Aubrey's Birth

I know that this is old news, but I really wanted to write about this for me and for Aubrey. Aubrey Faith Reeves was born February 6, 2008 at 11:02 a.m. I had her at the Allen Birthing Center. My midwife was an awesome and amazing lady named Amy Giles. Amy is the kind of girl that I would love to hang out with and be friends with. She's so sweet and compassionate, loves God and is just an amazing lady. Don't think I could have done the natural thing without her encouragement and prayers throughout my pregnancy and delivery.
So I went into actual labor the day before around 4:30 pm. My contractions remained steady throughout the night. My sweet sister in law Savita came over to help monitor me, since I didn't really know what to expect because my labor with Alyssa was induced. It was me her and Aaron laying in bed all night long, awake of course. I didn't go into the birthing center until 8:00 am the next morning. When I arrived I was dilated to a 4. Amy made me walk around the house for about an hour to speed things along. My contractions were getting worse, but still bearable. She let me go upstairs and lay in bed to try to rest for a little while. While up there, we were talking about the pain and I asked her if the pain was as bad as it is going to get, and she said she thought I was peaked and the rest would be down hill. Throughout my whole pregnancy, Aaron and I and everyone at New Rivers were praying for me to have an amazing delivery. My prayer was that it would be fast and less painful, and that I wouldn't tear. We had also been praying for an amazing God experience. For God's presence to fill the room while I was in labor. Alyssa's birth was beautiful because I got her at the end of it , but not right and the way I would have wanted it to be. I so desired for this experience to be different. I wanted to feel what God had intended it to be. I had asked Aaron to download some worship music for me so that I could try and focus on God during the labor time. So as I was laying on the bed, the pain was uncomfortable enough that I wanted to cry, but still bearable as I said before.
He gave me the ipod and I began listening to the worship music and singing. Aaron just sat there watching me, smiling and I know praying. It was the song My Romance. The words were"Look at the way the flowers bloom for you. They want to show you their beauty. Running waters dance you and I romance. Unto you be all the glory. Angels dance around you, the earth it sings about you, open up the heavens Lord, let your kingdom come to earth." It was the perfect song. It was talking about God's glory and beauty and his creation and giving him the glory for everything He has given us. It's beautiful! I got emotional, caught up in the moment of realizing how great God is and how many beautiful things he has blessed me with, and how he, within moments was about to gift me with his highest blessing, another life that was mine. I started crying and right then I heard a very loud pop and felt a forceful jarring, then another pop. Aaron heard it too. It was my water breaking. After that the pain seemed almost unbearable, but somehow I got through it. I literally ran for the hot tub and jumped in, because I heard that the warm water helps with the pain. It helped me relax in between the contractions but it really is an indescribable pain. I labored in the water for about 35 to 40 minutes and had Aubrey in the water. Aaron reached down and pulled her out, and brought her up out of the water and handed her to me. She came out so wide-eyed crying at the top of her lungs. Just perfect. Aaron said that he would never forget the look on my face as long as he lives when she came up out of the water. He said I had a look of amazement and stun. I did lose a lot of blood because she was quite big. She weighed 9 lbs and 7 oz, but amazingl God was faithful in answering our prayers. I didn't rip at all and she came quick. Although it hurt so badly, I felt so proud and had such a feeling of accomplishment like there wasn't anything in the world I couldn't do now. We came home with her that night, and slept in our own bed. I wouldn't have done it any other way. I believe that was the way the Lord wanted ME to do it. It was beautiful! The hardest and most wonderful thing I have ever done in my life.

spaced out

So the other night, we were on our way to take the kids to New Hope so we could meet with our New Rivers community group. Aaron was driving behind me separately because the men and the women were meeting at 2 different places that night. We drove through the redlight at Brown and then came to the 4 way stop sign. I don't know what I was thinking. I guess I was thinking that I was stopped at a redlight waiting for it to turn green. That Natasha Beddingfield song was on"Staring at the blank page before you, open up the dirty window...., " and I of course had the music blaring loud and singing at the top of my lungs....just waiting for the light to turn green. The whole song played and when it was over I hear Aaron furiously honking his horn behind me. I then came out of my concert trance and realized that I had been sitting at the stopsign for the entire song playing, dancing and singing at the top of my lungs while others probably watched on thinking what on earth is that crazy lady doing?! When we arrived at New Hope Aaron was so mad at me. I was laughing so hard but he wasn't. He said to me,"What on earth were you doing? Didn't you heart the thousands of people honking their horns at you?" I told him I don't know where I was. I guess I was on stage in my mind putting on a concert somewhere. Later he laughed about it and I told him I needed a vacation. Goodness Gracious!!!

Sparkly Shirt for Jesus

Lately Alyssa has been talking a lot about Jesus. She has been asking questions and praying more. She prays every night before we eat dinner. The other night Aaron was putting her to bed and she was praying. She said for God to give daddy sweet dreams (so sweet). While she was praying Aaron had his hands lifted to the Lord and Alyssa looked over at him and stuck her legs up in the air. It was too funny. She said daddy you got to pray like this. Aaron got a good laugh out of that. She praises him with her whole body.
We have been talking a lot about Christmas and that the reason we really celebrate is because it is Jesus's birthday. She told me today that she is going to make Jesus a birthday cake and make him a sparkly shirt for his birthday on Chirstmas. So I guess we will be bedazzling Jesus a shirt for his birthday. I love her heart!!!! She really really blesses me every single day. I know that Jesus will be smiling when she is making him that shirt, and who knows, one day when we get to heaven, he may even be wearing it!!!

Standing Proud

A couple of nights ago, I was on the computer and Aaron yelled at me to come in the kitchen. I walked in there and Aubrey was standing up by herself in the middle of the kitchen. She stood there for a few seconds before she fell on her bottom and started smiling and clapping her hands. I felt so proud of her. Aaron was standing at the sink and said he saw her out of the corner of his eye and he turned around and there she was just standing there smiling at him. It is so funny. She seems too little. She just turned 9 months old last week. My goodness she will be walking soon!!!! Lord Help! We will be even busier.

NKOTB

Oh my goodness,
Kendra and Lindsey and me and my friend Inez and Lindsey's sister in law Tricia went to a New Kids on the Block concert. This was the first time they had reunited in 15 years. My last concert I had been to was in the 6th grade. This was my 4th. Let me tell you what. Those guys haven't lost a beat. They are better looking, better sounding and better dancing than ever. It was probably the best concert I had ever been to. Kendra said it was far better than the Cold Play concert that was her favorite before this one.
We had such a great time. Thinking that we had probably outgrown all those old exciting feelings over those guys, we couldn't help ourselves when they came out on stage. It was crazy. Women all around my age were brought back to those junior high and high school moments of just acting crazy again. It was so great! I felt like a little girl again and it was obvious that the women all around me did too.
Kendra was the greatest. She was moved to tears, which still to this day cracks me up so much!
I loved it. It was great fun!!! So glad we went.

SURPRISE!

October 5th was mine and Aaron's 6th year anniversary. Aaron really got me good. We had planned on taking the kids to Jan's house in Prosper and make a day of it. Aaron had said he was taking me somewhere, but it was a surprise and wouldn't tell me. As we were rushing to get out the door, he said he was going to go ahead and load the kids in the car. After a minute he came back in and told me that he went ahead and pulled the car around front and to come out when I was ready, which was nothing out of the ordinary. He often did this. I said I am ready now, and he looked me right in the eyes and said,"Stace, I just want you to know that I love you so much." And I said I love you too, thinking he is just trying to be sweet since it was our anniversary. Very unsuspecting, I walked outside and saw in front of our house a white vehicle parked, first of which I thought was my 98' Ford Windstar because it is also white. I did a double take and saw what scared me half to death. It was a beautiful white Nissan Pathfinder. I asked him, "What is that?" He said that is your new car. I of course was in terrible shock, couldn't believe it was mine. It is the nicest vehicle I have ever owned. After we got in, I kind of ruined the moment by freaking out and asking how much it was and asking if we could afford it. This is coming from the woman who has never had a car payment the whole marriage. Knowing me to a T, Aaron was not at all surprised about my freakout session. He was very sweet. We had been looking to buy a new minivan for a while because my windstar had just about seen its last day. He told me that he wanted me to have something nicer than a minivan and that I deserved it. It was so so so sweet! He really got me good. It was completely unexpected and a total surprise.