Preterm Labor: The 33 week scare

We wanted to say thank you one more time for all who prayed for the baby and I throughout the pregnancy.  From the first announcement you rejoiced with us, and we needed those extra prayers.  I had pretty extreme "all-day" sickness and even though I was tired and weak, little Gracen kept growing strong.

During the summer I felt well enough for us to take a trip to Honduras.  What a blessing to see all they are doing there and to get to be a little part of the ministry at hospital Loma de Luz.  You can read about our trip by clicking here.  

Upon returning we jumped full strength back into life here in Oaxaca.  The kids with school.  Sam with Bible studies, classes, and disciplining.  Everyone at the church was excited to see my growing belly and give it a little rub.  That's very socially acceptable here and even expected.  I didn't mind, we were so grateful for the new little life growing, we were happy to share the blessing.

The kids had settled into the new school routine and I was even getting my garden in order.  With all our comings and goings over the last several years, it seems getting the garden in order (a.k.a. weeding, lots of weeding) is a very reoccurring theme around here.

The kids had September 15 off of school for Mexican Independence Day, so I high-jacked a part of their day with gardening.  Do you know how much more weeding you can get done with 5 able bodied kids?  After I relieved them from their gardening duties I returned to the garden several times that day.  The problem was, with all the day's activities, I think I forgot to drink enough water.  As evening approached, I quickly changed clothes so we could head down town to see all the festivities going on for Independence Day.  We had a great time drinking coffee on the down town square (zocalo), people watching, parade watching, and we got a very close up fireworks display.  You can see it here.

It was shortly before midnight that we headed back to the car.  On the walk to the car I noticed I was having some pretty serious contractions that seemed close together.  By the time we got home, they were every 3 minutes and I had to breathe through them.  I got in a warm bath, started hydrating and contacted one of our midwives and our doctor.  Our doctor answered his phone, but he was out of town.  After trying a few more things the contractions calmed down and I slept for a while, only to wake up several hours later to strong contractions again.  This pattern repeated several times until late afternoon.

After consulting several doctors, we decide it was time to go to the hospital.  I went and took a shower and tried to get all my crying out, so I could be strong for whatever the next days and weeks had in store.  Because, the way the contractions felt, I was sure at a mere 33 week, our baby was about to make an entrance...and I was scared.  The hospital most equipped to take care of premies (the Civil Hospital), really doesn't have a NICU.  Take a deep breath and let that sink in a minute.

Up until this point we had kept our little trial to ourselves, but in that brief time I was trying to pull myself together in the shower, Sam sent out a cry for help, I mean an email asking for pray.  Your response was overwhelming.

Also while I was in the shower, I remembered an OB/GYN that I had worked with a few times and we gave him a call.  Not only was he in town, he was at the Civil Hospital where we were going to need to go.  What a huge relief to see a familiar face in all the chaos.

The incredible thing really was that after all those contractions, my cervix was still closed and long and the contractions did slow down and eventually stop after an injection of terbutaline.  I remained on bed rest for a week or two and we all breathed a huge sigh of relief as week 37 of my pregnancy came and went.  This has been what Sam has come to call the 33 week scare.  Little did we know it would be a good thing that we were a little familiar with the civil hospital, as I would end up there after Gracen's birth.  You can read about his birth here.


A note to all my midwifery friends.  I am aware of the studies coming out showing bed rest to have no effect on preterm labor, however, when it seems like every time you move you have contractions, you tend to try not to move.   No matter what the studies say, it seems even the best of us are susceptible to anecdotal evidence.   

The Gift of Friendship: Not. Forgotten.

Over the past 4+ years in Mexico we have moved several times.  Phone numbers and contact information has changed, sometimes we haven't had internet, email, or facebook.  And I had fallen out of the habit of reaching out to the lovely women who have walked with me through various places and stages of my life.  My husband  encouraged me to reach out, seeing the harm isolation was bringing.  

However,  my culture has changed too.  I no longer am privileged to think of those that do without theoretically.  I try to make my ever changing house a home, but at the same time those struggling to exist and feeling very trapped in their circumstances literally knock on my door.  I think I was afraid I wouldn't be able to relate to anyone anymore.  That talking about playdates or kid's school or home improvements would render me speechless.

And then I was given the best birthday present ever!  All morning, to my great surprise, I received phone call after phone call from women taking time out of their busy days to chat and wish me a Happy Birthday.  And you know what I discovered?  It was not hard to relate at all.  It was wonderful to talk about our shared passion of birth.  It was wonderful to hear their children were growing and thriving.  It was wonderful to hear they are enjoying new work and new opportunities.  It was wonderful to hear how they are seeing God work in their lives and walk with them in difficult situations. 

Their were so many of you who called that I didn't get to talk to you all, but I plan to reach out very soon and I am excited to hear all about what is happening in your lives.  

It was not until about 1:00 in the afternoon that I began to realize this was all put together by my wonderful husband.  In his desire to give me the most wonderful birthday present that I desperately needed, he reached out to many of the special women in my life that I have had the privilege of calling friend.  

Your response was overwhelming!

Thank you for being a part of one of the best and most meaningful gifts I have ever received.

Ministry Monday Week #13: On the Solid Rock

One of the songs we sang while traveling around the country on deputation was "I'm Standing on the Solid Rock."  It relays a great message and has a wonderful southern gospel tune.  Well, last year we sang the English version at a church here in Oaxaca, and the response was tremendous.  Many asked if we knew it in Spanish.  Finally, after a year of looking and even trying our own hand at translating it (to no avail), we found it.

Here's one of our first attempts at it.

Ministry Monday Week #12: Children's Church

We are really loving the new church here in Huayapam.  We feel so blessed to be a part of what God is doing here.  They have asked me to help with children's classes on occasion.  I am so grateful my Spanish is finally good enough to do classes comfortably....note I said comfortably, not perfectly.  Some sweet friends sent us an old school flannel graph set the first year we were on the field, so I've busted it out and use it sometimes.  The first class I used it, one of the kids said, "Oh!  Que Bonita!"  (How pretty!)  They really like it.  Sometimes I let them come up and retell the story using the flannel graph...big hit!  Kids are always fun to work with!

Lena is usually my helper, because we can practice the night before and make sure everything is smooth and we have all the right characters.  

One of the really sweet things they do is prayer time. Each child writes their prayer request on a piece of paper, then they exchange papers, and pray for each other.  

Ministry Monday Week #11: Resurrection Sunday

Hope you had a great Easter.  We did!  We got to show off the grandparents at our church here in Huayapam.  What a blessing!  Everything was great from the prayer service to the song service to the preaching.  Sam preached a great message with a strong emphasis on the glorious victory that is summed up with three beautiful, powerful words, "It is finished". (John 19:30) 

I took a few snap shots of the kids doing a small craft of the empty tomb with a banner across that say, "Jesus Cristo ha resicitado!" (He is risen!)  

It is finished!

How was your weekend?