Saying Goodbye, for now.

On October 3 Jonah and I went over to see my dad and let him hold Addie for a little bit.  He wasn't feeling well and I knew Addie would light up his day, little did I know how important that night would be to me for the rest of my life.  On Tuesday, around 10:30, I received a text message from my father stating, "911." By the time I had called him the EMS had arrived for him and was transporting him to the hospital.  My mother and I went to the hospital and waited for information on what was going on and how he was.  We finally went back to see him and things were not looking good...  They transported him to ICU, where I spoke to the doctor and nurses to get an understanding on what was truly going on.  I called my sister about 5:30 to let her know she needed to come home... the hardest thing I have ever had to do. 

That evening we had to make the decision to call my brother to come home or not... it didn't take long before we made the call.  We are so thankful to the Red Cross and his command on getting him home by that Thursday night. Friday morning we all met together at the hospital to talk to the doctors and decide on the next steps to take. 

We decided to go ahead and move dad out of ICU and off life support. By Friday afternoon they had him comfortable and my grandmother came in to see him.  We had all three grandchildren; James, Myra, and  Addie; come and see him.  It made me tear up when James said, "I love you, Pa." 

On Monday my mother called my brother about 9:45am to let us know Dad had passed away... my heart tore apart. We went to the hospital, where Jonah met me there, and we said our final "goodbyes." On Friday we had a beautiful memorial for him and celebrated his life at Flying Saucer.  I will forever miss my daddy but have the wonderful memories of being a "daddy's girl" and him meeting his little girl's little girl.

Addie has the pictures and will grow up knowing how much her Pa truly treasured her and that the last time he held her gave him a little more life to hang onto. Heck, maybe a little piece of her Pa will show up in her personallity. She is not only a blessing to us but God blessed my dad with her right before he was called home... for that I am truly grateful!   

And 2 Became 3

So, the day after Labor Day I started having serious contractions.  We went to the hospital and they were there but not doing much... my doctor told me to go ahead and take off work to relax and get ready for Addie to come.  So I spent that week "relaxing" the best way that I could, which isn't truly relaxing at all. So that week went by and still nothing. I had my final doctor appointment on Wednesday, September 14, the day before her due date.  We went in and I was still dilated to a 1, no progress. We sat down and made a "just in case" plan for Monday, if I had not made any progress.  I was truly heartbroken about this because more than anything I wanted her to come the most natural way I could handle. We went home thinking that Monday I would be induced and have our baby girl that Tuesday morning... man, did Addie have other plans! 

Thursday morning (her due date) I woke up having a little stronger contractions and they were consistent, but with feeling contractions for the past week I didn't put much thought into them except they hurt and I couldn't move very much.  Jonah kept in contact with me all day, checking to make sure I was ok, and I was. Around 4 I ate a little snack and laid back down to try and sleep through some of the pain, still thinking it was false labor.  At 7pm they were very strong but there was no way I was going back to the hospital to be turned away again, so I pushed through them. 7:30 came around and I need to go use the restroom and while trying to sit up I had a major contraction, I had to lay back down. At that moment I felt a "bubble bursting" feeling and started considering my water may have just broke. IT DID! By 8pm we were on our way to the hospital with Jonah, with my mom meeting us there. And by 8:30 I was in the room and it was confirmed my water broke, but I was still at a 1! Contractions really started and labor was in full force. By 10:30pm I was dilated to a 3 and able to receive my epidural (there was no way I was delivering without one, made my mind up a long time ago).  I finally relaxed and slept for a little bit... and so did Jonah.

At 4:30 my mom came back up to the hospital and so did Jonah's parents... all waiting to see what Miss Addie had planned.  The nurse told me when I felt like I need to push consitently to let her know because then it was time... well, consitently means little to me because I was consitently having contractions for a week. Finally, at 5:30, I had my mom tell the nurse I felt like I was needing to push and the doctor came in. YUPP, I WAS READY TO PUSH! They had my mom and in-laws leave the room and Jonah and I prepared to see Addie for the first time.  After 30 minutes, 4 contractions worth of pushing, our sweet little girl was born!

So Miss Addie Ila-Marie Allen made her debut, on her time, on September 16th at 6:03AM.  Mama was completely in love from the moment she saw her and Daddy was as proud as they come.  I couldn't believe we were able to bring this special angel into the world and God aloud use to be her parents.

Its been 11 days and she is already on a schedule of feeding and sleeping.  She doesn't cry except when she is hungery or her tummy is upset. She loves to snuggle and will stay curled up with me for hours!  I am a truly blessed Mama and I know my life has just gotten 100x's better.

Besides birthing my sweet angel and getting use to having another person needing us... we decided to purchase a home that closed a week after she was born!  I started looking at houses in June, about the time most women start nesting, and was bound and determined to find a home for us.  In July we were prequalified and started looking for a place of  our own.  We found the perfect house for us and decided right away to put down an offer... everyone knows how that goes... so closing was supposed to be September 22.  WOW! I must be crazy!  We closed on the house and received the keys today, September 27.  Now I am home with this sweet bundle of joy and my AMAZING husband is moving us to our new home.  God has showered us with so many blessings! I cannot believe how lucky we are as a family to be given Addie and a home of our own. 

I must be crazy but my life has always been this way... 9 months ago I married the man of my dreams, we just had our sweet girl, and now own our first home!  I do say this is one crazy adventure, though Jonah may disagree.  I think I'll stop for a while... maybe ;)

Beautiful Dancing Baby

Monday night I started having contractions about once an hour, they woke me up everytime so I didn't sleep well. Tuesday, I went to work and they began to get stronger and regular... I made the decision to go home and Jonah met me there. We started counting and by the afternoon we decided to head to the hospital. My doctor was actually there and was able to check on me, I had dilated more than I was so it showing progressing.  They sent me home and bumped my doctor appointment up Wednesday morning, while also instructing me to go ahead and stop working.  Wednesday's doctor appointment showed that I still not dilated more than a 1 but I was still having contractions... I just took a big breath and thought maybe it was just going to be a slow progress.
I spent the next couple of days walking and doing housework, keeping myself busy.  On Friday I felt a burning in my back and the contractions were getting worse, I just blew them off.  I had lunch with my mom for her birthday, Jonah came home and helped me relieve some of the pressure in my back.  By 9 that night the contractions where 5 minutes apart and knocking me to the floor.  We went to the hospital and come to find out I still had not dilated past a 1.  After an hour of being monitored they came to let me know I was going home, I'm not progressing.  She was positive saying that its just taking some time.  Jonah finally asked if the contractions are strong and 4 minutes apart when are we supposed to know when to come in... the RN let us know I need to be 3 minutes apart for 3 hours before we even decide to do anything. After all this frustrating information and news the RN let us know they love watching Addie move around the monitor.  She called her a beautiful baby on screen and they all loved watching her move. So I have a happy, beautiful dancing baby.
We are still waiting for Ms. Addie to come out and be that beautiful dancing baby soon, but I guess I will truly find out this week at my doctor's appointment when our sweet girl will join us. Until then... I got suck up the tears!

School is back in session

We just finished our first week of school.  It was tiring and very long for me but I am excited for what this year will have instored. 

Jonah has been moved to the high school for Cross Country, Soccer, and Track. So his day actually starts at 5:30, instead of 6:30.  He is at the middle school the second half of the day and I know it brings him to ease knowing that if Addie decides she is ready, while I'm at school, he is right there to take care of me. I, also, like seeing him during the day. Reminds me of when we first met and started dating... aww.... :)

Everyday after school I come home and put my feet up, they have "finally" started swelling and look like fat piggies by the end of the day.  I know that these are all signs that the end is coming and I truly cannot wait to hold our little girl! 

She is more than welcome to come anyday now... I'd prefer if she waited for Friday though, so she makes it to September. One of the reasons I am so ready is because our maternity shoot was Saturday, last thing on the list of To Do's.  I know some people think its silly to have photos take pictures of these moments but I cannot think of a better way to capture these things that are so priceless! She is so blessed to be apart of a family that loves each other so much and puts God in the center of our life. God has blessed our life so much!

In the midst of preparing for the birth of our daughter and starting school we have decided to purchase our first home. We may be a little crazy but we found a house that we truly love and can call home with our sweet girl!  I guess most woman go into nesting mode in their own house but mine went a little larger than that... I wanted a home for my little girl.  So, now, we have a contract on a house and should be closing on the 22nd of September then moving around the 24th. So in the last year we got married, are having a baby, and buying our first home... pretty sure that is a God blessed year! If you really want to look at it; Jonah and I met 2 years ago this August, got engaged July of 2010, married 2011, found out we are having a wonderful family, and now buying a house.

God is truly amazing and I could not ask for a more blessed life than what He has planned for me. Count down to Addie is, hopefully, to the end and now on to the 2nd chapter of the Allen Life... that includes her and a home.

The Waiting Game

In the last 2 years I have met my soulmate, married him, and now about to "pop" with out first child. God has blessed us and so I felt it was time to start blogging about the Adventures of our life.


Well, as of right now I am 8 months pregnant with our sweet little girl, whom we are naming Addie Ila-Marie.  Addie comes from my great grandmother, my mother's mother's mother.  She was an extremely loved woman that always thought of family first.  I loved her as a little girl and she passed when I was 4 but I still have memories of going to see her in the nursing home, pieces of my past no one can take from me. Ila comes from Jonah's grandmother, known as Nana.  The first time I sat down with her and had a conversation we talked about out faith and strength in the Lord, she is an amazing God driven woman and I know Addie will be honored to share her name.  We added Marie onto the end of Ila because Nana begged us to add something to Ila and it flowed beautifully. 

Tomorrow we start back to work full time!
Jonah has been doing Cross Country practice early in the mornings but was able to come home afterwards.  I am so large that going to school was out of the question, I can't really bend over and definitely cannot move anything. I am excited to start back to work and get my students ready for the year.  I am working on maternity plans so they may experience a fun time in Theatre even if I am not there. I will work up until the day I have Addie and then take my maternity leave, I will return to my students the week after Thanksgiving. 

So now... is the waiting game.
Addie is due on September 15th, will she make it til then or will she come early.  God loves to surprise us, so we will see when she does make her debut. I just know Jonah and I cannot wait to hold her in our arms and I cannot wait for her to stretch out into something besides my ribs.