Annabeth Update

Annabeth was three weeks old yesterday -

Some of you will say "Where has the time gone?!"

Mark and I are thinking, "That's it?!"

Annabeth's Top 5 Favorite Things:

5. Screaming instead of sleeping.

4. Cuddling.

3. Eating.

2. Holding her head up to look around at everything.

1. Her Dad. She loves him more than ANYTHING which I love to watch!

Annabeth's 5 Least Favorite Things:

5. Wearing clothes.

4. Changes to her schedule - She IS my child!!

3. Being cradled like a baby

2. Her hat falling down over her eyes

1. Peeing. She screams bloody murder every single time.

*Yes, we've had the doctor check everything and she's fine, she just hates it*

Measurements:

Birth Day (10.05.11): Weight: 9.1 lbs and Length: 21 1/4 inches

Going Home Day (10.07.11): Weight: 8.11 lbs and Length 21 1/4 inches

Two Week Check Up (10.19.11): Weight: 9.7 lbs and Length 21 1/2 inches

We thank God continuously for the incredible blessing of being Annabeth's Mom and Dad.

Thank you to all of you who have called to check on us, brought us food, let us cry/laugh/share stories, and for all of your prayers!

The Longest Minutes

Annabeth Sage Riley arrived Wednesday, October 5, 2011 at 8:55 am.

I promise that I am not about to share our complete birth story but will share God's amazing grace!

The Short Birth Story: Arrived at hospital at 2:15 pm on October 4. Confirmed labor. Officially admitted at 4:20. No epidural due to a drug allergy. LONG night of labor. Pushing began at 6:15 am, around 8:52 her heart stopped, and at 8:55 am Annabeth Sage arrived. Some time down the hallway her life began again.

When a baby is born usually the nurses say, "It's a boy or girl" ours looked me in the eyes and said, "You're not going to hear your baby cry right now." And at the place where the usually call out a length and weight, four doctors announced, "No heartbeat. Beginning chest compressions now." Our 2 hours and 45 minutes of drug-free pushing had gone from Dr Franklin, a nurse, Mark, and me to a room full of OBS and NICU staff in a matter of seconds. I looked at Mark, saw the complete and utter fear in his eyes, and I began repeating "Dear God, please save our baby" over and over again.

We had waited and prayed for so long for a baby that when we learned that we were expecting it was the greatest miracle either of us had ever known. We lived in fear that everyday of expecting our little on would be the last. Then in those hours of labor I finally felt like I could breathe, like she was 'for sure' ours. God had other plans, He had planned the longest minute of our lives as doctors and nurses worked for the Lord and through Him our little girl began her life. We thought we heard a little cry and then they rushed her to the NICU. We waited a long time to hear what had happened. We later learned she began to breathe at 8:59 am. Four minutes - an amount of time that seems like nothing but this one time it was everything. Thank you God for Your amazing grace and our incredible miracle! To Him be all the glory!

Chicken Butter

If you've spoken with me since January you know I've become a total ding-dong. No really, the educated, college brain I worked so hard to develop has become a "palcenta brain." This is a REAL condition that affects women from the beginning of pregnancy and can last all the way through their youngest child's fifth year. It's a condition where in order to simply survive the woman's brain often forgets to do anything but think of the baby and thus the woman becomes a complete ding-dong about everything else in the world. This is me now.

Wednesday Mark and I went to WalMart. We desperately needed groceries and I cannot push the cart without contractions so we went together. We arrived in the cold foods section with "butter" as the next item on our list. I like the Smart Balance with Flax Seed, Mark likes the Country Crock Fat Kid Butter and so every other purchase we trade off which kind we get. It was his turn. And so I send him over to pick his butter, he brings it over, and for some reason I could have sworn that label said "Chicken Butter."
*Note: Chicken is, and has been since January, the most disgusting thing in the world to pregnant me*
I said, "Chicken Butter?! What is that?!" Mark just stared at me like I was insane - remember, placenta brain - "Calcium Added." Upon a second glance I realized he was right, he had not selected Chicken Butter but rather Calcium Added. So, there I was in the cold foods section, 9.5 months pregnant with my skinny little feet bloated out to the size of small countries, in one of the last shirts that fits, with Annabeth swinging from my ribcage like it's a set of monkey bars...and I just laughed, loud and long. Mark finally just pushed the cart away from me, moving on to the milk section, clearly pretending to not know that crazy, giant footed, laughing woman who wouldn't even let her husband buy Chicken Butter.

If you're now sure that I'm insane and sorry that you're my friend: Annabeth will be five in a few years, you may want to come back then when I have normal feet, a waistline, and my college educated brain back.

Retirement

Ahh...to be in early retirement, what bliss!

My first few days off work have been wonderful! It wasn't until I looked at a calender that I realized that in the past year I had only taken 4 days off work - 2 sick days and 2 days for funerals. No wonder I was exhausted!!

DAY 1, Saturday: I read not just one but TWO who books while Mark slept and I waited for my sister to come for a visit.

Day 2, Sunday: Lu's 22nd Birthday. Church, remembering 09.11.01, lunch at the Creation Cafe with cake sent from heaven, a walk along the canal, a "detour" to Zionsville with jewelry shopping, and then a wonderful evening at home with Lu watching 90's movies and being sisters.

Day 3, Monday: Lu and I FINALLY found the Benjamin Harrison House (this took us 4 tries this weekend) where we enjoyed an almost 2 hour tour. Then upon the recommendation of our tour guide we headed to lunch at the Propylaeum for a tea luncheon - we had Monte Cristo Paininis and some more cake sent from heaven (Give me a break, I am 9 months pregnant! I can have my cake and eat it too!!) Then, because we are now ladies of leisure, we took an impromptu tour of the ladies club with a fabulous group of society ladies celebrating a 50th birthday.

Ahh...life is good! I've done some exploring and shopping that will be more difficult once Annabeth is here, I've completed her baby shower scrapbook, and I have her photo book caught up with pictures through last Sunday.

As much as I am enjoying retirement, I am looking even more forward to her arrival so I can return to work! It's nice to know the job I'll hold forever, Annabeth's Mommy.

MC1 is 10-42

MC1 = Master Control 1 = Me from 04.07.11 - 09.09.11 at the Johnson County Jail
10-42 = Radio Code for End of Shift

Yesterday at 1630 I had my last 10-42 time.

I am so blessed to have been employed by the sheriff's office and even more blessed to have served alongside the men and women who make it run. Their dedication and service to our community is unbelievable. There were countless days/nights when people came in early, stayed late, skipped lunches all for the sake of a stranger, the honor of serving.

Running Master Control, being responsible for the lives of more than 300 people on any given day, was a stress I did not always think I could handle. There were many tears cried at moments when I felt I'd been too slow or failed a coworker or been short with an inmate. But to those I worked with, worked for, I want you to know it was the greatest honor I have ever had. Thank you for trusting me from 0800-1630 M-F with your lives. Thank you for allowing me to call the shots. Thank you for your quick responses, your encouragement, and your understanding when things got crazy in the box. To assist and serve you all has been such an honor. Thank you for your continued service to our community. May the Lord Bless You and Keep You.

"Now You Must Live Like No One Else So..."

"..later you can live like no one else." - Dave Ramsey

For anyone who has read a Dave book or taken the class they may be familiar with this phrase. For Mark and me, it hasn't just been a phrase it's been our life attitude.

Today, we have been married 2 years, 3 months, and 1 day and at 5:15 this afternoon we became DEBT FREE! 2 years, 3 months, and 1 day ago we were more than $25,000 in credit card and student loan debt. Today we have set ourselves free!!!*
*Dave Ramsey's Financial Plan does not include your living place as part of your debt. We still owe on our house and will now begin paying it down more quickly*

This journey has been my passion (Mark has merely tolerated it). I read my first Dave book in college and then reread it before we got married - Thank you Dad for making me - and came into marriage prepared to accomplish one financial goal - financial freedom!
People often ask me, "how?" or "would you show me?" Well, friends, as my parents taught me: Never spend more than you make. Pay Cash. If you can't pay cash, you don't need it.

I will tell you that we lived in the cheapest apartment in town, we ate dinner at home, we took our lunch to work, we carpooled, we never bought new clothes, we skipped vacation offers from friends and family, we moved into our house and only did necessary house renovations that we payed cash for, we used coupons for everything, we exchanged junk with friends and family to get "new" stuff, we used every Birthday and Christmas and overtime dollar towards this one goal.

We did not allow ourselves to be tempted by worldly goods as we remembred God's Words in Romans, "Owe no man anything but love." Our goal of financial freedom was not just a logical one but one of Love for our Lord and our desire to serve Him in every aspect of our lives.

So, today, we offer this gift to you dear Lord, the gift of owing no man anything but love. Please send us our next assignment as we seek to do Your will.

Last Trip Home

This morning I woke up incredibly sad, it's the last morning of my last trip home for months.

I had the incredible privilege of growing up in the same blue house for the first 18+ years of my life. I was very brave and switched bedrooms three times but other than that I never moved anywhere. So, during my college years, camp summers, and married years this place is still very much where I refer to when I say "home."

I know all of the cutesy sayings that ladies sew on samplers, "Home is where the heart is" or "Where ever you may be is home" are touching, but for me, this blue house is very much home. At 32 weeks, this is my last doctor approved trip and after the discomfort and pain after Friday's drive here I understand why. Annabeth will be here in 2 months and then I am sure we will need quite a bit of adjustment before we're able to just drive down for a visit to Evansville.

I love this house, not just because my family is here, but because I know all the places where the floor creeks, which stairs to skip in the middle of the night and I love the yard, the memory ground for so many childhood dreams and games.

My new hope is that Mark and I will be able to give Annabeth some place like this. A place that is positive and safe. A place that even at 3 years out of college and 2 years married feels like the only place she'll want to be on a bad or sad day.

I am thankful that Mama, Dad, and Lu have planned lots of visits up north for the fall and winter so that we may see them. But today, with the sun streaming in the sunroom windows of my blue house, I wish I could stay just a little longer...