Grace in the midst of car troubles

Yesterday afternoon, I decided to run to get a few last minute ingredients I needed for our community group potluck that evening. It's funny how some days before something happens, a thought crosses one's mind that "something is going to happen out of the norm".  This incident was one of those times. I took my shopping buddy, our 4-year old Josiah who is always down to do errands with mama and left David with our 2 youngest.  We drove off and got to the Kroger's parking lot and for some reason, I kept driving around, looking for that perfect spot, almost for-seeing that I would need a specific parking space for what was to come.  I finally parked facing an outlet rather than facing in with a car ahead of me. We hurried out quickly and purchased the items I needed, checked out and headed back to our car. We got buckled up, I put the key into the ignition, turned the key and nothing....the car wasn't starting. I tried a couple more times and then everything clicked..why the car automatic windows seemed a little droggy as I tried to put them down on my way, why the electronics sounded jumbled and extra slow--the car had been trying to tell me it's battery was very low.  Immediately I knew it had to be the battery and just hoped it wasn't anything else.  Fortunately,  a large truck right next to me was about to leave and I asked the man if he wouldn't mind giving me a jump-start.  He was very nice but didn't have much time, he agreed to help me out but after only about 3-minutes of charging, my car was not starting--it needed more time but time he did not have.

Long story short, I had been trying to reach my husband however he had music playing on his phone for our babygirl who he had put in the bedroom to nap so with 2% charge left on my cell phone battery, I was able to reach my neighbor who walked over to give David the news that I was stranded and needed him to pick us up. I almost left my phone home charging while I went out but went back into the house where it was charging to retrieve it, just in case I needed it and that I did.

Now this is a Sunday afternoon and perhaps the best time for a car issue to occur as David doesn't work Sundays or Mondays.  As I stood outside of the car waiting for David to arrive, with the August sun and heat beaming upon me, I begin to feel gratitude. Gratitude that it was only the battery-an easy fix, gratitude that I got stranded in a busy parking lot of a grocery store open 24 hours a day, gratitude that I wasn't in a rush which would have tested my patience even more and gratitude that of all times, I was stranded at the best possible time in the best possible place and not far from home.

I remember the past car troubles we had including the jeep overheating and recall that it too happened on a Sunday morning.  I had both kids in the car with me on that cold January and I was pregnant but it was daylight and I pulled over just blocks away from our new house which we had been working on before moving in. We have 2 used cars so maintenance issues occur at least 3 times a year for us but as I reflect now upon the many car troubles that have occurred, they all seemed to present themselves just at the right place and giving us the most time to take care of with least headache.

David picked us up yesterday and since we didn't need the car and it was going to be in a safe place, we decided to keep it there, go to our community group meeting and take care of it today. So, this monday morning, I drove David to pick up a new battery and he was able to replace it easily himself. We did not have to miss a meeting or appointment, he didn't have to be late or absent from work, we didn't have to change plans other than having 45 minutes of extra rest.

Despite our car troubles yesterday, God's grace was ever present reminding me and us that in the midst of trouble, His grace is sufficient.

Alegria Jubilee - A Birth Story

It was a Friday morning, July 12th and I went to my 2nd post due date appointment with my midwife.  I was quite disappointed that I was still pregnant as this was my third pregnancy and I had been struggling in the July heat, having back-aches and have been doing exercises for weeks to flip the baby so her head would turn in the best position for labor/delivery.

My husband and 2 young sons joined me for the appointment which turned out to be alot more stressful as the boys can only sit still for so long.  My husband didn't really get to hear our daughter's heartbeat or what the midwife had to say as he was reading books to the boys and trying to keep them from touching and provoking the other.  A nurse hooked me up to the fetal monitoring system as was required for mothers after the EDD (expected due date) and for about 30 minutes, while my husband struggled to keep our boys talking with low voices and entertained, our daughter was doing ninja moves inside of me (as she had been doing for months) and the monitoring system could not get a solid reading that was acceptable. Without a solid heart reading, I was told that I would need an ultra-sound which could not be done right away due to the tech not being available so my midwife scheduled me a 2:00pm sonogram at the hospital which would allow me to go home, have lunch with the boys and leave the boys to nap while David could stay home with them.  He had to leave for work a little after 3 so I planned to just be back by then -- little did I know, I would return 48 hours with a princess in hand.

While driving to the hospital, I began to feel regular contractions. Throughout registration and as I sat in the waiting area of the radiology department, the contractions increased in intensity and frequency so much that the receptionist became concerned.  I used a phone app to time contractions and they were coming every 1-2 minutes at one point and lasting just over a minute.  During my sonogram, the tech could not get a good reading whatsoever due to the uterine wall tightening and growing hard with each contraction.  She became nervous also, telling me not to deliver in there, that she would not be ready. I knew I wasn't ready to deliver though wasn't convinced yet that I'd be in labor as I had been having frequent episodes of intense contractions within the past 3 weeks leading to that day, but they would dwindle out after a couple of hours causing more frustration..so I was trying not to get my hopes up yet deep inside -- I was hopeful, hopeful that it was a Friday and a great day to go into labor (Ideal for my family and a Sign as my other two sons were also both born on weekends- Josiah on a Sunday evening and Daniel on a Saturday morning).  

Up to this point, I had a very specific prayer in regards to my labor and delivery: 1) I wanted to labor and deliver on a weekend so that David wouldn't have to take off too many days from work and so that my mom and sisters could possibly make it for the birth as they had previously taken time off to be with me 1-2 weeks ago during the actual due date just in case I did deliver.  They have a 4-6 hour drive so could leave Friday after work and be with me and our family to help out with the boys for the weekend.  2) I prayed for a quick "active" labor (4 hours or less would be nice), 3) Easy-labor "no complications, no interventions" 4) Healthy baby "above all, a full, healthy baby who arrives unharmed, well oxygenated and just healthy" 5) Healthy mama - that I would be and feel as good as one can expect, No ripping, tearing or medical interventions needed to keep me alive so to speak. 6) I wanted to have a water-birth, to experience what I had researched to be the smoothest and most comfortable type of natural birthing that helps the baby come out easier and isn't as shocking for the baby since they go from water in the womb to warm water in a tub before emerging out of the water and into their mama's loving arms! I really really wanted and hoped for a waterbirth!  -- Perhaps this was a lot to ask God for--but I've read and heard of such births and believed that God would give me one too!

So, after the ultrasound which didn't get great results due to the constant contractions I felt, the radiologist tech called my midwife to give her the results and my midwife, CW decided that it was time and asked to speak with me on the phone saying "Ok, You're getting your wish! I need you go go upstairs to the 5th floor Birthing Center and check-in---you're gonna have your baby! I'll meet up up there soon to check on you".  Excited, I hung up and got my belongings, called David and told him I'd be checking-in and to just wait at home til I give him a call once I was settled in the birthing center room.  I didn't want him to hurry over, only to sit and wait.  He agreed and told me he would feed the boys dinner then take them over to our friends' house who agreed to have them both over if we needed.  I then texted my mom and sisters, letting them know that I was checking-in and will be having the baby soon.  At the post-due date appointment that morning, my midwife CW had discussed with me that if the sonogram showed inconsistent readings, then I would be a good candidate for induction - with pitocin (which is what I had with both my previous labors).  I was determined not to be induced this time and wanted since I wanted a waterbirth, I did not want to be tied down to any machine giving me pitocin.  So as I ventured up the elevator to the birthing center within the hospital, I asked God again--please, let my contractions be "real" and let this "be it" - "I want to experience natural labor and not have to be induced--but i'm so excited to meet our girl and may just ask for intervention if it means I get to hold her sooner so move quickly please cause I'm so anxious" (my prayer went something like that---how bold was I to ask God for that?!)

I was so happy at the check-in to see a good friend of mine, who is a labor and delivery nurse there and helped to deliver our first son Josiah. She however was leaving by 7PM and it was 5PM at this point so I highly doubted that she would still be there but made a comment that perhaps she would meet our baby in the morning when she returned at 7AM.  Another nurse walked me to a room (one of the newly renovated ones with a hot tub) and got me situated.  I basically hung out in the room for an hour and a half, having contractions and watching cable TV until David arrived just before 7PM-just in time to say hi to our nurse friend as she left for the day.  The hospital served dinner and I ate and just enjoyed time with David, taking pictures in the room, in the bathroom, taking belly shots and enjoying eachother -- it kind of felt like a date to be honest since the boys weren't there and we were in a new environment :) 

Our midwife finally arrived around 9PM and checked me, I was only 3cm dialated!! How I longed to be at least 6 or 7 cm since several hours had passed of regular contractions.  She stood and talked with David and I for a bit and verified our birthing plan with us then said she would be back around midnite as she was going to assist with a C-section and try to get a 2-hour nap just in-case we  wouldn't sleep.  Meanwhile, my mom and sisters after receiving my text message (around 4PM), finished their job shifts and were en route to the hospital (4 hour drive for my mom and 5 1/2 for my sisters).  I was so grateful that they were coming and just hoped babygirl would arrive soon after they did so that we could all get some rest.  

MORE to come: