in the beginning...

Is Jordan really 3 weeks old? Nope. Can't be...but he is! Here's a little of what's happened since the last post...

In the hospital

Jordan was born at 3:15am. Immediately after surgery they wheeled us to a recovery room where Jordan got his first bath, first meal, and we could just be together as family.

Nana & Papa Prins and Grandpa & Grandma Clark were there soon after we were brought to our actual room; around 6am. The rest of the family came by later in the morning & early afternoon.

The hospital stay was wonderful. The nurses were more than helpful and answered all of our questions and then some. Nancy was our nurse for both Tuesday and Wednesday. She was a Christian; and by the end of the day she would stop in just to talk or encourage us - we were so blessed by her!

Bryan was able to go home to sleep for both nights and the nursery took Jordan (minus his meal times). On Wednesday morning Bryan showed up just as I was waking up...with new PJs & jewelery for me...and apple fritters. I love my hubby!!

After a good night's rest and a shower Wednesday morning I felt much better. Nancy came in and asked if I needed anything for the pain. She didn't believe me when I said I didn't really have any. I did take some Motrin later on after I had moved around a bit, but on the whole it was a quick and easy recovery. PTL!

We could have stayed at the hospital till Friday but were allowed to go home on Thursday (since we were both doing great). Jordan had to have his "surgery" first thing in the morning, Bryan made it to the last part of Hebrew class, and after signing a bunch of paperwork we were on our way home by 3pm. Jordan looked so tiny in his carseat!

Home sweet home...just we three...family.

Jordan's Journal

My last post was a long long long time ago! Three trimesters ago to be exact. Since then our lives have changed forever - in a crazy amazing wonderful way.

Jordan Keith Clark made his grand entrance into the world on September 21, 2010. He weighed a grand total of 7lbs 7oz and was 21 inches long. He's priceless. He's my son. I love him.

Life has sped up and slowed down since he got here. I don't want to forget a minute of it. Knowing myself, there's no way I could ever journal with paper and pen...but hopefully computer access (and this blog) will make it easier.

Here's the story...

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Induction Day! Finally, we could pack up and leave for the hospital. Enough of the endless waiting, worrying, and wondering about when he would get here!

Jordan was due September 11. Contractions kicked in on September 4th. They stopped a couple days later - false labor. September 4th to the 19th was a long boring wait. Thursday, the 16th, Dr. Freeburger recommended an induction to get things going and the hospital scheduled it for Monday the 20th at 7:30pm.

We went to church that morning, came home, and packed and repacked. We were too excited to eat, tried to nap (like we could sleep), and got a block or two into a walk until the weather decided to cancel it with rain. After packing and repacking our bags it was finally 7:00 and we took off!

Pulled up to emergency, parked, and got right in. The nurses at the hospital were wonderful. I got the first dose of the induction starter around 8pm. Bryan stayed the night on the extremely (un)comfy hospital pull-out bed. We really didn't get much sleep that night. They woke me up 4 hours later for the next dose and had us up early the next morning to start the next step - Pitocin.

Monday morning (and Pitocin) brought on lots and lots of contractions. Oooh....let's just say it was a long Monday. Calvin brought in breakfast for Bryan and stayed for a little while before leaving for school. We also had a visit from Pastor Maynard Belt and his wife. They brought a baby book and prayed with us; thank you Lord!

Around 5pm Bryan & I were sitting on the couch in the room when my water broke. Hooray! After that, the contractions stepped it up and grew more and more painful. Dad & Mom Clark stopped by for a few minutes around 6:00 and Mom Prins came around 7:00. She and Bryan sat with me for the worst of it. During the contractions it hurt to talk or even breathe. They told us Jordan was "sunny-side-up" so I was having back labor in addition to the contractions. I caved and asked for an epidural around 8:30; and by 9:00 I was feeling sooo much better!

The Dr. came in around 9 and gave us a disappointing update. Progress was slow going; we could probably expect a baby late-morning or afternoon of the next day. Whew! Bryan decided to go home and try to get some (good) sleep and I tried to rest at the hospital.

In addition to the IV for Pitocin and the epidural drip I also had an external monitor for the contractions and another one for Jordan's heartbeat. Quite the hook-up! The nurses were very watchful and were in around every 15 minutes to either increase the Pitocin or check how things were progressing.

Then around 1am things took a turn for the worse. I started shaking all over and couldn't stop. It got worse and by the time the Dr. came in I could hardly talk. They told me that it was normal; my body was just reacting to the stress of all the contractions.

Then around 2am, the nurse ran in the room, quick put an oxygen mask on my face, pressed the emergency button on the bed remote and called out for the Dr. to come right away. She told me that Jordan's heartrate and dropped to under 70 for over a minute - half of what it should have been. Dr. Freeburger was right there and immediately decided to do an emergency C-section.

The other nurse tried calling Bryan twice but couldn't get through. I texted him, then called again and he picked up. All I could say through the shaking was, "you need to come to the hospital. We're going to have to do a C-section." Poor guy...but I couldn't really say more than that. I talked to him at 2:10. He was in the room by 2:30.

As Bryan came in the door they gave him scrubs to change into and an update. I really don't remember much more than that. They took us down to the operating room, prepped me for surgery, and Jordan Keith was born at 3:15am.

Bryan was right there the whole time...even got pictures and cut the cord. As they were taking Jordan out and he gave his first little cry, Bryan started talking to him and he quieted right down - he knew his daddy's voice!

The whole thing was like a dream. I finally got to hold Jordan for the first time in the recovery room. Surreal.

Well! There's the story. Actually...this is only the beginning...

A new life...

It's been awhile since I last updated! Life has pretty much been the same for us. :-) Bryan is busy with classes at Puritan Seminary, serving at church, and working (when there is work). I'm teaching 35ish students three days a week and keeping plenty busy with church and family. God is good!

The most exciting news....is that we are going to be parents!! Our baby should be coming around September 11 - my mom and grandma's birthday. As of today I'm at 9 weeks, 5 days. Can't wait to find out the gender...hopefully beginning of May!...but the name is a surprise. :-P

the old bookshelf...

Sometimes I speak before thinking. Usually it's not a good thing. But yesterday was different.

I knew Bryan was going to be late coming home from work...so I thought I'd stop in at my favorite store in GR. Icapsa Bookstore. A used bookstore...millions and millions of book-friends...and (the best part) thrifty prices!

My excuse? Bryan needs a Greek New Testament. :P I had to wait for the computer to "think" through a search of the store so I half-jokingly asked the owner if they were hiring. Then I realized what I said.

Actually...yes. They're looking for independent book sellers to list their books online - from home. Icapsa buys crates of books from area thrift stores (World Mission, Salvation Army, etc.), sorts through them, lists them online (via people like me), then ships them all over the world.

Sound like fun? I called this morning...and got the job! Training is next week...and after that? I sell books! I can work at my own pace, do it from home, and can keep as many of the books I want for free. :)

Fun hobby + extra income = Thank you Lord!

first day of school...

How do mommy's do it? Today...a little after 8am...I sent my sweetheart off to his first day of "school" - seminary to be exact. I would have a picture up for you all, but the response to that was something close to "don't you dare". LOL But boy, are we both excited!

Yesterday was orientation for the newbies. We couldn't be more thankful/blessed/excited to be a part of such a Godly seminary!

The first thing that struck us was the huge number of international students. Bryan will be studying with folks from South Korea, Brazil, Myanmar, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Syria...and India!! Biggest surprise of the day for me was meeting one of the young men I met in India two years ago. No idea he was studying here or in the US. Talk about a small world!

We met several of the teachers and they all seem to be very humble Godly learned men with a heart to serve, not just to teach. And the bookstore...ooohhh....(shhh! students get a 50% discount. yay!)

Another neat perk was finding out that they bring in a speech teacher from Calvin College and offer free speech lessons to all their students. In the spring they also have speech sessions for whoever wants practice.

Probably the best part of the day though was meeting other like-minded young people with a heart for God and serving His people. Living as close to school as we do, it's going to be fun having people over and making friends. We're blessed to have family and friends here already; so many of the others are from other states/countries and don't have that.

Today Bryan's off to "Systematic Theology: Theology Proper" and "Greek I". See why he's excited? :-P His other two classes are taught by men from outside the US and will be week-long intensives with assignments due throughout the semester.

We have a busy - but fun - next few years ahead of us. It's not going to be easy, but we're confident this is where God wants us (for now anyways!) and He has our next steps already planned out. PTL!

A cup o'coffee...mmm....It sure doesn't seem like August today! Our thermometer reads 58 and it's raining. But no matter. This is still a day that our God has made...and I will be glad in it. :)

God gave us a surprise yesterday. Bryan was finishing up a carpet job when the wife asked him if he could use a used jacket? She handed him...a like-new beautiful leather thick coat! Exactly what he was needing - his old one was not fit to be seen. :P Her husband had bought it for work, wasn't using it, and they were going to give it to Goodwill - until she "thought" to ask Bryan. God knew. God loved. God provided.

"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life...what you shall put on. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field...will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" Matthew 6

Heard a quote recently..."Grace is God giving us what we don't deserve. Mercy is God holding back what we do deserve."

So what have I been up to? (after all, that's what a "blog" is supposed to be about anyways, right? :P)

We're getting ready for fall! :) Still working on last-minute things for Primetime - the new Wed. night program for 3-6th grade Bryan and I will be leading this fall. We're going to be teaching a "Journey Through the Bible". Many of these kids don't come from Christian families so our goal is to get them familiar with God's Word and teach what th eBible is all about - Jesus Christ!

My piano teaching schedule is all made out for this year. Yay! That's always a challenge. I'll be teaching Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. I don't think I've been this *not* busy in a long time. Although...I've never had a house to clean, laundry to do, and a husband to look after either. :P

I'm going to be teaching three music classes on Wed. afternoons to a homeschool group at our church in Oakfield...so I have lesson plans in the works.

Organ lessons are still going very well (have one today actually!) and I'm excited about starting piano lessons back up again with Kayleen. With all the playing I've been doing lately...I'm realizing how rusty my fingers are getting. :P

In other news...Bryan was officially accepted into Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary as of Wednesday. His classes start up September 1st!

Time for me to stop writing and get going (pretty sure my hair has dried by now...lol)

Blessings! ~ Lindsay

me? journal?! no...

New Years resolutions. Remember those? All those high and worthy aspirations so nobly sought after...for the first month. no...week...or is it days...of January. Mine this year? To marry Prince Charming, read through the entire Bible, and yes, to start a journal. #1 - check! #2...hm...I'm through Joshua...#3....I wrote exactly 1 1/2 sentences on January 2 and stopped mid-thought.

Ah...but it's still not too late. My calendar tells me it is still 2009. Who says you can't start a journal on July 20 instead of January 1?

So here I am. Thanks to Patty and Emilee, I've decided to try it. :) I have no idea how often I'll be updating, or even what I'll be updating, but be patient with me, dear reader. My dream is to "Step Heavenward". I want this blog to be a place where I can write down God's faithfulnesses. My Prince Charming Bryan and I have been married for less than four months...but God has been busy! I'll always remember the big life-steps...but remembering the little things can be just as meaningful.

So! Where do I start? Yesterday was Sunday, and a very good one at that. Here's a highlight...

Bryan taught a combined Sunday School class before church teaching out of the book "Respectable Sins". The two we discussed yesterday? Ungodliness and unthankfulness.

Ungodliness...how often do I think of my Savior throughout the day? How many times do I consult Him before saying or doing or thinking something? Is He the center of what I do or just the lining?

Unthankfulness...are my prayers praises or to-do lists for God? How often do I thank God for the things in my house, for safe travel, for my health and loved ones?

There's a story in the Bible about ten lepers healed by Jesus. Nine ran off to celebrate. Only one came back to thank Jesus. So many times I've condemed those nine lepers. How could they run away from Jesus?! Poor selfish ungrateful men! But wait...isn't God's condemnation worse than leprosy? Sin and it's consequences last much longer than a physical disease would. When is the last time I thanked Jesus forhealing...unthankful me?

Enough preaching. That's my husband's job. I have dishes in the sink, organ music to practice, phone calls to return, groceries to buy, and PRIMEtime to work on. It's a beautiful day outside...and I'm thankful for it. :)

Singing His praises,

Lindsay