February Photo Challenge - Day 12

The Best Part of the Day Today was awful .. to say the least. Short story: en route to Grand Rapids today I hit a patch of ice and buried the van (not an exaggeration) in a snowbank. I couldn't open any doors, just windows, and the kids and I were thoroughly stuck. In any emergency, my call chain works like this: Steve, Mom/Dad, Ipemas ... (sometimes Ipemas before Mom and Dad if it's a time sensitive/local thing). Steve was skiing with his family at Caberfae. Mom and Dad were an hour away awaiting us, and Ipemas were at the cabin. I panicked. Mom and Steve told me to call a wrecker, which I did ... but it was going to be an hour at best. I'm trapped in a van with two babies and have to wait an hour to get hauled out. I have no shovels (if I could even get out), much less appropriate winter attire. Person after generous person stopped to offer phones or blankets, as I racked my brain on what to do ...

Finally, a man simply started trying to dig us out. When we ended up pulling his truck closer to the ditch without budging our van, he offered to help me get the kids somewhere safe. We climbed out MOST ungracefully and (not by coincidence, which I don't believe in but BY THE GRACE OF GOD!) loaded them into his 2 car seats (He had a 4 year old and a 2 year old and was thus equipped for driving kids). Vissers (again, BY THE GRACE OF GOD) were able to house us, as they lived just about a mile and a half from our "crash site." Megan came home to watch my kids, and Dave drove me back to get the van just as the tow truck arrived. Just about 15 minutes later, we were unstuck, and I could pick up the kids to go back home. No way was I driving up to GR ... My knees are still knocking ...

SOOOO, enter our 3rd hero(ine) of the day, my Mommy, drives down. She brought Valentine's presents for the kids, my favorite foods (thanks for making the Swiss Chicken early Dad!), and, what I wanted most of all, COMPANY. We had a great afternoon with the kids ... So, in tribute, here's my Day 12 photo of the day:

Introducing Benjamin Steven Van Dyk

On Sunday morning, Steve and I dressed Kayleigh and headed to church to help out with nursery. As I walked to the car a shooting pain stabbed through my abdomen. It wouldn't leave, not with proper hydration, not with sitting, standing or walking ... it persisted for over an hour and a half. Finally, when I couldn't handle it any longer, we decided to go to the hospital to get it checked out. Kayleigh stayed in nursery until after church when "Uncle" Ben and "Auntie" Robin picked her up to hang out while we figured things out. At the hospital, the triage unit thought that I was in early labor - and the contractions were coming closer and closer together. After a few hours of walking around the hospital things started to stop. The doctors and Steve and I were trying to figure out just how to proceed when we decided that knowing the size of the baby boy would really be helpful. Dr. Puckett ordered and ultrasound and they estimated that the baby was approximately 8 lbs. 7 oz. (just a little bigger than his sister).

Steve and I didn't want to make the decision to either break the water and get labor moving or go home. We were sort of praying for some direction one way or the other, and as a God send, after I got off the cart from the ultrasound my water broke. God definitely gave us clear direction. :) My labor began to progress well on its own. I had my epidural (and then at 8 cms had it again). Right after the new epidural, the baby's heart rate dropped significantly. The doctor decided we needed to get him out. We were prepped quickly and began the Caesarean. Steve stepped out until just before the baby was brought out. My doctors were amazing as they coached me through it all ... and at 12:19 a.m. on May 17th, my beautiful son, Benjamin Steven Van Dyk was born.

As Mommy recovered, Kayleigh came to visit us in the hospital. She was quite unimpressed with her brother, but pretty excited about the Big Sister shirt she got. Here she is showing us just how big she is!

My baby girl is a little princess and I miss her so much ... even as I grow in love for her brother more everyday. Here's my last two photos one with my Kayleigh Elaine and the other with my beautiful new Benjamin Steven :)

[caption id="attachment_193" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Benjamin Steven Van Dyk - 9 lbs 10 oz, 22.25" "][/caption]