Challenges unforseen

Well, briefly, for those who have been asking, this is the latest on my health.  Since November 6, a lump in my breast that I thought was just a clogged duct was found to be an abcess (incased infection).  After 5 trips to the lactation consultant, 3 trips to the breast surgeon for aspirating the abscesses, varying levels of milk production from way too much to way too little, 2 cases of mastitis, another abcess in the same breast, and 3 rounds of antibiotics, the surgeon says that on Monday, if this last round of antibiotics has not taken care of the infection, I will need surgery to remove the two cysts.  I have had ups and downs through the last month feeling hopeful and fearful. Honestly, I have had a hard time having a hard time as I know too many stories of parents experiencing much worse in thier desire to raise children.  More than feeling comforted by the thought that “this isn’t as bad as it could be,” I have been comforted by remembering all that we do have – a healthy baby girl, an amazing marriage, a home.  My reflection at one of my low points was that it seems that trouble started in the Garden of Eden when Eve took a hard look at the one thing (the tree of knowledge of good and evil) that God withheld from her rather than being overwhelmed with thanksgiving for all that he had given her (the rest of the garden and intimacy with Himself).  That being the case, I have been trying to focus on all that God has offered me through Jesus Christ, particularly the promise of eternity with him, and let thanksgiving be my loudest thoughts especially at my lowest points.  I would have to employ CJ Mahaney’s response when asked how I am doing – “Better than I deserve.” “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:32

Learning Every Day

Well, I knew that labor and delivery would be a challenge.  Didn’t quite see that the challenges would continue to varying degrees for the following weeks.  She is worth it, though.  Amazing how much I love this little girl and I have only known her 8 days!  Highlights for her have been her playdate with Ellie Jane and Annie (can’t you see how excited she is?),  

That is our little Maddux on the left, the Ellie Jane, then Annie. It was a party. Ellie looks a little disappointed.

 roses that her Pop (my dad) sent his three girls,

Thanks Pop!

and today was her first day at church.  I had to leave early, so it was a very brief outing, but I appreciated the chance to worship the God who gave her to me (and to hear her announced ) 

 

Aunt Corrie smocked a dress for her, but it is still a little too big

 

 

As my friends tell it, things are supposed to get easier over time.  I get excited about that.  I love all of you and cannot express enough my gratitude for your support and prayers.

Ode to my husband and family

Well, I won’t say that I am into the swing of things but I sure am into the middle of things with figuring out parenting.  Wow!!  I just got so much more impressed with all of my friends who are moms.  I am learning first hand what it means when you said that this was tiring, and where did all of that time I used to have go? I can’t imagine how much harder this would be without a doting husband who will jump at any chance he has to ease the situation as I learn breastfeeding, and how to read our new precious little one, who prefers crying to complete sentences at this point; a mom who is taking late night shifts with me for feeding; and a dad who is calling to help with the medical questions of an underweight baby and high bilirubin (where did that word come from)?

Here is our little looker

Thank Aunt Jane for my Halloween outfit!

Maddux Elysia is 6 Hours Old

Well, after a long night (and day) at the hospital the Poteat clan is settling into our accomodations at the Hospital.  I (Paul) am on a fold out chair/bed, Samm is on this plush hospital bed, and Maddux is chilling in her plastic “crib”.  Samm is currently working on getting her to latch on and I am fighting to stay awake.  We have both been at it (her more intensly than me) for about 36 hours.  I can’t remember the last time I felt this tired.

Samm did very well today.  We arrived at the hospital last night at 3:00am and at that point Samm was having pretty frequent contractions.  She was at 4cm when we got here.  Well, she fought through active labor (having lots of contractions) for about 12 hours and at 1:00 was at 10cm.  That’s when she started pushing.  She pushed until 3:30 with no real progress and this concerned the Dr.  We then decided to get an epidural and start pitocin.  After taking about 30 minutes to get all that up and running she started pushing again and made real progress.  She pushed for about 1 and a half more hours and after a little help from the good doctor, Maddux was born.  She arrived at 5:19 weighing in at a nice 6 lbs. 15 oz. and measuring around 19 cm.  It was a pretty amazing experience watching a person be born.  You really can’t put it into words.

Since then we have been making phone calls, sending text messages, and writing emails.  We are both excited about this new chapter of our lives and ministry and at the same time have already realized the weight of this responsibility and how our expertise tends towards the college age rather than the crib age.  All that said, please continue to pray for all of us, but especially Samm’s healing and Maddux’s health.  More to come…

The post we have all been waiting for…

Off to the hospital!

Mom arrives today!

I have such an amazing mom, she has been driving for two days to love on her daughter and to help deliver her namesake (Maddux is Mom’s maiden name).

This is me and mom (isn’t she cute?) pre-pregnancy. I will have to take a picture when she gets here!

So friends, just get ready, I will probably deliver tomorrow.  I have simply  been waiting on my mom to really get this thing going.  My plan is to put a post up when we leave for the hospital.  Do I sound like one speaking out of the naivite of someone who has no idea what she is about to go through?  Every day is an adventure at this point.

Still Waiting…

…on little Maddux to arrive.  Even as I type, her little friend is being born to the Reagan’s. Yay!  I would like to thank those of you who have chided me for not keeping up with the blog at a time so close to my due date.  My apologies.  I am waiting for my mom to get here, which happens to be this Thursday, then I will be ready to have the baby.  Isn’t that how it works?  You decide when it is most convenient to deliver?  Well, at 38 weeks and 2 cm, I was so pleased to hear from my doctor that I still may come after my due date.  She actually laughed when I told her that that couldn’t be possible after they insisted on putting me on bed rest.

Blessed Beyond Belief

Today has been amazing.  While my servant-hearted husband wheel-chaired me through Babies-R-Us for one last “hopefully we have everything we need” trip, there were around 8, that’s right, 8 women from my church and Campus Outreach, including students, who circulated through my home doing a deep clean on my house, fixing lunch and dinner, and providing a freezer meal, since my meal making days are delayed.  I almost have no words.  The Body of Christ is unbelievable. Amazing, too, is that having these things done make me feel so much more at ease for the impending delivery.

Thankful and Full

Thankful – most immediately for the doctor saying today that she is keeping me on modified bedrest, as opposed to complete bedrest.  She seems to think that I will probably come early, but she is not too concerned about that at this point (35 weeks).  Full – because I have just come away from a conference weekend of gospel truth being hammered into my thick head in such a way that I am growing in the freedom, joy, and hope in the promises offered to me through Jesus Christ.  I love that all of the Christian walk is continual growth – I need alot of it.  As soon as I can figure out how to let you click on things and go straight to them, I will send you from here to the talks from this weekend’s DG Conference.  I especially enjoyed Mark Driscoll’s and Paul Tripp’s talks.  You can listen to them online for free right now through the DG link to the right.

Getting a head start… on Thanksgiving?

Lying in bed for a few hours unable to sleep leaves me thinking about a number of things (many of which are entirely unworthy of mention).  One thing that I did want to mention is how incredibly thankful I am for the man that I married.  Our staff is in the middle of a series in our college Sunday School class on the roles of men and women, “Barbies and GI Joes.”  For those who do not understand the sarcasm in the title, we have major push-backs on how the culture has defined manhood and womanhood.  Paul and I may be sharing in two weeks about the idea of submission in marriage.  As the topic has been queued up, I have not stopped coming back to my deep gratitude and thanksgiving for marriage with a man to whom I am able to joyfully and most often easily submit.  We meet with a number of staff couples every Sunday night to discuss the status of our marriages, and we always laugh at the weeks antics from each couple (it is nice to be able to laugh at yourself- and others  It is a sweet joy to fight for each other’s joy in pursuing marriage as God defines it.  Paul, you excel in loving me as Christ loves the church – I am humbled.  More to come as I prepare for the talk on submission.