Bethany's birth story

So I realize that I don't post on here much anymore but I don't really have another spot to share the unique birth stories of my children so here I am! 

Bethany Hope was born on Sunday, August 26th at 1:25am.  The month of August was easily the longest month of my life!  We had originally thought that she was due July 31st but um, obviously we were wrong...lol!  I had hoped to still make it to VA for my family's annual beach trip but that didn't happen.  Each day that went by without her here yet was discouraging but Jesus had much to teach me about HOPE and waiting for His timing.

Anyway, back to the story.  After such a long wait I was semi convinced I would just be pregnant forever until Friday, August 24th.  I had a midwife appointment that morning but nothing was happening.  Later I went for a two mile walk pushing the stroller with a friend (as I had been doing rather frequently) and I began feeling a little extra crampy afterwards but nothing too out of the ordinary.  I did try to schedule a chiropractor appointment just in case this weekend was go time but they didn't have any openings.  The rest of the day/evening went normally but then around 1am Saturday morning I started having light contractions (I knew they were contractions because they were all in my back...again...).  I had to breath through a few but it wasn't too bad.  Around 3am I went to the bathroom again and inserted some evening primrose oil capsules vaginally to see if it would help speed anything up but it actually slowed them down and I was able to sleep for a few hours.  By the time the rest of the family was up my contractions had stopped and I was discouraged.  But my midwife encouraged me that sometimes the body does that when the baby is settling down in a better position for birth.  So I tried to go about my day as normally as possible.  After we layed the kids down for a nap Dylan and I had some "quality time" together and I napped for a little.  That seemed to jump start things into what I would classify as officially early labor.  It was around 4:30pm and my contraction were about every 10 minutes.  Getting strong enough that I did stop and breath through some but not enough for me to be confident I was in labor.  We did decide to go ahead and drop the kids with his parents just in case.  On the way down there contractions started coming every 4-5 minutes but I just had to use the restroom and then they spaced out again.  By the time we got back home around 6:30pm contractions had stopped again so we ate dinner, went for a fast walk around a nearby park and came home to nothing really going on.  We decided to get in bed about 9:30 and try to sleep...I even let family know that I wasn't sure it was happening tonight.  Well, we started watching some Christian comedy in bed and contractions came and went.  Frequently I would find myself laughing at the video and trying to breath through a contraction.  Finally we decided we should really sleep now so I went to the bathroom one last time around 10:45 and that's when I immediately started shaking and feeling the transition into active labor.  I told Dylan it was time and to call the midwife (she lived in the same town as us but I felt like things were moving quickly)!
Between 11-12:30 I walked up and down the dark quiet hallway in our house, stopping to have Dylan rub my back during contractions.  They were strong but bearable.  I had my midwife check me then and I was excited I was already 7 1/2 cm!!  Baby's head was a little cockeyed so I lunged through three contractions on each side and felt her settle into a better position.  Between 12:30-1:15 I rested against the wall when contracting and Dylan would squeeze my hips while my midwife rubbed my lower back.  That helped a lot but they were definitely getting closer and stronger.  At 1:15 I decided to try to get on my knees and lean against the couch through contractions.  I still didn't think I was close to birth yet but boy was I wrong!  I had one contraction in that position and then I felt my water break.  I started to tell my midwife but immediately my body started pushing.  Within just a few minutes of panicked breathing/pushing she was out and I finally could see that little face!!

 Dylan kept saying she was such a pretty baby and I was in awe of her tininess and adorable pouty lip!  She latched on right away and nursed for well over an hour.  I delivered the placenta in that time frame and transferred to the bed and she still nursed for almost two hours!  She weighed 7lb 11 1/2oz and was 21 inches long.  I didn't tear at all and she was by far my easiest, quickest delivery!  She was my firat baby to actually stay in the optimal position for birth, LOA and I think it made a huge difference in the transition stage of labor!  She has been a great sleeper and eater from the start and I'm once again amazed at this new precious gift from above!  God is so good!!

Praying for my husband

So I've recently been reminded of the extreme importance of praying for my sweet husband every day.  Its so easy for me to just mumble a few words about him to the Lord every now and then but not really take the time to truly pray for him.  As a wife I am called to be there to support, encourage, and help my man and I think by far one of the greatest ways for me to fulfill that calling is by praying for him in his.  The other day I sat down and wrote out specific areas I wanted to pray for him in with Scripture verses for me to pray over him.  I wanted to share those here on my blog for my own memory's sake and perhaps as an inspiration for someone else to do the same sort of thing for their spouse! 

~that he would fear the Lord more (Psalm 25:12, Proverbs 1:7a)
~that he would have discernment, understanding, and wisdom (Proverbs 2:2-6)
~that he would have strength from Jesus (Ephesians 6:10)
~that God's armor would be on him (Ephesians 6:13-18)
~that he would remember to fight the devil (Ephesians 6:12)
~that he would have wisdom in loving me (Ephesians 5:25)
~that God would show him where He wants him and this family for His glory (Ephesians 5:15-17)
~that he would set his mind on Jesus (Colossians 3:2-3)
~that he would put on these virtues (Colossians 3:12-14) and put off these vices (Colossians 3:8-10, Galatians 5:19-21)
~that God's peace would rule his heart (Colossians 3:15)
~that God's Word would dwell in him (Colossians 3:16)
~that he would do all for the glory of God (Colossians 3:17)
~that he would walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Galatians 5:16)
~that he would be filled with the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)
~that he would have wisdom in parenting (Colossians 3:21)
~that he would remember to pray and be thankful (Colossians 4:2)
~that he would lay aside every weight and sin and run with endurance (Hebrews 12:1-2)
~that he would have peace (John 14:27, Philippians 1:3-7, 1 Corinthians 1:3)
~that he would abide in Christ and bear fruit (John 15:5)
~that he stand perfect and complete in God's will (Colossians 4:12)
~that he would not grow weary (Galatians 6:9, 2 Thessalonians 3:13
~that he would watch and be sober (1 Thessalonians 5:8)
~that he would overcome the wicked one (1 John 2:13b) and temptation (James 1:12, 1 Corinthians 10:12-13)
~that he would know and believe how great God's love is for him (1 John 4:9-10, 19, Romans 5:6,8)
~that he would be secure in his faith, with no doubting (1 John 4:15, Romans 4:20, 5:1, 8:1, John 20:27)
~that he would be transformed (2 Corinthians 3:18, Romans 12:2)
~that sin would not reign in him (Romans 6:12, 14, 22)
~that he would be a conqueror (Romans 8:37)
~that he would be filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:2-4)
~that he would rejoice always (Philippians 3:1a, 4:4, 1 Thessalonians 5:16)

I hope to be diligent in praying for him in one of these areas daily.  I look forward to seeing how the Lord will strengthen, support, encourage, and lead him in the days ahead!  What a great God we serve!

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah :)

Gideon's birth story

"And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, "The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor.""

Judges 6:12

Well, my baby is one month old today and I'm finally getting around to typing up his birth story...better late than never, right? :)

We found out we were pregnant with baby number 2 last winter, just days before we left my family who we had been visiting for a month and a half.  We were so excited!!  We had been praying for quite a while that our family would be blessed once again and we were thankful!
The pregnancy was a breeze and I loved it once again !  Loved feeling those tiny kicks and squirms.  Loved feeling my belly grow larger and larger.  Loved guessing whether it would be a girl or a boy (we decided to be surprised this time around).  Loved trying to explain to Adelyn that she would soon have a little play mate.  Pregnancy and birth is such an amazing experience and one I'm so blessed to be a part of!!

My mom was given a special anniversary gift from my dad back in August.; she had received tickets to come see me for almost 2 weeks right around when we thought the baby was due!!  I was so excited to have her here and hoped baby would make his/her appearance during her visit.  The days rolled by with no baby but we stayed busy cooking, preparing meals for when the baby would come, walking, and just enjoying each other's company while praying baby would come soon.  I was so blessed to have that time with my momma...it had been a while.   Unfortunately the day arrived for my momma to go home.... with no baby :(.  Of course the next day I started to have signs of labor (pressure, a little bit of show, and some contractions off and on).  I went to bed Friday night, October 14th, pretty sure a little one would be here soon!  Just like I thought I was awakened around 2am Saturday October 15th with pretty consistent contractions (about 7-10 minutes apart) that were painful enough to keep me awake the rest of the night.  I kept in touch with my midwife and she decided to make her way to our house around 9am.  By the time she arrived I was a little disappointed that I hadn't progressed more as nothing had really changed since during the night.  We took our midwives' advice and tried to go about our day as normally as we could.  Dylan was right by my side assisting in whatever way he could, for which I was very grateful.  He's an awesome husband!
We went for a walk, tried to nap, ate some food, and took a shower.  Things finally started to pick up around 4PM.  Still totally bearable but I could tell we were finally moving!  By 7 I was ready for this baby to be here!!  I was having terrible back labor that was super intense, especially as we approached the end (just like with Adelyn...which I've always thought is weird since both of my babies were not posterior.  I thought anterior babies weren't supposed to cause back labor but later I read that it can also be because I have a short torso...next baby I'm definitely looking into that).
 Anyway, I made sure to move as much as possible during labor and tried sitting on the birth stool, hands and knees, and sitting on the floor in a butterfly position.  At the end though I really needed to stand and have someone pressing on my back and hips during contractions (so thankful for Dylan and my midwife and their help in that area!).  Finally around 9pm the midwife offered to check me and said I was 9cm with a slight cervical lip on one side.  She then inserted some evening primrose oil to help soften that lip and hopefully get me to full dilation.  Sure enough at 9:08 I had the urge to push and seconds later my water broke just before the head was born.  Only one or two more pushes and baby was out!!  Yay- I was done!  There is nothing like the relief of finally being done with labor!  Pushing is the easy part for me and I was blessed with no tears and very little swelling afterwards.

I ended up delivering in the bathroom, standing/squatting, and holding on for dear life onto our bathroom sink (Dylan told me later he was a little concerned it might fall off the wall due to how hard I would hold/lean on it during contractions :d).  Its definitely not where I imagined I would deliver but I found that I really needed something sturdy to hold onto as I wanted to circle my hips during contractions and that was the only thing my height safe enough to cling to :).
My dear sister in law caught our precious baby and laid him on the floor where I looked down to discover it was a boy!!  We were thrilled, although we hadn't totally settled on a name.   It didn't take us long to finalize it though.

Gideon Stephen was born at 9:11pm, October 15th.  He weighed in at 8lb1oz and was 21 inches long!  He's been a good boy so far...a couple of fussy nights but generally due to something I've eaten :).  I've recovered almost 100% and we're finally settling in to being a family of 4!  God is good and I truly feel my cup is overflowing!

The Lord gave me the name Gideon a couple months before he was born and I was impressed by the man in Scripture.  He was humble.  He didn't think he could do much but he was willing to follow the Lord's direction even though he was obviously frightened.  I pray that our Gideon will do the same when the Lord calls him to do something perhaps anti-cultural or frightening!
Dylan really liked the man Stephen in Scripture (I do too but I have a lot of Stephen's that I know so I didn't want it as a first name).  Just like him we pray our little man will be bold and willing to stand for Christ no matter the cost!
We would covet your prayers as we raise these little arrows for God's glory!  Parenting is not easy but I'm thankful that the Lord gives wisdom to those who ask!!

God bless,
Hannah :)

Book Review: A Life That Says Welcome...and an update :)

Well, we spent the month of January and some of February with my family in VA.  We had a wonderful visit and we were even able to bring a little someone special back with us...that's right, I'm expecting baby #2!!!  We're so excited and can't wait to meet this new blessing sometime in early October 2016!  Anyway, I say all that to say that I didn't really have a chance to write out my goals for the year until we got home.  One of my biggest goals for this year is to read a new book every month (or review an old one :d).  This book was the first of many (I hope) in 2016!

A Life That Says Welcome by Karen Ehman is a wonderful reminder on the importance of hospitality, especially as Christians, and includes some practical ways to prepare your home and heart for guests!  Karen starts out by giving you a little bit of background into her own life and journey from clueless cook to welcoming hostess.  Turning to the Scriptures she presents examples of hospitality and the importance of making sure your heart is right first before you open your home to others.  Also she shares "Our families need to come first as the recipients of love, creativity, and handiwork."pg.44.  Its so easy to get into the mode of serving and impressing others that we forget about our own little brood and how to serve and bless them.  What a great reminder!  From there the book proceeds to cover practical ways to stay on top of dirt and clutter, ideas to decorate your home, recipes for big crowds or picky eaters, and how to take hospitality on the road.  All together I was inspired to become more hospitable to the people around me and to be open to however the Lord may want to use me in this way!

I hope you all had a blessed Resurrection Sunday celebrating the victory our Lord had over death, hell and the grave!  All glory to Him!  What a joy to be His child!
Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah :)

Thoughts...on love and marriage :)

"I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the does of the field, do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases."
Song of Songs 3:5

Well, I'm doing well!  The Lord has blessed our family abundantly and I'm so grateful for my amazing husband and my precious baby girl.  Adelyn is growing up too fast but we're enjoying this new season of life as parents.  God is so good!

I've had some thoughts floating around in my head...mainly regarding the above verse.  For the past 2 months I've been blessed to be able to meet with a godly older woman and be encouraged in my journey as a wife and mother.  Just today we were talking about some of the challenges marriage can bring.  Marriage is not always bright and rosy and that's not necessarily a bad thing :).  In fact, marriage is wonderful at showing me my pride, selfishness, and hardheadedness (is that a word?).  Its one of God's greatest tools in perfecting me into what He desires in my heart and life :)!

Something we talked about today (and I remember my daddy teaching me this) is that I can never change another person.  That's not my responsibility...that's God's!  I can pray for my husband, I can support him and encourage him but I'm not responsible for changing him into what I want in a spouse.  Now granted, if you are both seeking the Lord you will hopefully desire to change in certain areas that are particularly troublesome to your "better half".  The point though is that what your husband does or does not do should not determine how you act or respond.  That's really hard!  It's so easy for Mr. Flesh to step in and begin to make excuses for my ugly attitude or sinful thoughts.  Instead I should respond as Jesus did, humbly.

To get back to the above verse though it says "...do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases."  God is great at arranging marriages...He's been doing it for quite sometime :)!  Don't rush into marriage but do allow the Lord to lead.  Be sensitive to what He's showing you about this person.  Try to see the good and the bad BEFORE you're married.  Have a realistic view of marriage.  Prepare yourself.  Read good books on love and marriage before you're married.  Ask questions of married couples.  Research your role according to Scripture and what a godly man should look like.  If you are blessed with godly parents seek wisdom and counsel from them.  Pray A LOT!  I know its hard but be patient in waiting :).
Marriage is wonderful!  It can be gloriously amazing some days and downright difficult others but SO worth it!  I think marriage is one of God's biggest blessings to human beings.  No other created thing has the closeness, friendship, and oneness that we humans get to have with our spouse...how special!  "Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to wrath." James 1:19...what a great verse for married people!

I don't know if any of this makes sense as I'm just jotting down what's in my head ;)...I do need to go get the baby tucked in now so if you have any questions about what I said please feel free to comment :D!

God bless and I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Learning to be more like Jesus,
Hannah :)

Lessons I've learned in being a wife :)

My apologies for the lack of activity here on the blog...but I can assure you that things have been pretty active elsewhere :)!  Dylan and I are in the processing of buying a lawn business and he's running the whole thing and I'm taking care of all the book work.  So, with this being our first official lawn season we're staying busy!

But that's not what I got on here to post about.  I am so grateful for the past 15 1/2 months as Dylan's wife.  I continue to learn new things every day and hopefully change to look more and more like Jesus in the way I treat and support my husband.  I wanted to share some things that I've learned (and am learning) with you all.

New daddy!!

1. Being submissive on the outside doesn't necessarily mean you're submissive on the inside.
It took me a little while but I've realized that often times I would manipulate our conversations so that I got what I wanted.  Now, this wasn't always in an outward rebellious behavior but it would occur when I put things a certain way or convinced him to think like I was thinking instead of humbling myself and following him (even if I was sure I was right).  This sort of attitude is not honoring to my husband or to Jesus and its something I still need to work on.

4th of July!

2. Its very important that I support my husband in front of others and especially our children, even if I disagree.
I realize now more than ever how important this is.  People will form an opinion of my husband based on what I say and how I act towards him...wow.  That's a lot of responsibility. Not only that but my children will begin to form an opinion about daddy based on how mommy talks to and treats him.

But, boy is this hard to do when I disagree with either how he's doing something or what he would like me to do.  That ugly sin nature begins to rear its head and "self" and "me" begin to fight a battle in your head (or at least they do in mine :d).  You start to think of all the things you could say about why you either agree or disagree and.... that's where we have a choice.  I have a choice to either continue to allow those negative thoughts to overflow my brain and spill out my mouth or I can stop right there...pray for the Lord's strength to support and love my husband and trust that He is in control.  And honestly knowing that your husband is a Christian and desires to please the Lord does make this easier.  I have to trust that Jesus will speak to Dylan and continue to work through him and change him from the inside out (just like I'm sure Dylan has to do for me too!).

Love these two SO much!!

3. Learn to relax and allow him to control his day.
This has been another one of those areas that has been a struggle for me to embrace.  I come from a very scheduled household (which is, I believe necessary when you have so many people in the house :)) and my personality is the type that likes to accomplish everything I know that needs to get done as soon as possible so I can then sit back and relax.  However my husband has a much more laid back personality and prefers to enjoy some quality time with Adelyn and I in the morning before he leaves for work.  This really used to bug me (and sometimes I still let it) but I've learned a couple things.
First, don't look at the clock!  This little trick has really helped me to stay relaxed and enjoy the time I have with him.
Second, don't try to schedule his day.  If I think he should leave by 10AM I become disappointed, frustrated, and moody when he doesn't leave right when I want him to.  Instead of embracing his timing and trusting that he is fully capable of ordering his day without my assistance (which he is) I ruin the minutes I have with him because of my negative thinking and grouchy attitude.

Well, that's a brief look into my wifely walk lately :).  I'm definitely still learning and the Lord is continuing to chisel me into the wife and mother He's called me to be.  So thankful for His guidance and strength in this amazing journey.  I couldn't be more blessed!

God bless you all.  Until next time...
Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah ;)

Confessions...

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us LAY ASIDE every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us RUN WITH ENDURANCE the race that is set before us, LOOKING UNTO JESUS...."
Hebrews 13:1-2a

My husband and I read this chapter for devotions recently and I was reviewing it again today as it really convicted me then.

Lately I've been very busy worrying and being selfish and lets just say that doesn't make a great person to get around with.
The first thing that convicted me was that I was not laying aside EVERY weight and EVERY sin that was ensnaring me.  Instead I was trying to fix things in my own strength and ignoring the sins in my life.   I would give my burdens up to the Lord and almost instantly try to bear them again in my own strength.  I would be upset and know that the battle between the flesh and the spirit was raging but would refuse to humble myself and be corrected by the Lord.  Pride, the biggest weed in the garden of my heart, has made it difficult to see what exactly Jesus has been trying to show me and perfect in me.  I've been so busy with "life" and "me" that I've forgotten to walk in the Spirit (or have been ignoring the gentle corrections of the Spirit).

Why is it so important to lay aside every weight and sin?  Because we have a race to run and it requires endurance.  This race is oftentimes hard, long, and tiring; its the race of life, the life Jesus has for each and ever one of us (and it'll look different for each and every one of us).  This race has its hills and valleys, its dark times and its glory but its impossible to truly run it for the glory of the Lord unless we're unencumbered by the stresses of life and the sins of our hearts.  That's why we must first lay everything aside and THEN look to Jesus!  We cannot run this race alone...and we don't have to!  We, I, must keep my eyes on Him, "the author and finisher of my faith".  Without Him I am nothing...truly!  I am so thankful for His grace and forgiveness, even when I've strayed from the path He has wanted me on!!

So that's the latest thing the Lord's been teaching me...what has He been doing in your life?

Learning to delight in Jesus, every moment of every day!
Hannah :)

The goodness of God

Why do we have the pleasures of life, if God is not good?
Why do we have the joy of watching a newborn baby smile and coo, if God is not good?
Why do we have the honor of watching the frozen wonderland of winter melt into the warm vibrant colors of spring , if God is not good?
Why do we have the beauty of a sunrise every morning and the splendor of a sunset every night, if God is not good?
Why do we get to enjoy the warmth of the sun and the magnificence of a starry night, if God is not good?
Why do we have the privilege of enduring love and God-centered marriage, if God is not good?
Why do we have a warm home, a comfy bed, good food and clothing, if God is not good?
Why do we have the benefit of listening to the happy melody of birds and the noisy songs of crickets, if God is not good?
Why does the sea abound with creatures great and small for us to admire and appreciate, if God is not good?
Why does the land  also hold many animals, each uniquely and wonderfully made, if God is not good?
Why do we get the value of close relationships with people in this lost world, if God is not good?

But even if we did not have these pleasures,
The joy of a newborn child,
The changing of seasons,
The glory of the sunrise and sunset,
The splendor of the skies,
The beauty of love and marriage,
The comforts of life,
The  creativity of each insect and animal,
And the honor of relationships,
God would still be good.

His goodness is not based on what He’s created or blessed us with.; God’s goodness is who He is.  God IS good, its part of His nature; just as much as chocolate is to chocolate cake (yes, I‘m hungry J)!  The key is remembering this when times get tough.  Its so easy for me to base the goodness of God on what I have or don’t have, but in reality that doesn’t change a thing.  God is good ALL the time and ALL the time God is good!  Since we’ve established this fact we should have no fear because we know “that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
And it is this very goodness of God that drew us to Himself so that we might be saved (Romans 2:4).  Wow!  What a glimpse into the character and awesomeness of our God!
“Oh, give thanks to the Lord for He is GOOD!  For His mercy endures forever!”
Psalm 118:1

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah  ;)

My sister and her adventure

For years my sister, Alexis, has grown and developed a love for music.  She has been gifted with a beautiful voice and the ability to create amazing songs on the piano!  I too am a pianist but playing by ear is not my thing :).  Lexi, on the other hand prefers to not look at sheet music and just go off of what sounds right...and she does a great job!  This has enabled her to also pick up a little bit of fiddle (I say a little bit but she can play quite well!) and guitar but that's another story.

At the beginning of this year Lexi felt led to try out for something called Actors, Models, and Talent for Christ.  I don't know all the details but she explains more about it on her blog.  Anyway, she tried out in the music division and was accepted!!  She now is undergoing a couple months of training to refine her skills and then at the end of this year she'll be participating in a huge conference down in Florida.  At this conference she will perform the songs she's been working on all year in front of movie producers, recording agents, big time music artists, etc.  They will then have the ability to contact her and possibly use her professionally in the near future.

Her goal in all of this is to be used for the glory of God in whatever way He sees fit.  This training and conference is not free however and so she's looking to raise support.  If you feel so led please look her up on her blog: 2alexisnoel.blogspot.com

Also, please check out her blog, for more information and updates as the year progresses!
I'm so proud of you, Lex and I know the Lord will use You for His purposes if you stay close to Him.  Don't give up.  Don't give in.  I'm praying for you!

I love you bunches!
Hannah :) 

Adelyn Grace

Well, I've always loved reading birth stories and its still very surreal to know I now have one to share :)!  Its been three weeks since the start of it all and the arrival of our precious daughter.  I want to remember her story for my own sake and for hers.  Only an awesome, living God could create such a beautiful perfect gift!

I'll start at the very beginning....we'd only been in our home 3 weeks when I had a suspicion that I was pregnant.  I told Dylan I thought I might be but it was too early to be sure.  He talked to his brother who gave us some pregnancy tests that his wife had on hand.  After a fun-filled evening over at the Wagner's we arrived home around 11:30pm.  I was so anxious to know if my feelings were right that I took a pregnancy test...not really expecting it to come back positive because I was so early.  Well, after waiting the 10 minutes I came back to check the test and was pleasantly surprised to see two pink lines!  I took another test in the morning just to be sure and that too came back positive; we were going to have a baby (an answer to my prayers)!!

The pregnancy was a breeze!  I had barely any morning sickness and once the first trimester was done I felt great!  I was able to help Dylan with the lawn business a little during the summer and fall as well as keep up an exercise routine.  I think staying active really kept me from becoming too uncomfortable...even the last few weeks.  We found a like minded Christian midwife (Sara) in KS, about 3 hours from our home, who had a beautiful birthing suite that we were told we could use (she does not deliver in our state due to the strict laws regarding midwives and home birth).

My family arrived on Friday, January 16th to visit and hopefully have a chance to see their new grandchild/niece!  I was having a good amount of Braxton Hicks that week but nothing painful or really noticeable.  I knew my body was prepping and I was excited!

Wednesday night, January 21st, Dylan arrived home late and was taking a shower while I was relaxing on the bed reading a good book.  I sat up to readjust my position and felt a squirt of fluid.  I thought I had accidentally gone to the bathroom on myself so I hurried to the restroom to change my underwear.  I waited a couple minutes but nothing really happened so I went to stand up when another squirt of fluid convinced me that I wasn't having problems "holding it" but rather was leaking amniotic fluid!  It was around 11PM Wednesday night.  I got myself situated with a towel between my legs and then let my mom know (as she was coming with us) and called the midwife.  She said we could come over right now or wait until contractions started.  Thinking I would be more comfortable at home, we opted to wait a little while.  Well, around midnight I started having some contractions on and off but nothing really consistent.  Around 3 am I decided I wanted to go ahead and go just in case.  After collecting all of our birthing supplies, pillows, and food we climbed into my dad's Chevy truck and headed down the road.  Fortunately we only had to turn around once to get the baby car seat we almost forgot :)!

On the way there my contractions were pretty consistent; every 6-8 minutes.  I breathed through them but they weren't hard.  Once we got there the midwife encouraged us to rest so we laid down for a few hours.  I didn't really sleep though.  I was just too excited and nervous.

The contractions really slowed while we were resting so Sara encouraged us to walk around, take an herbal concoction to help start labor, smell essential oils, etc.  Around 3 PM Dylan, Momma, Mom Wagner (she arrived while we were napping), and I decided to walk around the park in town (about 20 minutes away).  Almost as soon as we arrived back at the midwife's an hour or so later, the contractions really picked up and active labor began.  The toilet was a relaxing spot in early labor but soon I was pacing the rooms, stopping to lean on something during contractions, and moaning softly.  At 7:30PM Sara offered to check me and I was pleasantly surprised that I was already at 5 cm and 95% effaced!  Yay...halfway through!

Well, honestly after that details become really blurred in my memory.  I decided to get in the tub and things really picked up.  Unfortunately Adelyn's heart rate would drop pretty low through contractions but then would go back up to a normal range in between.  However it was low enough that I had to be on oxygen during contractions.  That wasn't fun...especially since I was feeling like I couldn't do it.  Dylan was a great help and support through the entire labor and stayed attentively by my side. What a great husband I have!  Sara checked me again at 10:45 PM and I was 7 1/2 cm with baby's head REALLY low.   I labored a little while longer in the tub but was really uncomfortable and having really bad back pain during contractions.  Because of Adelyn's fluctuating heart I had to stay in certain positions so she could get the most oxygen possible.  That really limited my maneuverability and I wish now that I could've moved around more.
Finally it was time to push but Sara moved me to the bed to deliver.  I laid on my left side and began pushing.  Only about 15 minutes of pushing (which actually didn't hurt as much as I thought) Adelyn Grace joined our little family!  I had one small tear above my perineum but other than that I was good!

Its been an amazing three weeks since I became a mommy!  God is so good and He has blessed me with the fulfillment of this my biggest dream...to be a wife and a mom!  I'm looking forward to the future and what He wants to do with this little life that He's given us for a time.  My prayer is that she would come to know Jesus at a young age and be used for His glory!

Hope to post again soon! :)
Learning more about Jesus every day!
Hannah 

What a joy!

Once again, my apologies for the length of time that passes between posts!  First a little update and then a little encouragement :).

Dylan and I are doing very well.  My husband has a lawn business with his dad and brother so things have been staying very busy!  They recently took over another lawn business so we've been adjusting to all the new customers and all the book work :).  I'm so grateful for the training I had doing the billing for my dad's business because now I get to assist with my husbands!  I never would've dreamed that I would marry a lawn care worker but its neat to see how the Lord prepares you for the future...without you even realizing it!
Anyway, other than the craziness that always tends to come with summers things have been pretty peaceful.  I'm still enjoying my quiet time when I'm at home but really looking forward to having a baby in the house in just 25ish weeks!  The pregnancy is going very well and I've been blessed with little to no morning sickness.  We recently met with our midwife for the first time and we really liked her!  Our preference is to have the birth as natural as possible.  After watching my mom have 3 homebirths, I would've loved to have had one but unfortunately in NE its illegal to have a midwife at your home birth (you can have a homebirth, just no knowledgeable person is allowed to be present....).  Being this is our first baby we decided to go with a midwife in KS who not only does homebirths for those in the state but also allows couples to come and birth in her office.  I wasn't really certain I would like that idea but after seeing the place and meeting the people both Dylan and I were pretty excited!  They have a great set up and a relationship with some people at the hospital nearby if we needed to transfer.  Plus, our midwife is a Christian and I'm really looking forward to getting to know her and her family better! 
Some of my family recently came out for a week long visit which was wonderful (you can check out my family's blog for pictures and more info)!  I've really missed them but I'm so glad to have most of Dylan's family nearby.  The Lord has truly blessed me with a great extended family...I feel right at home!
We're still enjoying our little country church and a couple weekends ago enjoyed an ice-cream social with most of the members.  Ice-cream in summer time is amazing (well, ice cream anytime is :D)...and so is chicken nuggets and fries, and burgers, and pizza, and salad, and chocolate chip cookies, and...sorry, pregnancy stomach talking here...where was I? :)  We're very thankful to have a godly, Bible-based church to attend and be encouraged in!
Well, I think that pretty much sums up where things are at currently.  The Lord is constantly changing and molding us and we're so grateful that we get to go through the rest of this life together! 

I just want to say to all you young ladies waiting and dreaming of your future homes, its as great as it sounds!  I LOVE being a wife and while yes, at times it is difficult to put my husband first (after the Lord, of course) it is better than I dreamed.  And knowing that you are being used to hold and nurture a precious new life is so exciting and amazing!!  The number one thing to remember is to keep the Lord first and central in your life (which becomes a little more difficult once you have a family to attend to but the Lord is teaching me).  If you do that and you have a realistic view of marriage and what He says about it, you won't be disappointed!  Read up on marriage now.  Prepare for being a wife and mother NOW.  Anticipate the ups and downs of marriage.  It isn't always like a fairy tale but it can be if you are especially willing to put these verses into practice:
"Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others."
Philippians 2:3-4
Its hard, yes but "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!" and it is so worth it!  Pray for your husbands now.  Learn from godly couples now.  Don't wait...prepare in Christ's strength and your marriage can indeed be wonderful, dreamy, amazing, outstanding, and beyond your wildest dreams!

I pray the Lord will continue to teach and grow me in this season of my life (as He's so good at doing, if we just allow Him :D)!
Hopefully the baby won't be born by the next time I post :)!
Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah
"Oh, how great is Your goodness which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men!"
Psalm 31:19

1 Month

On Monday, Dylan and I celebrated our one month anniversary...crazy!  It seems like forever long ago that we got married and honestly that day is a little blurry in my memory.  Hard to believe it actually happened but so glad it did!

We didn't do anything really special due to the fact that I had a fresh cold so we just enjoyed the day off and did some shopping a little later in the day.  We do have a very special one month anniversary gift from God though :).....we're gonna have a baby!!!  Yep!  I'm currently a little over four weeks pregnant with this little one due in late January!  We're so excited and so thankful for this blessing!  God has been so good to us!!

For those of you wondering if we meant to have a baby so soon, I'm here to put you at ease :).  No, we weren't "planning" on having a baby but we were content with God's timing, whether that was now or years from now.  The Lord is the one who opens and closes the womb so who are we to try and control it?  Dylan and I believe children are a gift and an inheritance from the Lord (Psalm 127-128) and we're so honored to have been trusted to raise this precious life!  Please understand this is a personal conviction for our family and is not meant to judge any other family's decision regarding this area.

That being said, I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am!!  For as long as I can remember I've dreamed of being a wife and a mom and the Lord has so graciously given me the desires of my heart...wow!!  I shall try to keep you all posted on this pregnancy and whatever else our life may hold together!

Hopefully next time I'll have some pictures too :)!

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah

Update...finally :)

Wow!  Its hard to believe it'll be a month since we got married in five days!!  Time flies way too fast!

There have been a lot of changes in the last month; all good, some hard but good.  We had a very pleasant honeymoon and really just enjoyed being together and learning more about each other!  We came back to my parents home for a day and then flew back to our new home...1400 miles away. The goodbyes were tough as we knew it would be a while before we saw each other again but thankfully the Lord has truly blessed me with the man I can now call my husband.  He is so gentle and kind, such a strength to me in this transition.  I couldn't ask for a better  lifelong partner!  Every night he comes home from working very hard in the lawn business and wraps me in his strong arms and kisses me quite passionately...wow, am I blessed or what?! :)

Honestly, I've really fallen in love with my small town!  I'm only about half a mile from our bank, a grocery store (which has an excellent selection at pretty decent prices), a flower shop, city hall, the courthouse, auto mechanics, and thrift store.  I have had some adjusting to do with small town life (like going up to the courthouse where our local DMV was supposed to be and learning they're only there twice a month :D) but overall its been a very positive experience!  A big plus is that my brother and sister in love live only 2 miles away with two absolutely adorable kids who now call me Aunt Hannah.  Also Mom and Dad W live only 15-20 minutes away, which has been nice!

We've been settling in as the newest married couple at our church and I've really enjoyed the preaching!  Its a small country church where almost everybody except Dylan's family is related :).  They welcome you like family though and are all very kind!

As far as actual wifehood goes I'm loving it!!! Being a wife is one of those things I always dreamed about and now that its finally happened its better than I imagined!  I would say to all of you unmarried girls out there hoping/praying the Lord will bring the right one to you, have realistic expectations.  Remember you are just a sinner saved by grace marrying another sinner saved by grace.  But the awesome thing is that when Christ is in the center of both of your lives and your marriage He does some pretty amazing things!!  So don't stress, sit back and relax through the journey of life and let Christ be your Captain (preaching to myself here!)...He knows what He's doing!!

Hopefully it won't be too terribly long before I post again but I'm not making any promises :)!

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Mrs. W :)

3 days!!

Hello Everyone!

Just a really quick post as 3 days from now I will be a Mrs.!!  Crazy how time flies...and I'm not just saying that because I'm old ;)!  Life is busy around the Wassenberg house with wedding preparations.  Yesterday and Monday was busy making decorations for the reception area and getting ready for guests; today we shopped for all the fruits and veggies and began chopping some.  Later tonight our first wave of visitors arrive, then tomorrow comes the next wave, and finally Friday brings the next wave!  It's going to be like a huge sleepover!! :)

This is going to be one of the biggest transitions in my life but one I couldn't be more excited about!!  Ever since I was very young I dreamed of being a wife and Lord willing, a mother!  Not only do I get to become the wife of the most amazing man around but I get to truly fulfill the role God has given me as a woman...wow!  I'm so thankful for my parents preparing me and assisting me in guarding my heart until the time was right.  I have no regrets and I'm so thankful that when I walk down that aisle I will be doing so, by the grace of God, in purity!  Our God is amazing!!  He has heard and answered so many of my prayers in regards to my future husband that I'm truly in awe.  For those of you are unmarried yet, don't forget to pray for your future spouse!!  It is so amazing to see how Jesus answers and fulfills those prayers and dreams beyond your wildest imaginations!!!

I hope to update you all soon!  Until then I leave you with a verse that has been very special to me since we've been engaged:

"That they may see and know, And consider and understand together, That the hand of the Lord has done this, And the Holy One of Israel has created it."
Isaiah 41:20

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah :)

How To Be a Good Wife Today

Hello Friends!
Wow- its been a while since I last posted on here but I have a good excuse :)!  Right after I got engaged Momma and Daddy started to read "Created to be His Helpmeet" by Debi Pearl with me.  I have LOVED what I've learned so far and definitely recommend it for every wife or wife-to-be!  Here is an excerpt from their book, which is an excerpt from a public high school home-ech textbook.  I was amazed when I read this!  Things have truly changed for the worse just in the past 60 years!  Please let me know your thoughts!
Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah  

How to Be a Good Wife Today

(taken word-for-word from a 1950s public high school home economics textbook)

*Have dinner ready.  Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal on time.  This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs.  Most men are hungry when they come home, and the prospect of  a good meal is part of the warm welcome needed.

*Prepare yourself.  Take 15 minutes to rest so that you'll be refreshed when he arrives.  Touch up your makeup, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking.  He has just been witha lot of work-weary people.  Be a little gay and a little more interesting.  His boring day may need a lift.

*Clear away the clutter.  Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrivves, gathering up schoolbooks, toys, and papers.  Then, run a dust cloth over the tables.  Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift, too.

*Prepare the children.  Take a few minutes to wash the children's hadns and faces (if they are small). Comb their hair, and if necessary, change their clothes.  They are little treasures, and he would like to see them playing the part..

*Minimize all noise.  At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer, dishwasher, or vacuum.  Try to encourage the children to be quitet.  Be happy to see him.  Greet him with a warm smile.

Some Don'ts:

*Don't greet him with problems or complaints.

*Don't complain if he is late for dinner.  Count this as minor compared with what he might have gone through that day.  Make him comfortable.  Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or suggest he lie down in the bedroom.  Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.  Arrange his pillow, and offer to take off his shoes.  Speak in a low, soft, soothing and pleasant voice.  Allow him to relax and unwind.

*Listen to him.  You may have a dozen things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time.  Let him talk first.

*Make the evening his.  Never complain if he does not take you out to dinner or to other places of entertainment.  Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure, his need to be home and relax.

"The goal: try to make your home a place of peace and order, where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit."

______________________________________________

Love

I'm sure you're all surprised about my post title, right? :)  Love has been on my mind a lot lately thanks to God's amazing purpose in bringing Dylan and I together.  We have been memorizing 1 Corinthians 13 and while memorizing I've been thinking a good deal about what true love is.  I would like to share with you some of the things the Lord has been showing me.

True love is...

...A Sacrifice.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  John 3:16
Love is a sacrifice as Christ demonstrated for us.  Love requires us to think higher of the other person and to humble ourselves.  This is not easy.  Jesus told us to "love our neighbor as ourselves" (Matthew 22:39).  Have you ever stopped to think how much we love ourselves?  We make sure we're comfortable, full, and at ease.  Do I treat others as good, if not better then I treat myself?  I don't think so...I need to work on that.

...A Decision.
"bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails."  1 Corinthians 13:7-8a
Love is not how you feel at that moment...it is a choice.  Guess what guys, I'm marrying a sinner and so is he!  :) There will be times when we don't feel like loving each other, but we will have to take that thought captive and choose to love because Jesus says to.

...A Joy!
"For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother."  Philemon 7
Have you ever noticed that right after love in the list of the fruits of the Spirit is joy?  Love is supposed to be joyous, not a drag or because I have to.  When we truly love like Jesus teaches we will be full of joy!

...A Perfect Picture of Christ.
"Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything."  Ephesians 5:24
The marriage relationship was designed for many reasons but one of the main ones is to portray Christ's love and affection for His Body, the church.  What a responsibility!  How I love my husband and the people around me is how people will see God's love...through me!  Wow!

...A Pursuit.
"Pursue love..."  1 Corinthians 14:1a
"But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness."  1 Timothy 6:11
Practice makes perfect :)!  I need to pursue love...it does not come naturally to the flesh.  The Lord has been teaching me yet again that my actions flow from my thoughts.  If I pursue love in my thought life then I will demonstrate it in my actions and words.  That's hard to remember all the time :)!

Finally, a verse from my section of Scripture for the year:
"But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection."  Colossians 3:14
Perfect love and everything else will fall in place.

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah :)

Engaged!!

I'm back!  Sorry for the delay between posts but I just got back from a wonderful 13 days with my new extended family-to-be Wednesday.  I wanted to fill you guys in on the details of the engagement and the time since then.

It all started 2 weeks ago today....I had just gotten off of my plane and was headed towards the baggage claim area when off in the distance I saw the face of the one I loved and in his hands was a dozen red roses.  We met somewhere in the middle and said "hello".  He handed me the roses and I said my thanks before we headed down the escalator to pick up my obnoxious pink and purple bag :)!  The bag soon arrived and Dylan then picked it up and led me back up the escalator.  I wondered at this but figured he was just going to lead me over the covered walkway to the parking deck since it was snowing/sleeting outside (he's very considerate like that).  We began to walk over when he paused in the middle of the bridge.  I turned and asked if his car was this way.  He responded, "No".  At that point I was like "then why are we headed this way?", but before I could say anything he said, "I have something else for you."  I'm pretty sure my heart skipped a beat :)!  He then told me the words every woman wants to here "Hannah, I love you.".  I acknowledged that I loved him too and then he pulled a box out of his pocket, got down on one knee, and said, "Will you marry me?".  And I said "Yes!!".

Now, you have to understand the preciousness of this moment.  We had never said that we loved each other before (we had agreed to wait until we were engaged and committed), we had been serious in protecting each others hearts from the very beginning and had allowed ourselves very little romantic expressions.  Why?
The courtship process is different for everyone, but for us it was a time to pursue the possibility of marriage.  Since we did not know for sure whether or not we would be married, we endeavored to get to know each other as best as we could while still guarding each others hearts in case we weren't meant to be together.  Another guideline we had set is that we would not touch until we were married.  To most people this is crazy and over the top but our reasoning is this; I am not yet his.  Physical touch is an amazing gift from God to a married couple but unfortunately in today's dating culture physical touch is undervalued and overused.  We want it to be a special moment when we first hold hands in preparation for pledging ourselves to each other until "death do us part".  The Scripture warns "It is good for a man not to touch a woman." (1 Corinthians 7:1), so this is one of those areas we decided to be extra careful in :).

And thus ends our engagement story!  The Lord has been so good and it has been so obvious to both of us that He truly is the one that orchestrated our relationship.  We enjoyed our 13 days together and are so grateful for that time to draw closer to each other and to the Lord!  Please continue to pray for us as we begin planning for an April 19th, 2014 wedding.

Feel free to ask as many questions as you would like!  We want others to learn and be encouraged by all that the Lord has done!

In His love,
Hannah

P.S.- I hope to have a couple of posts in the near future detailing our courtship process!  So be prepared! :)

Book Review: Let Me Be A Woman

Elisabeth Elliot is one of my heroes of the faith!  Not only did she minister alongside her husband, Jim Elliot, to the Auca Indians, but she continued to minister to them even after they killed him.  She has written several books on the topic and on Jim's life.  She also has written several books on men and women and their relationships.  This was one of those books :)!
Mrs. Elliot wrote this book to her daughter who was getting ready to be married.  It reads more like a letter then a book and contains pages of motherly advice and wisdom.  She starts out by contrasting the differences between men and women.  Grounded in Scripture, she points out that a woman cannot find true joy unless she is a woman.   In today's society, thanks to the radical growth of the feminist movement, it has become hard to discern what our role is as women.  Only when we turn to the Bible can we attain a proper perspective on who we should be as women.  Mrs. Elliot points out that woman was made for man.  Now in today's culture that is almost instantaneously attacked.  But that's because our culture is no longer looking at things through a Biblical perspective.  In Genesis 2 it clearly states that woman was made to be man's helpmeet.  That's why it is a beautiful thing when two people, a man and a woman, choose to join their lives together and become one flesh.  But marriage is not the end of the story.  Mrs. Elliot covers the realities of married life.  In other words its not always going to be easy.  But if two people, under the authority of Jesus Christ, are willing to live out the roles assigned to them by God, it can be a beautiful thing!

Mrs. Elliot covers the four things you will receive when you marry a man:
~ A Sinner
~ A Man
~ A Husband
~ A Person

She also covers the topics of submission, obedience, humility, what makes marriage work, love (in both the physical and spiritual), and so much more!

I highly recommend this book for anyone preparing for, looking forward to, or getting ready for marriage!
Ages 16 and up or as directed by your parents :)

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah :)

The Adventure Expanded

Hello Everyone,

I am so glad that I can now share a little bit more about the "adventure"!!

Last November I joined a homeschoolers alumni website (homeschoolalumni.org) per daddy's request.  I set up a profile and had the opportunity to post my convictions on a couple of forums on the website.  Then in February of this year a young man, who also was on the website, asked if he could send messages to me every-now-and-again.  Now I was not on this website to collect a large "friend" circle and I was especially careful about communicating online with a guy I didn't even know.  But after consulting with my father I agreed to write him back and forth.  I honestly didn't think anything of it.  I did not like the idea of online relationships and I had pretty much blocked that area off in my mind as an unrealistic way to get to know someone.  I did like what this guy had to say and appreciated his convictions but I was not romantically attached to him.  This is when the Lord started His plans :)!

Near the end of July this young man contacted my father and asked to start a courtship with me.  After 3-4 weeks of intense questioning regarding theology and convictions on both email and the phone, we were at the point where we needed to meet each other in person.  Dylan flew out here from Nebraska (where he lives) to stay with us for two weeks in the middle of September.  Our first meeting was a little awkward and we had a couple of things we needed to work out.  When he left to go back home I wasn't positive that we were going to continue the relationship.  So I handed that dream over to the Lord and waited.  Only a few days after Dylan had left he contacted me and asked me if I would fly out to Nebraska to stay with his family for 10 days.  I had complete peace with going and surprisingly (for me, anyway) I wasn't even nervous.  :)

I just got back from a wonderful 10 days with Dylan's family and with him.  I enjoyed the time we had to truly get to know each other and begin to give our hearts to each other.  He will be visiting us again next week and I hope to keep you all posted on this wonderful season in my life.  The Lord works in mysterious ways and when God writes your love story you must learn to expect the unexpected :)!

Prayers I know would be appreciated for the both of us as we continue to pursue the possibility of a lifetime together!

Please feel free to ask questions!  I want others to learn too!!

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah

An Adventure

Tomorrow, dear friends, I start out on an adventure.  It should be fun, encouraging, and maybe even challenging but God will be with me all the while.  I've never done anything like this before and yet God's peace that passes all understanding has been my constant shield during this past year.  "Faith, have faith," those are the words God has placed on my heart.  Along with these verses from Psalm 40:

"I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry.  
He has put a new song in my mouth- praise to our God; 
Many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord.  
Blessed is that man [or woman] who makes the Lord his [or her] trust.  
Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; 
And Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; 
If I would declare and speak of them, 
They are more than can be numbered.  
I delight to do Your will, O my God.  
And Your law is within my heart."

These verses have been the cry of my heart lately!
Prayers would be much appreciated as I embark on this adventure.  I hope when I return to share a little bit more of what God has been doing in my life!

Have a blessed week!
Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah :)