Well, friends, I'm going to take a short break from blogging. Right now it's something that's just one more thing I am behind on. So, I'm giving it up for a while. All's well in our household. Busy, busy, busy, but lots of fun. Lord willing, I'll be back at it in a few weeks. So long!
We had a most wonderful visit with this family!! How kind and hospitable they were. The guys drove to Arkansas and hiked and camped while we ladies (and Joseph and Jadon) stayed at the house and had the time of our lives. 
We talked, shopped, ate delicious food, talked some more, laughed, and even shared some bible studies with each other. SO MUCH FUN! A little bit of heaven on earth :o)
We recently took a trip to Tulsa to see our dear friends. Driving there, I spotted this sight from our vehicle. I think the angle the trees form is pretty neat. And the sky was just beautiful!
I finally had the privilege of meeting my 3 newly-adopted nephews. They are just precious!! So much fun and such well-behaved boys. We had a little photo shoot and this one was my favorite, I think.
For the first time in his short life, our Jadon is not feeling well. He's got a bit of a fever and is not his usual happy, contented self. He goes in for his 2 month check-up tomorrow. If he is still feverish he won't get his shots, which wouldn't hurt my feelings one bit!
Am I actually finally writing this?? I guess so! Tomorrow our son Jadon Michael Dodson will be one month old. What an absolute JOY he is to my life and to the rest of our family, too! Here's a bit of how he came into this world:
My due date was December 8th. We'd discussed to induce or not to induce. First we decided not to, then changed our minds and decided to be induced on the 8th. Jody didn't want to induce any earlier to ensure that his (we didn't know that we were having a boy at the time) lungs were fully developed, etc. I totally agreed!
Grace (my sweet sissy) came into town the day before and my in-laws did as well. They were AWESOME in that they watched Mikayla and Joseph for us while we were in the hospital- priceless! Early Tuesday morning (all our children were born on Tuesday- even my D&C was performed on a Tuesday- crazy) Jody, Grace, and I headed to the hospital. I had not gone into labor on my own, which kinda saddened me b/c that's what I'd hoped for. It was a quiet, dark ride to the hospital. kinda surreal. Just knowing that we were going to have a baby and to finally find out the gender.
We got to the hospital at 5:30am and I felt perfect. I got my gown on and started answering a bunch of questions. They asked me if I wanted an epidural and I definitely said yes! Anyway, a lady came in to take my blood and we talked about the Biggest Loser. She and her husband tried out for it, but they didn't make it b/c they weren't big enough. ha! Anyway, I got my iv and they started pitocin. Shortly thereafter, before feeling ANY pain whatsoever, I got my epidural. It felt very strange when the anesthesiologist arrived to give me pain medicine when I was in no pain. very very strange.
Since my epidural was my only pain (well, the iv was not pleasant either), and it wasn't even that bad, I'll speak on that for a moment ;o) Grace and Jody (who had gotten some delicious smelling breakfast burritos from Rosa's) exited while the anesthesiologist and the nurse worked together to get the epidural in. When they got it all done the first time, I was relieved to have that part done with. phew! Then there was an occlusion and it wasn't working. rats! I asked if he'd have to redo it. No, he said, the most they'd have to do is switch the tubing (or something like that). Yeah right. They had to do it again. On the second time, I started sweating like crazy got very red, and felt like I was going to pass out. Looking around the room, my vision was very unfocused. It scared me quite a bit. Thank the Lord, that all cleared up fairly quickly, and I started feeling numb. So, Grace and Jody got to come back in the room :o)
Soon after, my dr came to break my water. Didn't feel a thing. It was as if time was going by SO SLOWLY. It was hard to tell by looking at the monitor how the contractions were coming along- the silly thing kept getting moved around. and I couldn't feel a thing. Jody and Grace (and Jody says I) took a nap. Just laying in that bed watching them sleep was pretty funny to me. The whole "labor" was very uneventful. I guess we mainly told stories and laughed as time passed. Grace kept those who were curious up-to-date with texts on my progression.
At around 4:30pm, my nurse Megan (loved her!) came in for some reason or another. Grace asked her how often she checked to see how dilated I was. She decided to check then and I was a 10!! WOW! The whole dynamics of the room changed. Some excitement- yay!! So, my nurse called the dr and he headed over. I was feeling pretty giddy, nervous, excited, READY to meet our newest addition and still not sure if we'd made the right decision to induce. (Being so numbed, I didn't think I'd be able to push the baby out, which is what happened with Mikayla- they had to use a vacuum on her) And having heard that a large amount of inductions end up C-sections, I was a bit nervous. So the dr got there about 4:50pm and he got his gown on, etc.
At 5pm I started the whole pushing process. Not being able to feel contractions they had to rely on the monitor to tell me when to push. ??? Couldn't feel anything!! After my first set of 3 pushes my dr told me to not push in my face. He's always giving me good advice ;o) After 2 more sets of pushes, out came our baby!!! I was so very shocked that he came out so quickly. 10 minutes of pushing. Our baby was born at 5:10pm. I looked down and saw that it was a BOY!! Which was my guess... YAHOOOO!! I would've been just as happy to have a girl, I promise, but seeing that beautiful (actually kinda funny looking!) boy made my heart so happy! Our Jadon Michael had entered the world. He didn't start crying right away and I just lay there... waiting to hear that sound. Finally! after he was suctioned pretty good, he CRIED!
I was so thankful listening to him and hearing him cry, knowing that some mommies never do hear that first cry, but the Lord was gracious in allowing him to be a healthy baby boy. He did have quite a bit of fluid b/c he was born so quickly, and they told me that was normal. I was instantly in LOVE.
I have to say that I had some expert help there in that room. Grace and Jody fed me ice chips like no one ever has before! Really, they were wonderful.
All in all OF COURSE it was a good birthing experience. In a way, I feel like I "cheated." It just doesn't seem like birth should be that easy or pain-free. I thought of how the Lord was very merciful in giving me that birth, especially after Joseph's birth. I was quite traumatized after his. I so wanted to trust the Lord in this, and yet, I found myself fearful of the pain of labor. Should the Lord ever again bless us with another child, I don't think I'll be induced again. I like the whole going-into-labor thing better. One of the definitions of the name Jadon is "thankful." I think that perfectly describes my feelings with his birth. thankful. thankful that the Lord cares.
"Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust." Psalm 103:13,14
And this verse was special to me as well. "He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious and full of compassion." Psalm 111:4
Somehow Jadon's birth made me extra thankful that I CAN have children. So many people long to have children or even one child. People will pay thousands and thousands of dollars in hopes of conceiving a child. I am thankful. God is good and I love the precious children the Lord has entrusted to our care. How I long to be the godly mother for them that I need to be. I am humbled and truly "thankful."
Happy (almost) 1 month, big boy!! Your mommy and daddy and brother and sister are so in love with you. You are a huge blessing and I look forward to feeding you in a few minutes. Thank you for your patience with me as I typed this out :o)
