Introducing Isabella "Bella" Mercy Shiflet

Isabella Mercy, Bella as we call her, came quickly into this world this morning at 7:32am.  I woke up around 5:45 with mild abdominal pain.  Having just recently had a stomach bug (think more Madagascar huge nasty bug than cute ladybug) ravage our household two days prior, I thought perhaps my stomach was still a little weak and acting up.  But within about 20mins I began to see a pattern of the pain and thought perhaps these are contractions.  It surprised me since always before labor would begin with my water breaking and no contractions. 

Shortly after 6am I woke up David, actually by accident since I was doubled over next to the bed, he saw me and asked "are you ok?"  I explained that I wasn't sure what I was feeling, but maybe it was contractions.  He began to time them and headed out to the garage to get the air hose to top off the birth pool.  Something we had been meaning to do all week, but it just fell through the cracks-No time like the present though.  As he is stretching the hoses in I am now saying I think he better call Paula, our midwife.  He does and gives her the contractions count-not lasting long only about 30secs, but every 2 mins and getting stronger.  Paula says" what did you say? every 2mins? I am on my way".  


I am now beginning to feel, what I should know by now, but am always caught off guard, the effects of transition.  I am all over the place-in the tub, out of the tub, laying on the bed, standing up, and everywhere I go I am trying to escape what is inescapable--the waves of pain!  I am now becoming very concerned about "Where is Paula?"  Keep in mind we just called her 5mins ago and while she lives close she does not live in our backyard--but I am looking into that if there is a next time. 

Paula does arrive quickly around 7:09am and checks me.  She says in her sweet, encouraging voice "Gina, your an 8" to which I respond "Are you lying to me?"  I know, nice right?  Well this is me in transition, doubtful, sure of one thing-this is not going to end even though it must and it does end.  Paula just responds sweetly that I really am an 8 to which I ask "Can I get in the water?" which is really all I ever really want to hear is that I can get in the water.  I do firmly believe the water helps whether it is real or mental it seems to calm me, slightly.  My dear husband is now in full fledged coach mode.  He is so wonderful.  I believe he prayed through every contraction for strength to persevere...he is so patient and confident in where our strength is...Christ.  I am so thankful for the opportunity to share this with him in this way.  What a gift our marriage has been given to go through this together; for me to see his compassion and gentleness towards me in one of the hardest times I have physically endured.  
It seemed that I had only just gotten into the water when the urge to push came.  This time I knew what that felt like and was surprised it was coming so quickly.  At this point my water still had not broken and as a result I think the contractions while strong and intense gave way to what I called "lucid moments" for me between contractions where I was very aware of my surroundings.  I did not remember feeling like this with Calvin's birth; it was just intense the whole time.  In one of these lucid moments I noticed Emily was in the room.  We had agreed ahead of time that Emily could attend the birth, but near the end.  I am thinking it is too soon for her to be in here...as it turns out I was wrong.  Another contraction comes and thoughts of who is in the room vanish. It is back to full concentration. Then, like a balloon popped I felt my water break and the next contraction was quite different, extremely intense.  This was like most of my labor with Calvin.  I now know what it is like to labor with the "cushion of water" that I have only heard about since my other 3 labors have begun with my water breaking.  I vote for the cushion of water labor. 

The urge to push was real and strong now.  It seemed like it would never end, but then only a few pushes and David who caught Isabella was handing her to me.  She was here!  It was so fast.  In an hour and half start to finish.  Wow!  I still marvel at how one minute this tiny, 9lb 7oz. baby is inside my womb then the next I am holding her and right in my own bathroom.  How thankful I am for the knowledge of using a midwife and specifically for the ones the Lord led us to providentially through some friends of ours.  Their care and encouragement has helped us experience normal healthy births in our home.  

The timing was perfect as the rest of the kids were just getting up.  They heard the cry of a newborn and knew that their baby sister was here. They patiently waited for Daddy to come and get them and bring them in to see Bella and me.   They all gathered around and since Kathlena guessed the right day of Bella's birth she was allowed to hold her first in Shiflet tradition.  Then one by one each of the kids took a turn including Calvin. 

Kathlena getting to hold Isabella first.

Mommy's Breakfast-Emily's delicious scrambled eggs

Calvin giving first kisses

Emily first hold

Andrew first hold

Calvin's first hold

Bella's first bath.  Look at her grip Mommy's hand.

Daddy drying off Bella from her bath.

Measuring Bella's head (15") and chest(14 1/2")

Calvin helping check out Bella's eyes, nose and mouth. 

Calvin helping the midwives pack up.

Videos April-May 2011

My boys love playing with trains.  J.Michael inherited part of this set that was David's when he was a boy and we added to it when he was little.  Then it went to Andrew and we added more to the set through garage sale finds.  Now Calvin is enjoying this set with his older brothers and Daddy who still love to put together elaborate tracks. 

Big Brother and Sister helping Calvin.

 

Our new maintenance man.

I am still working on the April-May slide show. I have had a few technical difficulties, but hope to post it soon.

40 weeks...enjoying these last days of pregnancy

Yes, that is right.  I am enjoying these last days of pregnancy.  Of course I am uncomfortable and ready to meet our sweet baby girl, but I am also thankful for these last few days

• of feeling her move inside my womb
• of looking at Calvin as my baby and thinking he is so "little"
• enjoying the special moments with each of my children rubbing, hugging, kissing and talking to my belly with anticipation of meeting their new baby sister
• the quiet moments together as a family of 7; we will never be like this again and I want to soak it all in as the Lord has ordained each of these days.
• of date nights with my husband
• having someone else tie my shoes
• washing dishes at the kitchen sink facing sideways
• of resting and preparing for birth in our home

Thank you dear friends we appreciate your prayers as we wait for the arrival of our daughter.

Slide Show January-March

Calvin reading to himself February 9, 2011

Mommie's helpers everyone has a job to do.  Housework is so much fun for everyone.

Andrew's tree climbing adventures.

A little bit of Texas snow.  January 14th 2011 at the Ranch in Hillsboro.

39 weeks...I know where have we been??

I have had dozens of posts in my head and none of them have made it to the blog.  Well, in part I have to say that since I have had a relatively smooth pregnancy I have not had as much "down" time as I usually do which often facilitates more time to write.  I know that is just an excuse I really should be more disciplined to write, forgive me!  I am going to try to do a better job...and yes we will post baby girl pictures and updates here.   I am going to try to just list in bullet points an update of the last 6 months.  So here goes!

• We are having a baby girl--no name yet but we are close
• We are in the midst of launching our family business DesignCraft Custom Woodworking and Institute
• We celebrated 2 birthdays in May Kathlena's 6th and J.Michael's 13th and 2 anniversary's David and I's 17th wedding and Andrew and Kathlena's 3yrs home!!
• Andrew is no longer patching!  He also only has to wear glasses for reading now.  His vision is amazing.
• Kathlena is patching 4hrs a day and making huge progress her vision is now 20/50 up from 20/200 last year...incredible!!
• Emily finished writing her book for Kathlena "When I was Little in Russia" a story about our meeting and adopting Kathlena.  She has also been hard a work taking an accounting course to help with the family business along with being my right hand, busy cook, and helping teach Andrew and working with Calvin.
• Calvin is growing up so fast.  He is a man of few words but manages to communicate quite well.  He is a great helper, observes everything and tries to do what the big kids do.  He and his brothers are quite tight and he has enjoyed moving into the boys room.  
• J.Michael is enjoying having time with Dad in the shop.  He was given a carving set for his birthday that he is learning how to use.

   I am working on a slide show of pictures and short video clips from the last 6 months.  Hope to post those this week. 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Christmas 2010

I first must apologize for the long pause on updates and posting.  I have actually tinkered with the idea of giving this blog up altogether, but I do so love to share some of the wonderful moments the Lord gives our family and to be reminded myself as I look back over the year of God's faithfulness to us.  So, with this year coming to a close I have thought more about how this blog helps me preserve our memories and even though there may be long pauses and I don't get to post all the posts I would like to share that it is worth keeping.

So, here is the drive-by version of the last three months.  Calvin has grown so much especially, since his first birthday-Oct 18th.  He is walking, climbing, chattering, giggling, high five-ing, piano playing, huggy, smoochy, and just plain adorable.  Much training and learning during this sweet season.  We all are learning more about our home from a 2ft perspective!

Camping Meridian State Park November 2010

First Camp out...brrr it was cold.  November 2010 Meridian State Park

Walking

High Fives

Playing Piano

Kathlena's vision has continued to improve since her surgery.  She still needs to wear her glasses for now and we are patching 4hrs daily to continue to strengthen her left eye.  She is doing very well with the patching.  Of course having an older brother who also is patching is a great encouragement to her.
Since glasses and surgery Kathlena has made great strides in her writing and letter recognition.  We are so excited for her as this whole new world of pre-reading is emerging for her.  She continues to be my great helper.  She loves to be in the kitchen with me and run errands...especially to Jubilee.  She loves to help me with the produce.  I am so thankful to the Lord for His grace in Kathlena's life as she continues learn about putting her trust in the Lord and not allowing fear to rule her spirit, but leaning on Christ and His Word for courage.  "We are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus" -Romans 8:37

Go-Cart riding/checking on the cows at Nana's-September 2010

 Sisters September-2010

Kathlena and her morning cup of camp out hot chocolate at Meridian State Park. November 2010

"Just hanging around" at Meridian State Park November 2010

Andrew has been growing in so many ways.  Growing vertically as his pants testify!  It seemed all of the sudden, but really I should know by now as it seems to happen with all of my children around their birthdays.  Andrew celebrated his 8th birthday with a little chilly swim party, but Andrew was thrilled to get to celebrate with friends so the cooler weather he didn't mind.  He is becoming quite the young gentleman.  He is a great help with his younger brother and Calvin just adores Andrew.  It is such a sweet sight.  The Lord has given Andrew such a sensitive spirit and he is drawn to babies and the elderly.   Such a delight as a parent to see their child's God given talents and personalities grow and be used for His glory.  Andrew's vision continues to improve by God's mercy and diligent work to continue to patch.  We are now only patching 2hrs a day which is a cake walk compared to the days of all waking hours, but it has paid off.  Andrew is regaining his binocular vision and can even see a couple of letters on the 20/25 line which is nothing short of a miracle considering where we started.  What an amazing God we serve!  We would be praising Him for any vision restored or maintained, but that He has given Andrew back so much of what he had lost--what mercy we cannot fully comprehend. May Andrew always know, hope and trust in the great mercies of God all the days of his life. 

Shared birthday dinner with PawPaw at The Goose's Acre in the Woodlands. September 2010

A quick pic with his sister Emily while we were shopping at Hubble and Hudson after dinner. September 2010

Andrew is so sweet on his sisters.  Here is another snapshot with Kathlena in the produce. September 2010

Birthday boys-Andrew and PawPaw Shiflet September 20th

Andrew's first kid birthday party.  Water balloon fights were so fun.  Thanks DoDad for helping!

Andrew is an influential big brother who takes seriously his role.

My always inquisitive, thinking little boy.

A new bike for his birthday.  He has worked diligently even through patch therapy to learn how to be a responsible bike rider. 

J.Michael definitely has to be given notice to his phenomenal growth as he now stands just taller than eye level with me.  Literally, he grew inches over night and his clothes look like he was wearing Andrew's! What a young man he is becoming.  Working with his father and our Mr. Fix it man around the house.  He can assemble just about anything.  He is now working with his father and learning new carpentry skills. A great opportunity for him to learn from his father both skills and application of  biblical truths as he "walks along the way" with his Dad.

Kayaking with Andrew at Meridian State Park

Emily and J.Michael bike riding at Meridian State Park during our family camp out in November

Christmas 2010

Emily celebrated her 16th birthday in October.  She is such the young lady.  She contributes greatly to her father's house both in deed and in spirit.  She is still our song bird who teaches/practices with her siblings hymns of the faith.  Her beauty radiates from within.  Her love for the Lord manifests in her love and service to her family and those she comes in contact with through church and community.  Most of the pictures and videos in this post have been taken by Emily.  We appreciate that she has taken on the role of historian in our family as our family has grown.  

At church in October 2010

Emily and Calvin at Meridian State Park November 2010

 Merry Christmas 2010

As for David and I we are beginning a new chapter in our lives.  Earlier this year David surrendered to a call to the ministry as one of the pastors of a new church plant from GFBC Spring called GFBC Conroe.  A call to ministry that he has wrestled with for some time, but the how and when was confirmed through the GFBC leadership training class and the Elders of GFBC.  Through the planting of this new church it has become apparent that now is the time for us to make some significant changes that have been a long time in the works.  

So, in October David left his corporate job of ten years to dedicate more time to the church plant, developing his skills as a pastor/teacher and to explore some long time goals of starting a family business where he could work along side his sons and daughters.  He is currently working on developing a custom woodworking business.  Woodworking has been a skill he has been developing since shop class in high school and pursued a little at a time over the years.  While mostly self-taught he has had a few opportunities to take some classes, and attend woodworking conventions.  Woodworking has proved to be a handy skill that he has used to build furniture and create custom organized areas in our various homes throughout the years.  I have to say that he has spoiled me with his talent in this area.  I design or tell him what I want for a certain area of the house and he then creates the picture in my head.  I have rarely found just the item I want in the market place, it is usually a combination of pieces that David can then put together and make it fit in the space I have for it.  Now, we are hoping to share this skill with others to create custom woodworking designs for their homes and allow his sons to learn this trade (or I should say continue to learn and spend more time doing it!) with him.  Where all this will lead we do not know, but we are walking in faith, trusting the Lord to provide through our diligent, honest, hard work. 

 

Meridian State Park November

Merry Christmas 2010

In November we were given another gift.  The gift of life.  A new little Shiflet to be born next July.  My cup runneth over.  We are so grateful to the Lord for His mercy and grace on our lives.  I am feeling well.  What an amazing year 2010 has been for the Shiflet's.  It truly has been a year of learning to live Deuteronomy 6.  We marvel at all that the Lord will do and bring us through in 2011. 

Post-Surgery...Kathlena is doing great!

I must admit that so much of this day was deja vu for us.  Waiting in the same lobby chairs, signing paperwork with the same receptionist and we even had the same nurse recovery nurse, Theresa that we had with Andrew.  All of the people we worked with were wonderful both times.  Kathlena's surgery was delayed a while due to some complications with the first patient who was a tiny 9 month old.  Thankfully, this baby after getting the  additional attention needed was doing fine.  During our wait Kathlena had daddy read her some books.  Daddy has a great voice for reading stories and while he was reading "Mailing May" one of Kathlena and Mommy's favorite stories I think he entertained someone else who was waiting too. 

After our 2+ wait in the lobby we headed to OR prep thinking that it would still be an hour or so until Kathlena would be heading to surgery--wrong!  We flew through OR prep time compared to when Andrew had his surgery.  We did manage to grab a few quick pictures of Kathlena getting her smiley face to mark which eye was having surgery and practicing her deep breathing with her mask before heading to anesthesia.

 As we passed through each of the same rooms memories flooded back from Andrew's surgery last year.  It seems so long ago that we were going through Andrew's surgery.  In many ways it was.  Andrew and Kathlena have changed greatly in the past year.  Going through this surgery with Kathlena made me realize how different we all were a year ago.  Of course it helped to have gone through this before, but even Kathlena's level of trust and comfort with us is so much more now than a year ago.  I remember Andrew being so concerned about leaving us and all the care that the nurses took to make sure we were there up until the very last minute and that we were the first thing he saw out of surgery.  Kathlena was swept away waving with her bunny and favorite pink blanket in tow.  She had no worries that we would be on the other side of this surgery.  This was a huge moment of courage for her and we were so proud of her.

Kathlena's surgery went by quickly only a little over a half hour and we were being called back to meet with Dr. Mazow.  He was very pleased with her surgery.  Her eye was quite swollen, even more than Andrew's, but he wasn't overly concerned as it was well in the normal range.  The swelling would subside in a day or so.  After talking to Dr. Mazow we were sent to the recovery waiting room where we waited for Kathlena to begin to wake up and to receive post op instructions.  We met a sweet nurse, Jan whose daughters took Russian in high school as their foreign language.  We were blessed again to share about the blessing of our adoption journey of faith with those who were caring for Kathlena.  We were soon called back to see Kathlena who was snooooozing!! She was so out!  (She doesn't even remember recovery)  The nurses let Daddy hold her and we tried to wake her up, but she was really zonked.  Daddy would sit her up and have to hold her head up like a small newborn.  I thought  she was coming around so I tried to give her some  apple juice.  She sucked in, but didn't swallow so it just dribbled out.  Bless her heart she was really out!

     Daddy holding Kathlena.  Sweet nurse Theresa had pity on us and our long ride home so she told us if we were okay with leaving with her asleep we could go.  Daddy scooped Kathlena up, carried her out saying you don't have to ask me twice we are good to go!

Kathlena slept the whole way home.  We had to stop at Randall's for some Tylenol and while I waited in the car with Kathlena she suddenly woke up.  She was like an amnesia patient.  Suddenly awake and no idea where she was or how she got there.  We were so thankful though that she rested comfortably for the ride home.  Once home she was greeted first by Andrew who wanted to entertain and take care of her.  It was so sweet.  He could empathize with her and went back and forth to get her anything she wanted or needed. 

We all gathered around to remove Kathlena's bandages and see her beautiful eyes again.  Even Calvin was waiting anxiously to see.  ;)

Wow!  Our beautiful Kathlena.  We are so thankful for the skillful work of Dr. Mazow and his team.  It is truly amazing the difference this simple surgery makes to restore and preserve vision.  We are so thankful to the Lord for His provision and comfort to us throughout this day.  We were blessed by the many friends and family who checked on us and prayed for us as we approached this day.  Thank you!

Preparing for Surgery...Kathlena

We have all of Kathlena's pre-op paperwork and visits completed as of today.  We were cleared by her pediatrician last week and deemed healthy for surgery.  She is now set for strabismus surgery next Wednesday, Sept. 8th.  We are excited even though it seems to have come about rather suddenly.  We have always known that it would be likely that she would need surgery.  In the past three months though it has become evident that sooner rather than later is necessary.  We have been in glasses all summer and while they have been helpful, especially in slowing down her nystagmus, her eye continues to turn out so, surgical straightening is what is required to keep her vision as strong as possible in both eyes.  We are thankful for our ophthalmologist, Dr. Mazow who also did Andrew's surgery a little over a year ago.  As Kathlena would say, "we know the drill" so, that has made it a little easier.  Kathlena at the beginning of our talks about surgery was not so thrilled...in her words "no, thank you surgery" to be exact.  Points for politeness were given though!  She is better now and is actually looking forward to it.  I think it has helped knowing that Andrew has had the surgery and recently one of her friends at church also. 

I have been reading and thinking back to when Andrew had his surgery and have been surprised to find so many similarities.  Andrew was also missing a front tooth at the time of his surgery.  He look so little back then and that was only a little over a year ago.  He is growing up so fast!  His surgery has been such a blessing and we are so grateful to have the technology to help restore his vision.  Such a different world this past year has been for him.  We pray that we see such a change with Kathlena from her surgery as well. 

Kathlena's surgery will be the same type of as Andrew's surgery just on different muscles.  We had been expecting to eventually have nystagmus surgery which is more extensive surgery than strabismus.  It would seem for now that her nystagmus has dampened on it's own and that type of surgery will not be necessary.   We are so thankful for this!

For Mom and Dad pending surgery on one of our babies is never easy.  We pray for the Lord to minister to us and Kathlena as we trust Him through this time.  I am thankful for the many friends and family who are praying for us and who have been so kind to check on us...Thank you!!

"As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? It is God who arms me with strength, And makes my way perfect." Psalm 18:30-32