Birthday Boy

Today my baby boy turns 9. Nine. NINE. How did this happen?! I guess it happened the same way in which I turned 30, but still!

Every year I am amazed by God's faithfulness as we watch Jackson grow. and grow. and grow. The kid is big!

Here is the story of how this sweet boy surprised us by his early arrival. For those who don't want details, feel free to skim and skip to pictures! :)

Nine years and one week ago I was shopping in Sioux City with my girlfriend. Finally getting to the stage where I could enjoy this pregnancy, at 28 weeks, had been quite sick through the first 4 months of it! Then, something went wrong, and I started to bleed, and felt umm.. yeah. A lot of pressure. We swiftly left the mall and went to Lisa's apartment, up 3 flights of stairs and called my doctor. He told me to go to the hospital there and that he would be calling them to tell them I was coming- it was then that I really knew that all was not well.

I don't know how we got to the hospital so fast, but Lisa drove like a crazy person and there we were. I called Steve on the way and he left started heading out, although no one really believed anything would be wrong. Wrong. I was already dialated to a 10 and had a bulging amniotic sac. His cord was wrapped around his neck, and all was not well. I was immediately placed in a trindelemberg position (upside down basically) and stayed that way in the hospital for a week. It was the longest week of my life! I couldn't get up, sit up, or bathe. However, being in that position did what it was supposed to do and the cord moved and was no longer around his neck.  Then on the morning of January 25, 2001, my water broke. 6 days of being in the hospital, and Jackson said ' enough! I am ready!" He was very healthy for his gestation - partially due to the fact that we had some warning and had steroids on board for his lungs. He weighed 3lbs 6oz and was 14 inches long.

He spent the first 8 weeks of his life in the Sioux City hospital surrounded by nurses who loved him almost as much as mom and dad! God's faitfulness was everywhere! Our home is 45 minutes away, but Steve was working in SC already on a job, so we were able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House together and he was still able to work some days.

Today Jackson is a 3rd grader who is bigger than most of the kids in his class. His side effects from his early start are limited to asthma.

Happy Birthday to my  little big  boy! We love you so much and are so proud of all that you are!

God is Good, All the time!