Parra Voyages

Well, I haven't been much of a blogger lately...it's not that there's not anything to say, just not a whole lot of time in which to sit down and actually put my thoughts in writing. But I have managed to find a window of time, while the boys are playing nicely in the living room, and Little Lily (who I think will always be called "Little Lily") is napping. I thought it would be nice to write about what has happened in the last 2+ weeks, and catch everyone up on the details. Then someday when I am old and gray (I am already getting gray!!) I can look back and remember this special time in our lives. So, lets go back to the night of the 19th, the day before Lily was born...

It was about 8:30pm, and I was starting to feel a little discomfort. I was sure it was the beans that I had eaten earlier, so I was taking advantage of a calm Saturday night, while Luis and the boys had called it a night very early. I was puttering around on the computer for a few hours, and with each passing hour, I noticed that my pains were a little more intense. At about 11:30, I started to think that they were real contractions, but now everyone (including my midwife) would be fast asleep, and I didn't want to wake anyone up...besides, my pains, although getting stronger, weren't less than 10 minutes apart. At about 2 AM, I tried to lay down to get some sleep, but I was restless. I did manage to sleep about 2 hours, but was awaken by ever more increasing pains that were now coming closer together. At 6:00 AM, I woke Luis, and told him that I was having pains. I then put a call in to Anna, my midwife, who told me to come into the office around 7:45. Then I called my sister, Marybeth, just to put her on alert (haha). She was going to be there with us to help with the boys until Lily arrived. So we gathered everything together, and headed up to Bamberg. When I got to the office, Anna checked me and I was already dilated 5 cm and my contractions were about every 4-5 minutes. Needless to say, this was the real thing, and she admitted my to the birthing center right then. At about 9:00AM we got the birthing room, and Lily came at 1:07 that same afternoon. In the midst of it all, God taught me a great lesson. Many of you who know me, know that I am not a big "surprise" girl. I don't like the unexpected. I don't like suspense. (Unless it's a good Alfred Hitchcock film). So for the months leading up to Lily's arrival, I was anxious about all the details concerning Lily's delivery...all the whens, wheres, and hows would keep me up at night, going around and around in my brain. Being that Luis works in Hardeeville, then travels to Savannah, Hilton Head and Beaufort from his job site, troubled me when I thought about how long it would take him to get back to his site, drop off the company truck, and then make his way to Bamberg. By the time he arrived, Lily would already be practically entering first grade! haha. But God, in all His mercy, let me go into labor on a Saturday night, and deliver on a Sunday afternoon. Luis was home. Marybeth wasn't working. There were no other families at the birthing center. My water didn't break in some inappropriate locale. I didn't have to be in labor for hours and hours on end. I didn't even need a drop of medication during the delivery. (Although towards the end, I did ask what was available...which was nothing in terms of things that would effect the baby, so I opted out!). I couldn't have asked for a smoother, more peaceful birth. God was just reminding me, once again, that He's got it. I don't need to worry. I don't need to make anything happen. I just need to do what He tells me, and leave the rest up to Him. Needless to say, I haven't mastered that test, and I am bound to repeat it again, but I am trying to keep this lesson fresh in my mind, so when the test does come, I'll be able to rest in knowing that there's nothing that God can't handle, and He already has it all planned out, so I don't need to try to be a super sleuth or anything.

Since then, life has been good. The whole family is adjusting to the lack of sleep and our beautiful new addition. I am not completely feeling like myself yet, and I have a tendency to try to push myself and do too much. Physically, I am feeling good, but my hormones and emotions are like a bouncy ball still, and I know it takes time. Luis has been so patient with me, which has been such a blessing. He's even learned how to run the dishwasher! (The first time, he forgot that he could use the top shelf, too! haha). My boys are my little sweet helpers, and love their sister so much. Joshua kept saying that Lily was the most beautiful girl in the universe! (Let's see what he says when his little sister starts getting into his "stuff")...but all in all, life is good, and sweet...and God is so faithful!