First Date - AK Version

 Last night, Hubby and I had our first date night in Alaska.

The four big kids attended a "kid's night out" art event at a local art studio, and I was able to find a new baby-sitter for the two little guys.

Hubby and I found a lovely steak and seafood restaurant with several stuffed grizzlies, moose, caribou, and salmon decorating the lobby.

We enjoyed a dinner on the porch overlooking the Alaskan mountains (I'm not sure what range), and had plenty of time to pick up the big kids and then get home to the little boys.

Lee Lee told us this was her favorite night so far in Alaska.  It might have been mine too.  Hubby and I needed the time to connect for a minute amidst all the change, commotion, and little ones who need us.

Repeat

 I apologize for the lack of attention my blog has been getting lately... I'm not sure if it will continue into the future or not, to be honest.

It just comes down to hours in the day, and the time I do NOT want to spend on my computer.

But, I'm here tonight... I thought I'd clue you in on a song I have been playing on repeat that has been encouraging me and giving me joy every time I hear it.

John Denver's Alaska and Me

I listened to it a few nights ago and shared it with my husband and the song speaks to both of us in an incredible way regarding this move.  The only part of the song we find not really fitting with our story is the second verse about the women who became a bush pilot's wife -- not so much the case here.

The first verse talks about how the man came to Alaska (it echos very closely with my husband), and the bridge at the end has a line about what the couple hopes their children will gain from Alaska.

It is such a wonderful song, and like I said, I've been listening to it on repeat.

Lyrics:

When I was a child and I lived in the city

I dreamed of Alaska so far away

And I dreamed I was flying over mountains and glaciers

Somehow I knew I'd live there one day

Well it took me some growing, and a fair bit of schooling

And a little bit of trouble to get on the move

And I felt like a loser but I turned out the winner

When I came to Alaska the land that I love

Here's to Alaska, here's to the people

Here's to the wild and here's to the free

Here's to my life in a chosen country

Here's to Alaska and me

I was born in a cabin on Little Mulchatna

Raised in hard times but I had a good life

From the first time I flew with my father a singing

I knew that I'd wind up a bush pilot's wife

We sleep near the sound of a slow running river

And wake up most mornings to a drizzling rain

And we face every day like the first or the last one

With nothing to lose and heaven to gain

Here's to Alaska, here's to the people

Here's to the wild and here's to the free

Here's to my life in a chosen country

Here's to Alaska and me

Oh, for the fire on a cold winter's night

And once more to gaze at the great northern lights

For all of the beauty my children will see

Here's to Alaska and me

Here's to Alaska, here's to the people

Here's to the wild and here's to the free

Here's to my life in a chosen country

Here's to Alaska and me

Crab Crack

 Hubby and I went to the Crab Crack in Rangely, which was Mardi Gras themed last week.

I didn't get many pictures, but I did manage a few from our fun date.

And, like so many dates nights, it ended in bed... with a little one.

Fun Times

 Pictures from our fun Valentine's Day shenanigans!

Happy Valentine's Day

 I love all my little Valentines -- and my one big Valentine.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

For Real!

 Absolutely!

 My favorite part of this past weekend was Saturday morning when both hubby and I got up and made brunch together.

He used to make brunch about once a weekend (using SOOOO many dishes), which was usually eggs, hash browns, and sometimes biscuits and gravy.

Now that I have a brand new pancake griddle that I got for my birthday, and I found our waffle maker in our move, I have been cooking pancakes or waffles once or twice a weekend.

My plan was to compliment Hubby's breakfast with either pancakes or waffles... but I was not counting on the fact that my children are split on their preference of waffles to pancakes... so I made both.

Hubby and I cooked together in the biggest kitchen we've ever owned as a couple... and cooked for our six children, who actually ate what we made without complaining.

A Man Who...

 Marry a man who brings you dinner while you're writing a graduate paper...

and then enlists the kid's help to clean up the kitchen and load the dishwasher so you can keep at it.

Happy Birthday Hubby!

 My hubby is another year older.

I have had the honor of pleasure of spending the last twelve of my hubby's birthdays with him (as his girlfriend for one, and his wife for eleven), and it is such a pleasure to watch how this man changes and grows with every passing year.

This past year I have watched my hubby sacrifice for our family, go after a lifelong dream, and lead our family into a brand new chapter full of challenges and adventures for each and every one of us.  We have had to lean on one another, inspire each other, and pull together in brand new ways as we're adjusting to a new life in a new place.

This man works every day to give his all and his best to those around him and our children and I are so incredibly lucky to have him as our Mtn Miller Daddy.

Happy Birthday, Hubby.

Word in Season

 

Eleven Years

 Hubby and I are. enjoying our first long weekend anniversary getaway since before ANY children were born.  Before this trip, the longest we've been away from the kids for a vacation has been 2 nights.

This weekend, we are away for FOUR nights!

It is so nice to celebrate our anniversary in a way that lets us slow down and connect with less demands and distractions.

Doing so has given me the chance to put down some thoughts regarding 11 years of marriage to my wonderful Hubby.

Eleven Years of Marriage

Marriage isn’t about romance every day. It’s about trusting each other every day. 

Marriage isn’t about always agreeing. It’s about working together through everything. 

Marriage isn’t about always having the same dreams and goals. It’s about always supporting one another’s dreams and goals. 

Marriage isn’t about being made happy everyday by your spouse. It’s about choosing joy everyday with your spouse. 

Marriage isn’t about a happy ending. It’s about beginning your love story again every day. 

Marriage isn’t about finding the one perfect. person who completes you.  It’s about choosing one another every single day. 

Marriage isn’t about honeymoon vacation getaways. It’s about finding ways to create intimacy every day. 

Marriage isn't a series of choices all carefully considered and decided together.  It is the choices he's made, and the choices I've made, and the choices life and God has made for us and living it all as a team.

A wedding is one day of your life. An anniversary is one day of your year. Marriage is every day…

For better, or worse. 

For richer, or poorer. 

In sickness and health. 

To love, honor, and cherish,

For as long as you both shall love. 

The Battle Belongs

Almighty fortress, You go before us
Nothing can stand against the power of our God
You shine in the shadow, You win every battle
Nothing can stand against the power of our God

Brady Birth Story Part 5

  This post will be continuing on with Brady's birth story.  You can read Part 1 here and Part 2 here and Part 3 here and Part 4 here.

...

Remember my previous births — they broke my water with the twins, and they were born within an hour. They broke my water with Lee Lee and she was born within about an hour. My water broke naturally with Hunter and he was born in less than a minute. So, I really had delusions that they would break my water, around 9:00pm, and I’d be holding my baby by 9:15 or so. Really, you’d think this was my first labor by how wrong I was. 

My labor went on for hours — very similar to my birth with Lee Lee.  I remember asking the doctor to check my progress around midnight and she said I was dilated to 4cm, and I wanted to kill her.  I had no patience with this labor. I had no position that was bringing relief (even mental relief). 

Our nurse was wonderful and it turned out  that I had met her husband and we teach at the same school (one of my schools) and their last name is Miller and our last name is Miller and we have kids the same age and all our kids go to the same school… that part was great except I didn’t want to make new friends right then. I wanted to have a baby — preferably not in front of a new friend. 

After midnight, I just couldn’t believe every hour that passed. 1:00 am still no baby. 2:00am still no baby — and the doctor checked my progress again and said I was measuring at “4+cm”… that time I really could have killed her. 3:00am still no baby. 

Finally about 3:30, I asked the doctor to check again and she said I might be at 5cm now and I just pleaded with her about what to do. I was exhausted and I was not progressing (at least not as fast as I had come to expect from my body). 

I remember looking at her and saying, “Whatever you tell me to do, I will do. If you tell me to stand on my head, I will stand on my head. If you tell me to get an epidural, I will get an epidural. If you tell me to have a C-Section, I will have a C-Section. Please tell me what to do.“ 

Now, it is worth noting that I did not want a C-Section, and my doctor knew this. Also, I did not want an epidural, and my doctor knew this. 

This physician had been my primary OB for all my pregnancies and so far, all of my babies had been born naturally without an epidural and no C-Sections (INCLUDING my twins) and that was largely due to my rapport and relationship with this OB. 

She suggested I get in the bathtub. 

I had not gotten in the bathtub before this point for several specific reasons — some are valid and some are silly.

First, the hospital tub is a standard bathtub and not particularly comfortable to move around to different labor positions. I labored in the tub during my labors with Tracey, and Lee Lee, both for hours.  I knew that the water felt good, but the dimensions of the tub did not. 

Less important was the fact that I had makeup on and my hair curled and I didn’t want to ruin in appearance in the bathtub. 

I Know. STUPID!

But, in all of my first pictures with my babies, I had looked like I had had a rough day. Makeup running, hair wet, exhausted — I looked like I had a baby. All except Hunter. Hunter’s birth was so quick and no bath tub was involved, and I looked great in those pictures after he was born. I wanted that again so I was avoiding the bathtub. 

But, my OB advised getting in the tub, and I had vowed my allegiance to whatever she said. I got settled in the bathtub as comfortably as possible.  This time, I kneeled in the tub with my back to the spout and shower, facing the back of the tub, which has a little ledge where I could rest my arms.  This allowed me to kneel in the tub in between contractions, and during contractions, I could lean forward and lay my arms on the ledge of the tub which put me in a modified all-fours/hands and knees position kind of half-in/half-out of the tub.

As I got in to the tub, the doctor made sure that Chris knew where the call buttons were in the restroom, and our wonderful nurse told me she was going to use the restroom and grab a sandwich and would be back to check on us in a bit. 

As I said, our nurse was wonderful… and remains a good friend of ours to this day.

But… her telling me that she was going to use the restroom and grab a bite to eat made me so angry.

It infuriated me that my OB was going back to sleep and my nurse was getting dinner because they both thought I was going to be in labor for who knows how many more hours.  They left about 3:40. I had about 3 contractions and I kept telling Chris that I couldn’t do this anymore. I also told him that I was going to push this baby out the moment I had the chance — which he completely supported. As he saw with Hunter, when my body is ready to have the baby, I’m having the baby.  He encouraged me the entire time.

The next contraction, with Chris beside me, positioned half in/half out of the bathtub (remember, on my knees in the tub but leaving my arms over the back ledge of the tub) with no warning to my surrounding people, I began to push the baby out (approximately 3:44am).

When Chris saw what was happening, I heard him yell (with a tone of panic I’d never heard from him before) for the doctor. No, he did not use the call button she so nicely pointed out to him. 

To Be Continued...

Message For Now

 My sister-in-law gave us a light-up message board sign for Christmas to hang on our wall.

I change the message on it every other month or so.

Coming into this Spring, this is our message for now:

First Morning

 First morning of Spring Break, and everyone is in our bed, except for Brady.

LOL.

Countdown...

 This made me laugh REALLY hard...

and truthfully... the countdown is on.

Hubby and I leave for a glorious FOUR night getaway in 105 days...

Did I Mention...

 Did I happen to mention that I got my first elk on the last day of late season hunting?

It was the last day... the last hour... technically, the last five minutes, but we got her!  Legal hunting is from 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset.  Sunset was at 5:28pm, so we had until 5:58pm.  I took my shot at 5:52pm.

We had obtained permission to hunt on the property where the elk were, but after I shot the elk, it jumped a fence before collapsing.  So, we had to figure out who owned the property where the elk collapsed before we could go get it.  It took some time and some teamwork, but thankfully, we live in a small town and we got ahold of the land owner within about 30 minutes.

It was a lot of fun, and I doubt it will be my last hunt, but I feel very comfortable saying that I only prefer to hunt when I have my hubby with me.  I got to scout the animals, find the animals, take the shot, find the elk, and be in the pictures.  He gutted the elk, dragged the elk, and transported the elk.  That's what I call teamwork!