HOLY Homebirth!!!!!!!!!!

It started at about 9:30 AM.

I got a text…THE TEXT we had been waiting for.

You see…..Our “brother from another mother” Josiah and his LOVELY wife Sunshyne were awaiting thier first child…Baby Reef.

As I said…we ALL had been waiting.

“Don’t drop everything NOW, but I have been having contractions. Maybe today is the day.”…THAT was the text I got while giving a spelling test Friday morning.

So…of course, I immediately called her.

She sounded fine…she was contracting…but not TOO BAD at that moment.

I called Jay and told him that MAYBE today was the day-thinking that after work he could come home and I could go over there.

This was her FIRST BABY….It would take a while.

BUT- then I called Josiah.

He sounded a little MORE concerned.

I said, “Josiah..is she in hard labor, like I need to come NOW or do you want me to wait a while?”

He said “I need you here NOW!”

I could hear the URGENCY in his voice.

I called Sarah and asked her to meet me there to get the kids while Jay finished up at work.

Meanwhile I THREW some stuff in a bag…thinking I would be there a while.

I got in the car ASAP..well as ASAP as you can with 4 kids!!!

BUT…On the way there I got ANOTHER phone call.

This one was MORE URGENT!!!!

At this point I was praying that Karen(our midwife) would get there before this baby was born.

It was 11:19 when I got to the Hassel house.

THANKFULLY, Karen pulled up at the same time as I did!!!!!!

PRAISE GOD!(I did not want to deliver that baby via phonecall from the midwife.)

We both rushed in and the next thing I knew I heard Karen say that we were “about to have this baby”.

WHAT????

ALREADY????

Yep….Ill spare you the details except to say that everyone fell right into their place and did exactly what needed to be done for Sunshyne to have a BEAUTIFUL homebirth.

Josiah did AWESOME.

Sunshyne’s best friend did awesome.

Her MOM did awesome.

And Karen did awesome(as always!!!!)

But above all…Sunshyne did AWESOME.

Baby Reef was born at 12:19pm, after a 5 HOUR LABOR!!!!

It was an HONOR to be there to see him enter this world.

Once again…an AMAZING HOMEBIRTH.

    

Spreading her wings……

(scroll down and turn off the music player, THEN…WATCH THIS!)

I remember a time when this little girl would GROWL when she met someone new.

I remember a time when this little girl wouldn’t say A WORD!

I remember a time when this little girl was so SHY we werent sure WHEN or IF she would come out of her shell!

BUT…..

As you can see-She has BLOSSOMED!!!!

In the last six months she has come into her own.

She dances freely..most of the time.

She sings to people…..most of the time.

She even says hello and talks to people ….most of the time.

I have to say that I JUST LOVE the person she is becoming…

Guarded but loving.

Shy but not timid.

A sweet spirit has just started to SEEP from her.

We were at the store the other day and a older woman was in line behind us.

Shasha was standing closest to her and the woman sweetly said hello.

I was totally prepared to say, “Shasha say HELLO.” and then for her to just look at me and then for me to have to say, “She is just really shy.”

BUT…

to my amazement….

Shasha, ON HER OWN, said “Hello” and gave a little wave.

I was STUNNED.

I was SHOCKED.

I was PLEASED.

I called her to me and told her how SWEET that was and that I was proud of her.

I LOVE being able to spend EVERYDAY MOMENTS with my children.

I love being able to SEE them grow.

I LOVE being able to witness their personalities SEEP from their little bodies.

What a blessing…

Like that MAGICAL moment when a butterfly breaks from the cocoon and takes off in flight.

The SWEET Life….

36.

Thats how old jay and Jeff turned last week.

Sooooooo…..Sunday we had a PARTY!!!!!

It was a GREAT TIME.

There was food, cake,games,drinks, family ,and fellowship.

AND

BEAUTIFUL WEATHER!!!!!

Here’s a peek into THIS LIFE:

“Team Dreadlock” wins…36-6.