Gratefulness

                                                   Denver, CO Temple

As I write this post, I have feelings of sadness, gratitude, excitement, and apprehension. I have truly been blessed with amazing friends here in Denver. The kids have been blessed with amazing friends, and William has done amazing with his intership and we are hoping it turns into a job for him. I am so proud of his diligence, his dedication, and him being willing to step out of his comfort zone and show Encana what he is made of! Yesterday I had an opportunity to go to the Denver Temple and do some Initiatory. I felt so razzled and rushed when I got there, but once I walked in I felt so much peace and comfort. It was like all the stress and fears of the day were wiped away. After I came out and met up with Eli and William, and we were able to go to dinner, and get a few things then come home and pick up the kids at the Stamps House. As I was reading someone's blog I was overcome with gratitude for being able to attend the temple and while there place some people's name's on the prayer roll. I have to say ever since my dear friend was having trouble conceiving, there were times that we called every single Temple in the United States to place her name and her Husbands name on the prayer roll many times. I have seen miracles because of this, I have felt them in my life, seen them in hers, and I continue to see them in others lives. Whenever I attend the Temple I make an effort to stand in the Prayer Circle, because I have without a doubt a strong testimony of the strength in numbers, the faith of those in the circle, and I know that Lord is with each of us. It wasn't until I was reading a friends blog, that it sunk in that I was able to attend the Denver Temple. A Temple that I have placed many people's names on that Prayer Roll. Many of you reading my blog right now.. I am so grateful for this wonderful experience I had to attend the Temple. I am grateful for the blessings I receive from going to the Temple. I am grateful that Families can Be together Forever, and I hope I always do everything in my power to be worthy of this sweet wonderful blessing!!!! I love my Dear Family so much, they are what makes me who I am. They teach me patience, forgiveness, love, and they want me to be better. They make me want to live worthy of all the blessings I can and will receive if I stay worthy of the covenants I have made.., so we can be an Eternal Family!! Love to you all. I hope all is well with each and everyone of you! Signing off from Denver, Colorado!!!

Baby Eli's Birth

Eli's Birth Story

I have wanted to get around to writing about the birth of Baby Eli, but it just hasn't happened. But now I have some time so here it goes. Might be long at times.... Sorry! First off with this pregnancy I wanted something different.. I wanted a natural delivery not to be super women, but I have had such horrible side effects from the epidurals and that instilled in me the desire I needed. Now I just needed resources. I found an amazing person who was a Labor and Delivery Nurse who lived in our Branch and she was on board to help me. I talked to

people

who had done it natural and they recommended some books. I loved The book Ina Mays Guide to Natural childbirth it was so informative and helped me realize how amazing womens bodies are and how we can do it natural!!! Next I found a child birthing curriculum called Hypnobabies. It was amazing!!! Jeni ( my Doula) and I started the home study course around 30 weeks. I have never felt so calm during the last trimester of my pregnancy. The cd's I listened to helped me relax, which if anyone knows me knows I don't relax! So the CD's were GOLD for me! We finished the curriculum and then it was just refresher each night with a different CD until I went into Labor. Now we will skip ahead to Feb 25 my family was up celebrating Henry and Brick's Birthday and we had a mean game of basketball. I played and I played hard!! I have never been good at basketball but for some reason I actually made some shots!! I believe this is when Labor started for me, I had irregular contractions all day and I was in pain.. Sunday came and the contractions were stronger but still irregular, so I kept going. Sunday night I was starting to have a really have a hard time focusing, so I took a bath, started listening to my hypnobabies CD', and tried to realx as much as possible. Around 11:45 I came out to William and said I don't think I can do this. He immediately called someone from the Branch to come help give me a Priesthood blessing, and I immediately knew what I needed to do. I got water, my Ipod with hypnobabies on it, and sat in what I called my birthing chair.... I had also called my doula at this point and told her I couldn't do it, she instantly calmed me with her voice. Did I mention she is amazing!! While waiting for her to arrive i listened to 2 sound tracks and breathed.. She arrived at 12:45 Monday morning and went to work helping me through each contraction, she was on top of each contraction, telling me ok you are going to peak now, but remember after you peak it will go down. She would see where I was tensing up and say relax your face, or shoulders, remember deep breaths... Around 2:00 my other Friend arrived to help with my kids until my parents got here at 7. My brother and was still visiting at this point but I felt it would be easier to have more support. Around 3 my Benadryl kicked in and I was able to sleep in between contractions which was really nice since they were coming every 3 or so minutes. Around 4 William felt like we should get ready to go to hospital, at this point I really didn't want to move, I was laying on the floor in the fetal position,and I didn't think I was in labor. W finally left around 4:20 got up to Labor and Delivery at 4:30 got checked and found out I was at a 8 and 100 percent effaced. I remember getting to the hospital looking at my clock and saying I will have him by 5:30 not knowing what I was dilated to. In Hypnobabies they want you to imagine your delivery from start to finish and to tell you the truth I imagined myself at a 8 and 100 percent when i arrived at the hospital. So I did it! I had already decided that if my doctor wasn't on call or couldn't be reached I was going with the midwife. So they called in the midwife! I think they were getting kinda worried, because after my water broke contractions were a lot closer and I was pushing. One nurse said I have been doing this 32 years I can deliver a baby! So she started to scrub in, but just then the midwife arrived, had time to wash her hands,( she delivered without gloves) that is how serious I was, and started to catch Eli, because no one was going to tell me not to push. For one I had no control of my body, my body took over and was doing its job! I remember at one point of the intense contractions I said I am going to throw up so they handed me a barf container, but my body didn't want to throw up, my mouth wanted to bite down on the container during the intense contractions. Instincts are amazing! Anyway my delivery of Eli was all that I imagined, all that I wanted, it was a healing from all my other deliveries, and a empowering experience that i needed. I have felt great physically, besides hormones, Bell's Palsy, and getting used to sleep deprivation. Eli weighed in 8 lbs 5 oz, 21 inches, and did I mention his chest was bigger than his head... I felt it!! If we have any more kids I will do it natural again it was an experience that was so amazing and empowering. I only wish I would have done it sooner!!

Pictures are as follows Family Picture, baby Eli., Eli and My doula, Jeni Loveland