Our August adventures

It is end of August. I told myself I would not let this month pass without posting about our families adventure. Cutting it close 3 hours left in August.

We started the month celebrating a birthday. My sweetie Ella. She turned 6.

So a Strawberry shortcake themed party and miniature golf with a few friends was in order.

To round out the day, a family friend took both of our girls to a church carnival.

A few days later Mike and I woke in the wee hours of the morning to check-in for my scheduled c-section. We got there at 5:30 am. And if you know me you know that I am not a morning person.

So the morning started off good. I had some great nurses. Than came the part that I don't like. The IV! I don't like needles. 37 years old and I break out in a sweat when I think about them. The first attempt was excruciatingly painful and did not thread properly. I don't care what they say, the numbing medication does not work! My husband of course found this quite amusing, (and I shall remind him of this the next time he needs stitches). Anyway a call was placed to IV therapy and the wait begins. And we waited a long time. Over an hour! Well the team was ready, my doctor was hanging out chatting, ( I just love her) I saw the anesthesiologist, had the nasty stomach neutralizing medication. I just could not take the waiting any longer so I finally took a nap. I woke to another attempt by a nurse and no it did not thread. I had two huge bruises and one more was coming ( and it was a big one)! Now IV therapy did a great job. It did not even hurt and she did not use that numbing stuff. But she freaked me out, the needle was huge! But it was in and not going anywhere, short of duct tape she secured that thing in place. Praise God!

Mikes parents arrived just in time to say a prayer and I was out the door. In goes the spinal,which was a breeze, and bam your down. Try as you might those toes are not going to wiggle. Now for those of you that have not had a baby, let alone a c-section let me warn you; if your self conscious your going to get over it real quick! At any given moment you can look up and see not just your doctor, nurse and husband, but the entire cast of labor and delivery at your feet. The first time it is a little disturbing/confusing. Doctor, nurse, husband and push....look up. 10 more people quickly and quietly have appeared. Well this time they were all there, introducing themselves. At first I started to count the voices and than I realized there were a lot more people in the room than there was a minute ago. Sure enough when I lifted my head and looked around there was a whole group of other doctors and nurses hanging out waiting for the baby to be born. I just had to sigh. Really what more can you do? Your naked and paralyzed and your not going anywhere!

The sheets go up your spouse comes in and it's time to continue the baby birthing party. Lots of talking, counting, a few questions and a brief drop in blood pressure, than my husband and I hear ooo she has a lot of hair and a long tongue. Our third daughter and fourth child is born. Weighing in at 7lbs 14oz and 21 inches long. She is screaming. Loud. Louder than any of our other kids. And she is perfect.

A long 20 minutes of stitching and to the recovery room we go. Where I get to hold my little girl. She is so little. It was kind of startling, even though she was bigger than my two older girls. Chaise and Ella were a pound light and 2 inches smaller. But Owen was a bigger! Apparently I was just use to holding him. We were only ones in the recovery room so Mike and Jackie (my husbands parents) were able to join us and they got to hold their 8th grandchild just under and hour old.

I spent the rest of the day sitting in bed, being taken care of by excellent nurses while the littlest member of the family was being oohed and awed over. The older girls came later that night to visit. They loved their sister, but were not to thrilled to see all machines I was hooked up to. I did not see Owen till the next day, it really made my heart hurt. He was looking for me, but the worse was when they left.  It was heart wrenching. I love my babies.

So this is not the hardest recovery I have had. Recovering from Owen was horrible, I felt gross, but this one had something special.  A stitched nerve.  It was excruciating. I could hardly stand for more than 5 minutes and I needed everyone of those pain medications!  Good thing she is the last. 3 weeks later I feel so much better, I can move with minimal pain. I give thanks to all my wonderful friends for bringing us dinner, and Mike and Jackie for taking care of the kids and the house.  We would have had a hard time without all of you. God has blessed us with this awesome network of family and friends.

We made it home a few days later and Mike and I celebrated 12 years together.  Well celebrate is the wrong word. We watched it come and go.  Mike was working days back than and I was living on my go home pain drugs.  But he did get me flowers, pink and purple roses. It was funny. He ordered them and forget to pick them up on his way home. Than he disappears and he sneaks them into the house. (Silly boy the drugs are not that good), and says a rose for every year we have been married.  I laugh and remind him that is how they sell them.

That is August for the Burrell's.  We are officially a family of 6 now.

Tomorrow is September.  School is starting soon and no I am not ready.  I just got use to being home with 4 kids and the pain from surgery is mostly gone. Now I have to figure out school, ballet, possible basketball and rocksalt. Not to mention volunteering and whatever else comes down the pike. Most of this happens when the husband is at work. I am officially in to deep. But I will love every moment of it, because I know it will be gone in the blink of an eye.

Bring on September. But please time slow down. I want to keep them young as long as possible.

Introducing.....My husband!

Well I realized to late I should have said more about my husband Mike.  I just don't know where to start or how much to say.  So after giving it a few days I figured I would give you a glimpse of my man.

              (Recent trip Cannon Beach.. And note the Duck hat!)

Mike and I met in 1998. Not long before our first date. We met at a softball tournament in Reedsport; although we worked together for who know how long prior. After that I could not turn around without him being right there.  Seriously right there. The man has stealth technology built in.  We both worked for Lebanon hospital. Him as an Xray tech and I did EKG and stress test, when I was not interning as a Respiratory Therapist.

Our first date was August 15th 1998. We went to dinner and a movie. We saw the Avengers and it was a horrific movie. Since I still lived in Eugene,  Mike had to take me back to his place to get my car. We rounded the corner and there were 4 people in his driveway. Can you guess who?  I bet few of you met your future in-laws on your first date.  Yup, his parents and their best friends were chatting it up in the drive way.  I still remember the look on his dads face, Priceless.

Although we were married by a justice of the peace Feb 1999. August 15th holds the spot in my heart. We were married on August 15th 1999, Mike remembered our first date (I did not) and he chose this date to celebrate the union of us. My romantic husband.

I often call my husband the unofficial eagle scout.  His camping abilities amazes me.  We love to camp. When it was just the two of us we would leave after work and get to a campground in the dark.  My job was to watch in awe as he set up the entire camp, with just the lights of his truck. In the morning I would wake up in this beautiful setting.  I don't know how he does it, I don't question it. I just marveled at the peaceful blessing that surrounded me.  Now that we have 3 kids ( will be 4 here really soon) camping is a little different.  My job is to keep the little ones entertained while Mike sets up camp. After that I get to take the back seat and he leads the camping party.  I have learned that if I want to vacation I need to go camping.

           (Camp Sherman 2009)

Now here is something I will never understand. I have no idea how he can find anything in the forest. The man can get lost in the city with a gps, directions, phone, you name it, but in the forest he can be without it all and be just fine.  I am the opposite.  I get lost when I lose track of the tent. But put me in a city  and I am good.  My husband is my expert camper.

I figure in future post you will get to read about my husband and the kids interactions. So I will just comment briefly on it.  I absolutely love hearing "Where is daddy? or "Daddy's home!"  They love their Dad and if they know he is in the house you better stand back, it like a herd of wild horses after him. I have a favorite picture of him and the kids.  He is sitting in his chair with all of them snuggled on his lap. I know he is not very comfortable, but he sits there none the less, and enjoys the moment.  Daddy is loved in our house.

(I could not find the picture I was looking for, but this is the past winter when daddy took them sledding)

So with all the good comes the bad or annoying.  He has this one trait that tops all other.  His driving!  And to be completely fair I carry the annoying trait of backseat driving.  I hate his driving and he hates driving with me. (Besides the fact I get car sick on any winding road.) Now we do go places, but there is always a tense time where he does or does not do something and I backseat drive. Guess who is the proud owner of a back seat drivers license?  ME!!  I don't know why after 12 years we still argue about driving, but we do.  It is humorous now, but I guarantee you next trip we take; tempers will flair. And we want to travel sometime later in life. That is going to be so fun!

I have a great husband. I know that people say this about their spouses all the time, but this man is perfect for me.  Truly handpicked from God just for me.  We balance each other out perfectly. I love him with all I have, I am proud of him, amazed by his determination and his quiet faith.  Do we have problems? Well yes! of course what marriage does not?  We are not perfect people.  We go through trials together and we come out better together on the other side. That is what a life together is all about.  This last trail of him losing his job provide us with a great opportunity.  He got to see what life was like in this house when he is normally gone. And we got to have him home, to play, run errands, just take advantage of the time together. Even thought I am thrilled he is now employed, (Thank you Lord and to all those that prayed for us daily) we miss him during the day.

        (Redwood Forest Summer 2011)

So there we are.  I will get around to posting about me under that other about me heading. But I think this character is a whole lot more interesting and entertaining.

To my husband, I love you, Thank you for 12 years together, through all we have been through and to a lifetime of so much more.  I promise to cut back on the back seat chatter.
Love the Wife.