Parenthood

Well again, it's been a while, but Joel and I have been very occupied. I'll get into the best part of the last month in a minute but first just wanted to exclaim once again how God has been faithful to us. Throughout May and the first couple weeks of June we had been trying to work in the last of our support-raising travels and phone calls before things were to get extra busy. Even when we had a week where we weren't able to make as many calls, we reached our support weekly goals by what could've only been God's grace. We are at about 60% of our monthly support now which is a far cry from our 100% goal but also a leap from where we were earlier in the spring. While we try and put our gratitude into words and feelings, Joel and I have been marveling at how we've been taken care of and provided for through family, friends and other means and growing together in our faith through that. We were even able to make one last trip to Ohio for memorial day weekend to visit Joel's parents and all of his siblings with our nephews and nieces before I had to stay put in State College for upcoming labor and delivery.

Marie wearing one of my maternity shirts



JJ and Gracie playing on the obstacle course built by Aunt Jess and Uncle Joel

Which brings me to my favorite part of the last 3 weeks; TJ! Here's a run-down of how his birthday went (Thursday, June 17th):

11am doctor appointment to get my weekly check-up. At this point I had already learned that I was dilated 4cm and 100% effaced, but hadn't felt any contractions or anything so I figured I'd hear the same news. To both Joel and my surprise the doctor gave me an examination and said "you're 6cm dilated and his head is right there; time to go get your water broken and have your baby!" I imagine they wanted to break my water for the baby's sake since he was so close to being out in the world anyways.

12pm we came home, ate lunch (I still was not in pain at this point) and prayed as we tried to imagine what it would be like to have our little TJ quicker than we anticipated. We checked into the hospital at about 12:30.

After a million health-related questions and about an hour or so of waiting around (still, no pain for me) the doctor came in and broke my water for me. After about 15/20 minutes I felt my first contraction. It hurt a lot but I'd had worse stomach aches in the past so I thought "if this is how bad it is I can get through it". Then it got way worse. Since I was already at 6cm but had had no pain, all of a sudden I felt my "pain scale" rise from zero, to about a 6 to a definite 10. The contractions were so sudden and painful that I couldn't relax in between them which wasn't letting TJ move down any more. About an hour or so later I reached 7cm and was asked if I'd like an epidural to which I might have screamed "yes!". After the anesthesiologist administered the epidural (Thank GOD for him and thank GOD for epidurals!) my pain went back to zero and I felt pretty much nothing except some pressure during the rest of labor. We watched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (original version) and I had to ask Joel when I was having contractions...way better.

At 6pm I had reached 10cm and the doctor told me it was time to push. She left the room and while she got what she needed the attending nurse suggested I try to start pushing. I gave one push and she immediately had to yell for me to stop because TJ was starting to appear and the doc wasn't there to catch him! Thankfully the doctor showed up right after and together with Joel right beside me I started to push. Three pushes later and Joel had to tell me, "He's here, he's out!" I didn't even feel him come out except for the amazing relief I felt over my abdomen as my stomach shrank back down and pounds and pounds of baby and fluid left me.

So, at 6:07pm TJ was born! He was amazing from the start. I even had a minute of him being quiet so I could welcome him into the world. He seemed a little like a stranger then, and man it was mind-blowing seeing what I had been carrying for 9 months all of a sudden there and in our care. He was tested for reflexes and looks and things and scored above average and he's been a pretty laid-back cuddly boy ever since. We love him so much and have been enjoying showing him off even in the midst of exhaustion and my healing process (which is going very very well).
Joel, TJ and I moments after he entered the world.

TJ and me (the shiny stuff around his eyes was to help prevent infection)

Thank you all so so SO much for your prayers and for your help as we get settled in our home and as a family for the first time. I know it's because of your prayers that I had such a blessed labor and delivery and I am so so thankful. I can only hope next time will be as easy (we'll see!). We've had friends in state college from our staff team to our bible study stop in to welcome TJ and even bring us meals so we don't have to cook and it's been an added blessing at Joel works to get the house set up and I get on TJ's schedule for now. It's been great to see both my parents and Joel's parents too as they bring help, guidance and furniture! Thanks to everyone. If there's anything else I can ask it would be to continue to pray for us as we learn about parenthood through trial and error, and for our support as we try to get back on that schedule. We've been so blessed and can't wait to share more with you soon! Next on the agenda, we'll be traveling the entire month of August. The house owners are staying here the whole month which means we visit grandparents in Rome and in Aurora during the month and doing some support raising trips in between. I hope you all enjoy the rest of your summers (I can't believe it's already half over!) and hope to update you again soon!

Love,
Jenn, Joel and TJ!
TJ with Joel and the men he was named after: Jared on the left and Tom on the right