Bella--3 weeks old! Looking at momma's beautiful purple and white stripes. :)
We can give three cheers to leaving the 100's behind. :)
I'm looking forward (I think we all are) to the day when we can go more than a few months with out having a dramatic change in our lives! Our latest "big change" was a beautiful and great change. Isabella has been a wonderful addition that the kids and I are enjoying immensely. I had hoped to go into labor sometime after May 1st and our little Joy arrived May 3rd. I woke up around 6 am with some cramping and thought that it may be the day. I wrote Robbie and email around 730 just to give him a heads up. The pains were coming pretty consistently! I knew it could be a while so I was trying to not think about it too much. We had a good morning. Grace and I read books, the kids watched a cartoon while I cleaned and packed our bags. I had decided early on that I need to keep busy. :) We got ready for our day and decided to hit the bike trail to ride bikes/walk and then have a picnic. We did just that and it was great! The kids had a blast. I did have a slight worry though. A few days before this I had started a low grade fever. We had been wondering if it could affect the baby. I had talked to a few doctors who assured me things were most likely fine. That morning I still had my fever and it continued to rise even though I had Tylenol. Later that afternoon I called the doctor b/c I had decreased movement and was concerned about the baby. It was about 3pm and she told me to just go in to check the baby.
I had been communicating w/ Rob this whole time and let him know we were going to the hospital. My sister, Aimee was coming in to be with me for the labor and delivery. I went to pick her up and we went to St Elizabeth's. When we got in the room they checked the baby right away. Her heart beat was 150's and fantastic! Her movements were great and my contractions were too. My temp at that point had even gone back down. When they checked me I was at a 7! Aimee and I were so surprised and I was soooo happy!
We got on the web cam with Robbie and he was there with me the whole time. Aimee was the best support person. I'm so happy she was there to help. She didn't talk much because she wanted Rob to be able to have that part, which was perfect b/c I could hear him the whole time and he could see me as well. He couldn't be there in person but this was the next best thing. Robbie got to hear Bella's first cry and see her right away. After everything, Robbie, Isabella and I got to be there "together," just the 3 of us.
It took Robbie and I a few days to come up with Bella's name. :) It was hard for him because he couldn't see her in person and it was hard for me because I didn't want to pick the wrong name! Robbie's a much better decision maker!! Grace really came up with the name "Bella" before the baby was born. Robbie and I liked it because it means "beautiful." We had been thinking of Joy for a middle name and we like the thought of "beautiful joy" for our sweet girl. It reminded us how we want to think of this time apart. Trying to find and see "beautiful joy" in this time of struggle and sorrow of being apart. Grace was very happy with her name as well, mainly because she had been set on "Bella" since before she was born. :)
It's been three weeks now and we're doing well. We've had a lot of help and it's GREATLY appreciated. I don't know if I could survive this time if people weren't around to help keep me rested and the kids busy! Robbie and I had been told that things will get easier, the hardest part of deployment is the first month and the last month... I'm starting to think they're wrong or at least that doesn't apply to us. We have easier days from time to time but for the most part, we both dislike being apart (to put it nicely). It really has gotten more difficult since Isabella's been born. Not because I need him here to help but because it's so hard to know he's missing this special time. He hasn't even gotten to hold his little girl yet, hear Anthony's billion new words a day or take Grace fishing, something they had planned to do when it got warmer. It's wonderful to do web cam as often as we do. I think it's starting to tease us a bit, nothing can replace being together in person and sharing these life experiences. BUT, like I said in the beginning, 3 cheers for the 99 day mark. We'll keep moving forward, living out these days as God has asked us too. For the kids and I, it's easy to enjoy family and friends around us. It has made the days go faster. For Robbie, its another day at "work." The days tend to drag into one another. We're both in completely different situations, one not easier than the other. Most importantly, we keep praying for each other, loving each other and continue down this road together. It will be over soon. This is just a speck of time in our lives together.
We can't express our thanks for the support of our family and friends and the continued prayers. The prayers and support are priceless.
Much love,
Kristi
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