Well, obviously I haven’t blogged for a month. We have had a lot happen since my last entry. Here’s a rundown on what’s happened over the last 30 days. Mid November we were geared up for the Clavinova Festival. I had 20 or so students participate. Trent played an arrangement of Star Wars, and Max had a lovely rendition of Jesus Loves Me. For the 5^th year in a row, none of my students have won the free Clav. I had several students that only have keyboards at home, and it would have been really great for them to win it, but alas, it was not meant to be. 

Nov 20^th was our last day of co-op. Looking forward to next semester’s classes. I also had a Dr. appointment on the 20^th. Baby is NOT head down. Baby hasn’t been head down for the last week at least. My last ultrasound confirmed that the baby was breech. This of course has me in a complete tizzy. I have had a c-section for breech presentation before. I don’t want a c/s recovery on top of a new baby and a naughty Nattie. I also don’t want to be resigned to all c-sections from here on out. I have been standing on my head for the last week, shining flashlights at the underside of my stomach, and sitting with my behind on the couch and my head on the floor for 20 minute intervals several times a day. Trying to manipulate the situation. Do you see a pattern here? Pride over being a v-bac the last 3 births, pride in my natural drug free labors… (I actually enjoy birthing my babies, how weird is that?) Selfishness and lack of trust in my Creator that He is doing the right thing for His own glory. There are a whole host of sinful issues here that I really don’t want to cop to.

Nov 22, my birthday. My mother in law and sister in law came for Thanksgiving. Originally I had hoped that the baby would come while they were here so I didn’t have to think about finding somewhere for the other kids to go. Now I am desperately hoping NOT to go into labor because the baby isn’t head down. U/S the afternoon of the 22^nd confirms baby is not breech anymore, but is transverse, which technically is worse because if your water breaks the cord could get washed down into the birth canal and cut off circulation to the baby. An automatic c-section. I finally get the picture. God is going to teach me a few lessons here. I am not in control, I have no reason to take pride in things I think are "my accomplishments" when God has actually granted everything the way he has. I finally am to the point where I can say "Whatever my God ordains is right" I have finally let go of the control. How did that happen? Only through the prayers of my brothers and sisters in Christ. Really, that’s the point of prayer. It ought to change me, even if the circumstances don’t change. So after weeks of agonizing over the what if and begging God to turn this baby so that I don’t have to have a c-section, I am finally coming to terms with the thought that God is ordering this situation exactly the way He is for his own purpose and glory.

Fast-forward to Thanksgiving and the day after. Dinner was lovely, My mother-in-law is a great cook. Friday we weather the crowds for a short while. Then we go home and I start feeling like things are happening. Steve comes home and eats supper, and then we go to the hospital about 8 or so. I wouldn’t usually go in this early on, but since we didn’t know how the baby is laying, we were prepping ourselves for a c-section delivery. Dr. P wheels in an u/s cart and checks. BABY IS HEAD DOWN!! Praise the Lord! God flipped her. In spite of my lack of trust, lack of faith, arrogance in thinking I know what is best, selfishness and all that, God gave me the desire of my heart anyway.

Labor putters for a while, and I logged about 2 miles around the nurses station. I asked my Doc if he’d let me go cruise around Walmart for a while and then come back in. He is disinclined to aqueous to my requisition….. means no. So eventually things pick back up and about 1:30 they break my water. I’m at 6 cm and I say "Great, you break my water, then we push" and they chuckle. 5 contractions later I am ready to push , and they say, "don’t push." Hello? Didn’t I tell you? So, no time for stirrups, iodine, or half of the other stuff they usually use. Dr. P got there about 30 seconds before the baby. The cord was around her neck and he snipped that off as quick as they could find the scissors. Steve was actually relieved that he didn’t have to do that. He’s not all that fond of cutting the cord.

Welcome Piper Josephine Shell… 21 inches long, 7 lbs. 6 oz, born at 1:45 a.m. on the 25th of Nov. She’s a sweet baby. Nat’s even coming around. Originally she didn’t want much to do with the new baby, but now she loves on her with the best of them. We have to watch her or she’s a little too affectionate. Piper seems to fit well into our household. We are back into routine for the most part. We even dug out the Math and Latin just so they don’t forget absolutely everything. Steve even got to take a week of Paternity (paid!!) God has blessed and blessed and blessed, and I have learned a few lessons along side.