up with my kindergartners and stomp all over campus with no problem.

I had one more week of teaching left when I got back from Spring Break. I did NOT want to be there...Mentally, I was ready to be holding my baby. But I still had those report cards to finish, oh, and my principal was going to observe me for evaluations while I was 39 weeks preggo. BRING IT ON! Braxton Hicks continued, but I decided to mentally block it out and continue on, because THE SHOW MUST GO ON!

That week, I started feeling some twinges when I would wake up at night. I just figured it was because I was running out of room inside to house a baby and my organs. Would I even know a contraction when it came?

Week 40

The weekend of March 29 FINALLY arrived, but I had once again made peace with the April 10th date. Saturday morning I walked 2 miles to the beach so I could clear my head, pray, and journal. We did some grocery shopping that night, ate dinner, and went to bed.

I woke up around 3:45am (as per usual), and spent a little extra time in the bathroom (not so usual), and in the span of 15 minutes, had 3 tightening sensations accompanied with some pain. Wonder if this is it... I decided not to wake Jonathan because every one told me I would know when I was in labor, and at this point I didn't know anything.. But then when I had lain down for a few minutes, I felt it again, then again. I finally decided to say something, but then told him to go back to sleep because it might not be anything. About 30 minutes later OUCH! I had to get on my hands and knees. Ok, I'll tell Jonathan now...  And then I got sick into trash can.

Laboring

My mom helping me thru another contraction.

Jonathan was amazing. What an amazing comfort he was to me, giving me the space or counter pressure I needed. He had definitely been paying attention in our birth class :)  He called our doula, Amy, at 5:30, and by 6 she arrived. I believe labor is all about your body position and mental state. I wanted to be able to move freely and do whatever felt comfortable, because I knew these would be the most uncomfortable moments of my life thus far. My favorite position was on the couch on my knees with my arms over the back. Jonathan was on duty to apply counter pressure to my hips by pressing with his hands both sides of my hips in together during each contraction. Mentally, I would think of palm trees and count the fronds as I would breathe deeply and sometimes moan to get my focus off the pain and onto something else. My contractions remained between 4,5, and 6 minutes apart. Suddenly, I remembered I still had one more teaching day left before my long term sub was planning on being there. SHOOT! I needed a substitute teacher to cover for me! So there I was, in between 2 or 3 very intense contractions,  signing in online to put in a request for a sub the next day. Then back to the couch for more laboring. Amy figured that we may be heading to the hospital around 11ish based on the timing of my contractions. Around 830, I felt the urge to push... After it happened again, I told Amy and she was a bit surprised. She said, "Judging by your demeanor and the timing of your contractions, I'd still put you in "early active labor," but if you feel that, maybe we should think about leaving soon." I decided to wait and see if it came again before moving, but Jonathan started grabbing everything and loading up the car. Sure enough, in 2 contractions, I felt it again. So we moved out at 9:30 and it looked like our baby was coming on the original due date, March 30.

Literally seconds after Micah was delivered.
What an emotional picture!

The glorious afterglow of birth.

I still laugh at the image of myself climbing the stairs in full blown labor to leave our apartment. Boy, that was an uncomfortable cruise to the hospital. We arrived around 10, and I was trying to sign my name on waivers and papers while moaning breathing deeply in the wheelchair when the triage nurse told Jonathan to get me upstairs to the Labor and Delivery Unit. They gave me my room and gown and I assumed the kneeling position again. A nurse came into check me, assuming since I was a first time mom I'd have plenty of time, but I was 9 centimeters dilated with my bag of waters bulging since it hadn't broken yet. Amy leaned over and said, "This is it! Baby can come now!" and I knew I could finally push!

An hour later at 11:03 my baby boy was born. I fully opened my eyes for the first time in hours when the nurse plopped him in my arms as I gasped with joy, exhaustion, and pure love for the most beautiful little person I had ever seen in my life. Micah stayed completely alert for 2 hours as I got to hold him, nurse him for the first time, and tell him over and over how beautiful he is. It was pure bliss.

Amy, my wonderful doula

 I am so thankful that Amy was able to be there acting as doula. Just having her there for moral support knowing that she's helped so many women through their deliveries gave me such confidence to be able to have my baby the way I wanted. I'm not sure that we would have known when to leave for the hospital if she wasn't there and that would have been a blow to my confidence, weakening my mental resolve to stay calm. She was there to remind me to breath, relax, and remember that all these feelings were perfectly normal.

Altogether, I had a picture perfect delivery of Micah. I realize that I am so blessed to be able to say this. I got to experience the way God created women's bodies to make and deliver babies in the most beautiful way. For me it was all about just going with the flow, riding each wave of contractions until it was over, and breathing deeply through that process.

Jonathan bathing his baby boy

Getting weighed and measured holding grandpa's hand

Look at that proud daddy!

Field Trip To WHEA

The brown anole

While I was growing up in Florida, my school would make an annual trip to the Environmental center. There we would learn about the ecosystems, animal and marine life that make up the Southern Florida coastline. It was extremely educational and supremely fun. It was always the best field trip of the year, and something I looked forward to. I even got to go while I was student teaching with my 4th grade class. As a kid, and even now as an adult I am fascinated by nature. My best friend and I in grade school used to catch tree-crabs in the intra-coastal waterway to put them on our fingers and boldly declare we were going to marry marine biologists. In college, I would sit out on the front porch of the dorm in the evenings with my future husband and be entranced by the dance of the brown anole lizard and most parts of their very public lifestyle (they have no shame in reproducing with or eating each other). I do, I'll repeat,  I DO brake for birds. I'm fascinated by them, and yes I have imagined what life might be like as a bird. Just don't ask me what their names are. I. don't. know....

The Mangrove Tree Crab

Since beginning my teaching position in Hawaii, I've wondered if there is a program like the Environmental Center here. This is such a unique place with its own marine life and ecosystems, and I know that educating the keiki (children, pronounced "cakey")of Hawaii on their environment has to be a huge priority for the powers that be. So then, my co-teachers told me about this place called WHEA (West Hawaii Exploration Academy), and tried to explain it to me, but still it didn't make sense. Anyhow, we made plans to go on a field trip with our little kinder-keikis and I figured I'd trust the instincts and wisdom of the teachers with more knowledge and wisdom than I in these areas.

Today I embarked on the bold adventure to take 21 children whom have never been on a field trip to a place I have never been. I was blown away.

WHEA is a high school where motivated, independent thinking and working high school kids design projects, grow things, and raise marine life on their own. In the process they train the next years class as they go on to graduate. They run a program that invites local elementary schools and groups to come see the projects the high school students foster. The high school students themselves completely ran the show from the moment we arrived. There were about ten different stations the high school students shared with each group of kinders. There were things to see, smell, taste, touch, and hear. My students were spell bound. To say I was thrilled is an understatement. It was incredible!

Here are some pictures from the day :)

Touching a sea urchin
(wana, pronounced "vana")

Checking out the deep sea fish exhibit.
This included an anglerfish, like the lantern fish from "Finding Nemo"

An oil fish found at 3000 ft below 

This student designed his own 3D printer and made a cell phone case with it.

Holding the Pincushion Starfish at the touch tank

Manmade Coral Reef

Windows into the reef

Students talking about the Pincushion Starfish

The Shark Tank

The Black Tip Shark munching on its lunch

Baby Clown Fish. They breed, incubate, and sell these guys
there to bring a business aspect into their education.

Aquaponics. Where fish poop and make food. The kinders even got to taste the mint and basil!

A real robot that can lift itself up and throw frizbees!

We ended the day with a puppet show about
caring for our world and putting trash in the rubbish bin, NOT the ocean :)

Thoughts from Maternity Life

2014. What a year it's already become. It seems to be sending me barreling down the highway of life at a breakneck speed I can't control.

Earlier this month, I celebrated my 25th birthday. Guess God figured I should have at least a quarter of century under my belt before I got too cocky thinking I could attempt to raise a human being. Here's the weird thing I realized this year..it's been slowly dawning on me each passing year since about the time I turned 21. I don't like birthdays. Well, I like everyone else's birthdays, but I don't like mine. For one, I feel there to be some unspoken expectation about how that particular day is supposed to go that makes me feel definitely insecure. I certainly would label myself as being quite secure and generally unruffled in life, but it's this quirky mixture of celebration and uncertainty that put my feet on uneven platforms. Nevertheless, my family did their best to show me love and celebrate my life and it did not go unappreciated :) How do you feel about your birthday?

This being my first go around with pregnancy, it's been so surreal to take every new experience in. I've discovered quickly that it's not the way I imagined it would be, but it's been way worse and way better than they told me. 

The first sneak peek we got of our baby's face at 26 weeks.
I am smitten. 

It started off pretty rocky, I'm not gonna lie. In the first 12 weeks, it seemed baby was cleansing my entire system from my pre-pregnancy life, causing me to eat like a teenage boy, and driving me to the pillow anytime I knew one was close in proximity. Learning how to teach a new grade level/species of child (aka kindergartners) in a new school system (public education after I have been bred and raised in the private Christian sector) threw me for quite an emotional and energy zapping loop as well. 

But GLORY BE! The second trimester brought with a (more) contented stomach, energy to do a few chores in the evening, and a later bedtime (hello 10:00!).

Now that I'm in my final trimester, I am feeling much more like myself.. trouble is, I'm about 30 pounds heavier...and my school campus is built on a steep hill that includes LOTS of stairs. If I ever needed a taste of an overweight lifestyle to keep me from getting lazy, boy, have I tasted all I want! Everyday as I walk from the cafeteria at the bottom of campus to my classroom at the top (around 4-5 times daily) I breathe thanksgiving for the temporary nature of my "condition." I am SO THANKFUL for the energy I have :)

Everyday that passes brings me one day closer to meeting the new little man in my life. The anticipation is the most precious and sweet feeling I've ever known.

It truly has been the most wondrous journey I've ever known, and honestly, I'm already getting excited for the next few journeys I'll have a little later in life.

Sunset view we enjoyed driving home from
my school earlier this month.

This is to be a year of contentment for me. With all the craziness and uncertainty last year brought, I realized that I continually looked forward to a better more "stable" life. However, the Holy Spirit revealed to me that I have no security or stability in life beyond the security He gives me for simply trusting in Him and walking in the center of His will. That is a fact in which I can rest so soundly. He orders my steps so perfectly, and I continue to be blown away by the way he is providing for the mister and me as we prepare to become parents. I know that He is waiting to provide for you as well! Just open your hands and keep them ready and available for anything He gives. It will ALWAYS be better than you imagined :)

Blessings and much love to you.

Christmastime with Family

Christmastime this year was such an answer to my prayers. We haven't been able to see Jonathan's side of the family for a couple years, so I really was hoping and praying that it could be possible to see them this year. God is so good, and gave us such a precious time together. For the first time in many months, I was able to de-stress from the constant feeling of needing to do more for my job, and completely relax with my in laws.  I have to say how absolutely blessed I am to have such an amazing and beautiful "in law" family. You never really know the family you are marrying until the deed is done, and I am so blessed with the family into which I married.

The first night home, we got to share our discovery of the gender of Baby Freeman. I'm so glad we waited to do it this way too. Sharing that moment with them was absolutely priceless :) Here's a little video of the big moment :)

It was fun to be in the cold for a bit while we were there. We enjoyed getting bundled up to explore the frozen pond with the nephews and the land around my sister-in-law's house.

 On Christmas Eve, we had a family share time. The kids got to perform songs and quote scripture and the adults got to share what God has been doing in our lives. It was such a sweet time of thanksgiving and remembering the true meaning of Christmas.

The day after Christmas, the mister, me, and his parents took the 12 hour drive from Indiana to Kansas to spend some time with his Grandpa Russell. He celebrated his 89th birthday while we were there. We shared with him the news of his next great grandchild being named after him.

 


While we were there, we were able to sort through boxes of our belongings we shipped back in 2012 before we moved to the Island. I have to say, it was just like Christmas morning all over again to see our stuff and even more of a miracle that it survived the shipping process! We picked out a few "essential" box loads to bring back with us to stock our home with.

We hope you had a wonderful Christmas season, and started the New Year with hope in your heart! Much love from us to you!