going home

The Edmundsons have left the building

Elijah Erik Edmundson

Born: 7:05pm, February 10, 2011
5 lbs 11 oz
18.5 inches
Miracle

I want to first say how amazing my sister is. . .I'm going to "geek" out on how amazing she is and how she is soooo very strong.

Today, she was induced for safety reasons and she started to labor in the morning. By 1 ish when I got there she was in pretty active labor. I was allowed to stay in until the end and I was so thankful to be a part of it as long as I was allowed.

When I walked in my sister was laying by the window and having level 3 (pain wise) contractions. She smiled up at me and I smiled down at my beautiful sister. We chit chatted but she'd had a rough night and needed sleep. And Erik was watching over her lovingly. Nothing much was happening so after an hour or so I went down to do some homework.

I went back up around 5pm and she was pacing the floor and the contractions had increased. The room's mood had changed. There was a seriousness in the room but at the same time a peace that came with the "hee hee whooo" of my mother, Erik, and Bethany as they all breathed through her pains. My eyes teared up as I watched my sister painfully lean against the bed.

I'd never thought about wanting to be in the room or needing to be there for any of the births in my family. But I am SOOO glad I got to be there this time, even if I didn't see the actual birth. Just being there to share in the process. I got to give my hair thing up for my sister, run and get a spoon for her so she could eat some ice, and I got to warm up her Penicillin drip :). I got to observe such a miraculous process.

I have to say that it was very hard to watch her in pain and later to hear her in pain. As Jasmine said, "That sounds funny".

Bethany took it sooo well. Breathing, moving, and relaxing. And she did it all drug free. Not that she didn't want it but the team who was with her today helped her get through it without it. Amen! Even as a nurse studying and learning about these things. . . I am so proud that she didn't use an epidural. And I have to say this. . . the doctor and nurse who you are with makes the difference. Bethany felt like she was at the end of her ability. At this point she was about to have Elijah but she felt so far off still. The doctor kind of encouraged her take the epidural but when he left the nurse told Beth she didn't need it. She could tell, after 20+ years, that Beth was almost there. So when the Anesthesiologist came in she said she'd be there if needed but they all gave Beth the time. And Beth did. No tears. No Epidural. All her and Erik (and my mom). Amazing.

It does frighten me though. . . my sister's pain tolerance is like . . . mountains higher then mine.

Birth, labor, pregnancy, mothers, fathers, sisters, life... it amazes me. I am in awe of it all.

Thank you Lord for this healthy new creation and thank you for watching over my sister.

I love you Bethany Faith Edmundson. You amaze me and I am so glad you're my older sister. I hope I can be as strong as you someday. May the Lord bless you and your family.

Last night I dreamed that I had been working all day and that a bunch of us girls ( my sister and my friend, Camille, are the only ones i can remember) were going to a party. We were all dressed up. I had a dress on, knee high black boots, and I'd put glitter all over my face and done my eyes up. We were going to a huge party.

As we were driving a little girl ran across the street. To miss her I swerved but I ended up running over a kid's foot. We stopped the car and got out. The boy seemed okay but was just laying on his back. He was responsive. I yelled at the girl's parents to call 911. The kid on the ground sat up and grabbed his foot and checked it out. It was broken at the ankle. The ambulance came and we headed on our way.

We got to the party and it was already going. I don'r remember a lot from this part of my dream. Just clips of it. Us dancing, laughing, and drinking.

The next day I woke up in my bed. I was so sleepy but I rubbed my face and it felt weird. It was bumpy and not a glitter bumpy but my face itself was bumpy.

I ran to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. I had all these red dots all over my face and I could see the descending aorta going down my neck. And I hadn't turned the light on. IT was dark still in the bathroom but for some reason each little bump was bright red. I turned on the light and could see the bumps and I squeezed one and a bunch of liquid came shooting out of it. All the bumps were filled with some clear fluid. The glitter caused an allergic reaction on my face.

My dream cut to my Anatomy and Physiology class and the teacher was talking about something to do with the circulatory system and it had to be at the same time I got there. He was closing the blinds and turned off the lights and my face lit up. Everyone got excited but mostly thought it interesting and wondered why I glowed red dots. And my teacher said it must have something to do with my blood because you could see the major artery too.

I sat down and class proceeded.

009

I know. . . what is one to do with lack of models. . .

008

This week has been forever long and buys. Fell behind but here we go again. My dad's birthday was Monday. Happy Birthday Dad.