One of the reasons we even discussed induction, other than the fact my doctor would be out of town, was because Spencer and I were fixing to make a huge move and job change. We had been apart of the search for a new worship leader for First Baptist Church Marlow that started in December and we were in the final stages where we go to 'In View of a Call' at the church and are voted in by the church members. In order to get a date set, Leslie needed to be born because I was not going to travel 3 hours away from my doctor anymore nor was I about to relocate and change doctors and hospitals! Not that anyone was rushing us or this event, but there was a goal start date for all parties and we were very ready and excited to get it going! It worked out so well....well obviously! We had her (which was a big deal) and 2 weeks later, after another big birthday (my sister's son), a wedding, and the weekend of events in Marlow leading to the 'In View of a Call' that Sunday, we were voted as the new contemporary worship leader!! About 2 weeks after that we were newbies to Outlaw country.
God called us here and in every possible way He kept and keeps confirming our decision to be obedient to His call. Was it hard leaving a church family and what we called our home and family? Absolutely. At the same time one of the most exciting times of our lives. We have two children the the Lord has given us and this move/job was an answered prayer. He knew our needs and provided. It was a hurricane of insanity during those times and we knew it would be challenging and we also knew that because we were being obedient that Satan would most definitely be attacking. He did, but our battles were already overcome. Looking back, a new baby, a toddler adjusting to new baby, a move, a toddler adjusting to a move, and leaving everything known to enter into a new life of unknowns doesn't sound like something I would be interested in, but that is the beauty of our Jesus. It's so amazing how he takes care of us. Even in finding our house. Because we moved so fast, we didn't have time to look at homes and moved into an old 'dentists office' that is apart of the church's property. Not the best living quarters for our particular situation, but we only stayed there for 3 weeks and were very thankful that it was an option. Found a house the very day we moved that was being flipped and it just so happened it was in our price range and move-in ready! Met Jacinda, the owner, loved her, she was kind enough to let us move in before we closed!! Who even does that?!! The whole church family is like that! We have never been more embraced or loved on, which made the move 100 times easier! Now, we feel like we've always lived here and it's only been 5 months!
First Baptist Marlow is a small town church with the biggest heart! The senior pastor, Joe, is an obedient man of God and is great at being a pastor and also a wonderful speaker. The evidence is the growing number of members and the blessings the church reaps. It's very refreshing to be apart of a church that cares about being obedient to God's word no matter what. Come visit or visit us online! Just search First Baptist Church Marlow! You can even see the sexiest, sweetest, hunkiest music leader (but you can't say that about him)! He leads a mean worship time that captives a sinners heart to value true worship to our one and only Redeemer!! Amen!
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
The One When Leslie Was Born
Okay, okay, I haven't written in almost a year! That went by fast! So many things happened, so I'll start from where I left off...
The last post was in January and I was still pregnant with Leslie (which her name was still a secret), and I was due in April. Well, she was born a week early on the morning of March 31, 2011 at 10:13am. Completely perfect weighing 7lbs 10oz (Audrey was 7lbs 9oz) with a ton of jet black gorgeous hair and a tan. She did resemble Audrey, but was also so so different! She has tiny features and is very elegant in her motions.
The labor and delivery was amazingly smooth....here's the story.
For reasons I will talk about in another blog and the fact that our doctor would be out of town, we discussed inducing at 39 weeks (side note- I don't agree with inducing just to induce and neither does our OB, but he has a different school of thought for 2nd babies and it can only be a week before due date and you had to be at least dilated to a 3.) But, we agreed to be induced and of course I couldn't really make up my mind. I didn't like it. So, I called our sweet nurse and told her to cancel our induction for that Thursday. We went in that Wednesday for a regular appointment and I had changed my mind again...thankfully the nurse knew me and disregarded my request and we still had our induction date. He checked me that day and we were at a 3, so all was good to continue! After the appointment, I went with Spence to his 2nd job (Parview Baptist) to help him get things in order, then we were going to get dinner before the normal Wednesday church events. I started having contractions. They started as soon as we got to the church and intensified enough to pay attention to how far apart they were. I was so thankful because I didn't like the thought of being induced. So, they were about 20-30 min apart. Spencer told the guys we were gonna leave to eat and that I was contracting and we went to Red Lobster per my request of a last stuffing and while we were there, they shortened to 5 min apart. We were excited and calm at the same time. I wanted to finish eating, and we got our waitress involved in our excitement until my sister told me to get to a hospital!! No dessert for us, we is gonna go have a baby!
We call for grandma to come stay with Audrey and grab our bags and head for St. Francis South!
It's always awkward walking in...especially in a calm manner. Not at all like the movies where it's obvious I'm in labor, so I say, "Hello, I know you're probably busy, but I think I'm in labor." and then you go sit in a waiting room until they get you a room ready. It was like that with Audrey too. It just feels like people should be screaming and rushing and that you shouldn't have to wait in a waiting room for your turn. Crazy!
I really didn't have to wait a long time and they got me settled in our room and the monitors on the baby and sure enough I am now contracting every 2-3 min! Looks like we're having a baby tonight, right?!! WRONG! After about an hour of contracting and not moving from a 3 it just stopped. They had me walk the hospital and it just wasn't happening. But, remember I am already scheduled to be induced that next day, so they just kept me overnight and started Pitocin at 6:00am the next morning. Of course, I didn't sleep at all. At 6:10, the contractions started again, this time they hurt pretty darn bad and progressively worsened for a good 2 hours! Finally got the good stuff and it was easy breezy from then until she was born a little over 4 hours later. With both girls the delivery went way to perfect and quick, which I am very thankful for. Now, I have TWO precious, perfect, sweet girls! I love that the Lord had us in his timing. I was anxious about inducing and going into labor the night before gave me peace that she was ready.
Giving birth is one of the sweetest gifts we can have as women! That's why we love to tell the stories!
Is this it? I don't know...we'll have to wait and see!
The last post was in January and I was still pregnant with Leslie (which her name was still a secret), and I was due in April. Well, she was born a week early on the morning of March 31, 2011 at 10:13am. Completely perfect weighing 7lbs 10oz (Audrey was 7lbs 9oz) with a ton of jet black gorgeous hair and a tan. She did resemble Audrey, but was also so so different! She has tiny features and is very elegant in her motions.
The labor and delivery was amazingly smooth....here's the story.
For reasons I will talk about in another blog and the fact that our doctor would be out of town, we discussed inducing at 39 weeks (side note- I don't agree with inducing just to induce and neither does our OB, but he has a different school of thought for 2nd babies and it can only be a week before due date and you had to be at least dilated to a 3.) But, we agreed to be induced and of course I couldn't really make up my mind. I didn't like it. So, I called our sweet nurse and told her to cancel our induction for that Thursday. We went in that Wednesday for a regular appointment and I had changed my mind again...thankfully the nurse knew me and disregarded my request and we still had our induction date. He checked me that day and we were at a 3, so all was good to continue! After the appointment, I went with Spence to his 2nd job (Parview Baptist) to help him get things in order, then we were going to get dinner before the normal Wednesday church events. I started having contractions. They started as soon as we got to the church and intensified enough to pay attention to how far apart they were. I was so thankful because I didn't like the thought of being induced. So, they were about 20-30 min apart. Spencer told the guys we were gonna leave to eat and that I was contracting and we went to Red Lobster per my request of a last stuffing and while we were there, they shortened to 5 min apart. We were excited and calm at the same time. I wanted to finish eating, and we got our waitress involved in our excitement until my sister told me to get to a hospital!! No dessert for us, we is gonna go have a baby!
We call for grandma to come stay with Audrey and grab our bags and head for St. Francis South!
It's always awkward walking in...especially in a calm manner. Not at all like the movies where it's obvious I'm in labor, so I say, "Hello, I know you're probably busy, but I think I'm in labor." and then you go sit in a waiting room until they get you a room ready. It was like that with Audrey too. It just feels like people should be screaming and rushing and that you shouldn't have to wait in a waiting room for your turn. Crazy!
I really didn't have to wait a long time and they got me settled in our room and the monitors on the baby and sure enough I am now contracting every 2-3 min! Looks like we're having a baby tonight, right?!! WRONG! After about an hour of contracting and not moving from a 3 it just stopped. They had me walk the hospital and it just wasn't happening. But, remember I am already scheduled to be induced that next day, so they just kept me overnight and started Pitocin at 6:00am the next morning. Of course, I didn't sleep at all. At 6:10, the contractions started again, this time they hurt pretty darn bad and progressively worsened for a good 2 hours! Finally got the good stuff and it was easy breezy from then until she was born a little over 4 hours later. With both girls the delivery went way to perfect and quick, which I am very thankful for. Now, I have TWO precious, perfect, sweet girls! I love that the Lord had us in his timing. I was anxious about inducing and going into labor the night before gave me peace that she was ready.
Giving birth is one of the sweetest gifts we can have as women! That's why we love to tell the stories!
Is this it? I don't know...we'll have to wait and see!
Monday, January 17, 2011
Baby Girl Shaw Check-in
Well, I am 28 weeks and a few days now only 12 more weeks til go time! I keep saying how fast this has flown compared to Audrey, but I can't even keep track of what week I am on most of the time, I have to rely on my calender! It does help to be consumed with a toddler, work or school for most people. I didn't have either with the bulk of Audrey, so maybe that's why I am surprised.
I had my last visit a couple of weeks ago and had to take my glucose test. I always skip the explanations and such in the books because I've always been confident I would pass. Well, I didn't. I failed by one point. After I got the phone call, I was pretty upset for a good part of the day, it really scared me. I was instructed to come back to the office asap to do the 3 hour testing, which is more extreme and accurate. When Spencer got home that day I fell in his arms to seek comfort and guidance, I felt like I had hurt her. The entire visit was off for me that day. My blood pressure was high, for me, not high as in dangerous or alarming, but still not normal for me and I couldn't catch my breath. Our visit with the doctor was cut short because of the testing and it was time for me to get my blood drawn. So, I didn't really get to focus on the ultrasound b/c I had a question and he had a PA shadowing him that day. Needless to say it was an awkward visit and to get a call that I didn't pass was upsetting and left me anxious. We thought back to the entire day leading up to the visit...I workout on MWF with a skilled, trustworthy, and experienced (with preggos) trainer, it was a Wednesday and I worked out a little longer than normal and rushed home to feed Audrey lunch, get her in bed for a nap, take a shower, get ready, eat lunch, and I had to drink the glucose drink 45 min before we came to the doctor. I had all this to do within a 2 hour time frame. So, I think it was a combination of running around, working out, hot shower, fast lunch, and taking care of a toddler that got me all screwed up. I had also drank a Gatorade that morning, which I never do, but it contains a lot of salt, which could raise my blood pressure. Anyway, I felt better after analyzing the day and went back to feeling confident that I would pass the 3 hour test, which I did with flying colors. I later found out that a lot of women fail the first test and pass the second, because it is more accurate and has you to fast. So, I am calm, cool, and collected. We go back on the 26th of this month and start going every two weeks! I am due April 7th and I bet I am right on...I was only a day late with Audrey and I went into labor on my own. I am hoping and praying for a delivery like Audrey...it was quick and easy.
We are on the downhill now! I am so excited and I am excited for my sister and all my friends who are pregnant! Motherhood is amazing!!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Christmas/New Year
I am just now getting to sit down and write...it was a very busy holiday season for the Shaw's! This year was a little different for my little family. Spencer and I wanted to start our own traditions and be at our own home for Christmas Eve and Christmas day, especially since we are always on the go anyway, we want the season to be calm and centered around the 'true' meaning of Christmas and acknowledge the blessings of having a family. So, we did just that! Our little family of 3 packed up on Christmas Eve and went to the service our church offered and celebrated with our church family. We later went on home to enjoy each other and prepare for the next day! I think I was way more excited for this year, because of Audrey, than ever before. I was thinking she would flip out when we got her up and walked her in the living room where all her presents were stacked from Santa, but she went straight to an old toy and I knew she had absolutely no clue what was so special about that day! I ended up opening all her (and sister's) presents she got from us or anyone else. I think this next year will be much for exciting for her and it will only get better and better as we teach her about Jesus! We did end up going to see Spencer's mom and dad in Owasso later that night (kind-of spontaneous). It was one of the best visits we've ever had. Spencer's brother and his family also came (since they live in Oklahoma now!!!) and it always makes it loud and goofy! Jim (Spencer's) dad, lives at Baptist Village there in Owasso, and his mom lives on campus, so it is always special when we can all get together for him to see the babies and be involved. There is an adorable room that we sometimes go to there called the "tea room" when everyone is here, or we know there is a party to be had. Very special memories for us all! We are thankful that we can do that!
The day after Christmas was a Sunday, so a work day for Spence, but after church we headed to my parents house to have Christmas with my family in Seminole. My sister and her hubby, Curtis, joined us for an evening of food and laughter! I posted a few of those pictures on my facebook. It was a short visit sadly, but we are grateful that we got to go. We didn't have 'real' Christmas with Spencer's family until the 1st so that his sister and her family of 4 would be here. They live in Houston. This would be one of the occasions that we all gathered in the 'tea room'! It is always a riot when we all get together! The kids (5) all run around or dance to music and the adults chase and eat and dance too. The pictures I posted on facebook show some of the chaos that makes our hearts cheer! Oh ya...we also had a special visit from Santa! Yep! He made a special trip just for us after Christmas! The only ones that actually sat on his lap without fear were Audrey, Jeb and Sydney. Jo and Brooklyn were not so sure about this strange man with his jolly laugh!
We rang in the new year with a trip to Zios and to see the Rhema lights in BA and back to Owasso. My parents stayed with Audrey at our house that night to spend some extra time with her since our Christmas trip was too short. They are the sweetest grandparents ever and she has a blast with them!
Highlights from 2010 that pop in my head are...the trip to Venezuela, Audrey turning 1, and getting pregnant with our 2nd!! There were also many, many wonderful memories made as well as challenges, but I am so very thankful for a new year!
May our new beginnings be new beginnings centered around Christ and glorifying His kingdom, for that is our sole purpose in life.
Blessings from the Shaw's
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