The Artistic Life — Heatherblu.com

Perfectly Imperfect

by Heatherblu

*The day is almost done- I’m sitting alone on the front porch in the “cat’s light” dreamily sipping a latte. My husband and always well behaved children are reading Shakespeare by the hearth.
*Laundry is folded, house is sparkling clean, and we have just supped on a meal I prepared from scratch (pear and walnut glazed tofu and tender asparagus with french seasoned couscous ).
*My day was easy and everything went as planned. The children woke with smiles as they always do, then quickly went about their chores without being asked.
*School was completed with nary a word being spoken out of turn as usual. My four year old begged on bended knee for me to explain to him advanced calculus – something I excel at and enjoy immensely.
*The two youngest put themselves down for a nap after playing a round of the “quiet game” and slept for two hours.
*I then prepared dinner with the girls while we listened to classical music and quoted poetry from the early colonial days…………………………………

YEAH RIGHT! (said with a bit of a sarcastic tone)
So ok, this is a “slight” exaggeration of our daily life. But how many times have we looked at an Instagram pic or a home decorating magazine and imagined a scenario something like this? Sometimes the lives we see look so perfect!

Don’t get me wrong, I love Instagram and home decorating magazines just as much as the next girl. But I find that if I’m not careful something quite ugly can take place - I become discontent with my life and the things in it and I end up trying my best to present my home and myself in an unrealistic way because I believe that’s the only way I’ll be accepted.

*It’s easy to get caught up in keeping up with the Jones or to slip into the trap of approval addiction as Joyce Meyers so apply terms it.
Proverbs 14:30 gives us a tip -A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
Though I’ve never experienced my bones rotting, I’m pretty sure I’d prefer peace and life to that uncomfortable malady!

*As far as presenting myself and my home in an unrealistic way- There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look your best and putting your proverbial best foot forward. The problem comes when we allow what others think of us to dictate the way we dress or speak or live.

*I’m not saying it’s silly to remove the basket of unfolded laundry from the scene before snapping a picture of your sweet munchkins and I’m not saying we shouldn’t apply lipstick and mascara before running into the super market if we so desire. (My grandpa used to say ” If the barn needs it, slap some paint on it”)LOL
*But the Bible declares that we are each fearfully and wonderfully made – (Psalm 139:14) When God does something, He does it well ! That means that you are exactly who you were created to be and you are quite wonderful!

*Next time you post a picture remember that – you are an incredible creation and accepted by God.

*Now my pictures will continue to show the best of me and my life because let’s face it, when the going gets rough it’s nice to look at them and remember that this too shall pass!
*But when you view my beautiful pics you most likely won’t see that I snapped the pic just before the four year old smacked the eight year old in the face because the eight year old was pinching him to see his reaction. And you’ll never know that I ordered pizza for dinner for the 3rd time that week. And you may not realize that I was juggling a fussy baby on my hip while helping a certain willful daughter understand the need to be obedient!

*All this to say, I love my wonderfully messy, usually sweet life, and I choose to be happy and content no matter what!

Blessings : )

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February 10, 2013 No Comments

Jax Tucker- A Birth Story

by Heatherblu

February 2012 found me pregnant with blessing number 4!
My oldest had just turned 9, my second 8 and third would be 4 in a few months.

*My first month was smooth sailing- And then it hit. Morning sickness to end all morning sickness! Granted I have a VERY low pain tolerance and am a bit of a drama queen when it comes right down to it, but even so I could barely raise my head off the pillow for four months! I was delirious with pain and throwing up constantly- unaware of the comings and goings of my troop.
*Praise God for my wonderful husband who was working from home at the time. Keith wore a million different “hats” for 4 months. When I awoke from my “Morning Sickness Coma” 2 more months of “Yuck” seemed my lot but at least I was out of bed and able to care for my children!

WAITING-
*I expected to give birth 3 weeks before my said due date as I had with my others. So when 37 weeks rolled around or should I say dragged around, I was 2-3 cm. dilated and convinced I’d go into labor any second.
*My last delivery was so fast that I almost didn’t make it in time so when a few contractions came I rushed to the hospital………..twice…….only to be sent home. FALSE ALARM!
*For a week we all waited and waited……….and waited some more. I nested and cleaned and dealt with a lot of prego pain.
*The kids had previously set up and practiced how we would announce that I was going to the hospital- I was to walk calmly into the room and stoically announce “The time has come” just as Ricky on an I Love Lucy episode had done. They were on high alert!

*At 38 weeks we had our second ultrasound -something I never had with my other 3 as they came too early for it. Our little wasn’t so little-already weighing in at 7 lbs. 13 oz. with lots of hair and a chunky tummy. The midwife checked me and stripped/stirred the membranes (OUCH!) and said she’d probably be seeing me later that day or the next!
*Nothing happened that day. The next day I cleaned like crazy. The patio and windows never looked so good! I even uprooted and tugged an old dead tree across the back yard for the kids to use as a fort. STILL NO CONTRACTIONS!!!!! So we ate dinner on our super spiffy clean patio under twinkling Christmas lights.

THE TIME HAS COME !
*That night I woke up at 2:30 a.m. with back pain. I got up and took a bath after calling my Mom (to say this just might be it) who then alerted my sisters. The bath brought on contractions 3 minutes appart. Our friend Karen, who lives just around the corner came to stay with the kids until my sisters Molly and Kait could get there.
*Keith and I quickly made our way to the hospital. By now, only 30 minutes after I had woke up with back pain the contractions were 1 minute appart and super strong. “I’m not ready for this!” kept going through my mind.

WE’RE HERE !
*15 minutes later (45 minutes since I woke up) we pulled into the hospital parking lot and checked in for the 3rd time in one week. The tech asked “And what brings you here today?” I did not answer as I was at that moment doubled over the counter in an intense contraction! Somehow I believe my growl sufficiently answered her query.

SAY WHAT? NO EPIDURAL?!!!!
*As I was being wheeled up to the birthing room, I went into transition and I could barely hang on.I called for an epidural, even wondering if it was too late for a C Section! LOL
* The Midwife who had just went home had to be called back – and I could only get an epidural after she checked me and then they would have to call the anesthesiologist in (from home).

*When the midwife arrived a few minutes later she said it was too late for an epidural and then proceded to suit up. She said go ahead and push if I needed to. I did…. 2 pushes later his head was out! The midwife told me to stop pushing so she could clean his nose and mouth out. She reached for her instrument and I yelled “No, I can’t!” One more push and he slipped into her hands as she was drenched in a shower of fluids! (YUCK!) She said”First lesson of midwifery- Don’t drop the baby!”.

HE’S HERE !
*Jax Tucker was born just under an hour and a half from the first back pain to the moment I was holding him in my arms!

*My Husband, Mom, and sister (Chelsea Beidler) were incredible support for me through the delivery and I am so thankful they were there with me. If the hospital had let me I would have had all my sisters in there with me! As it was Molly and Kait waited with our other 3 littles in the waiting room downstairs. (Keith’s Mom and sister shelby would arrive a couple days later)

* I am so thankful to God for such a quick and safe delivery – we have a sweet new addition to our family and I am no longer pregnant!
*Well that’s my story and I’ll leave you with this- God is good all the time!