Starting a New Year

All 4 of my boys are asleep before 9pm tonight, so why not start the new year off with a little planning.  There seem to be a lot of haters on goals/resolutions, but I love them.  Goals give vision and direction while providing a tentative roadmap for year. I love that they are measurable (vs. just picking a word and trying to apply it).

2014 Goals

Spiritual
*attend women’s Bible study @ Fellowship
*join Discovery in fall
*continue Awana with kids
*pray together more as a couple

Spiritual goals are hard.  It's difficult to plan how God wants to mold us.  We don't know how He wants to work in and through us, but I am looking forward to seeing Him work through these studies.  Even with all of my goals for the year, I know that His plans are always better than mine!

Financial
*reduce mortgage debt by $X (get it under $X)
*contribute $X/kid to college savings
*wish total > $Xk
*keep Money Market above $X

As an accounting major, I have a particular love for financial goals.  So concrete and easy to measure.

Health
*gym 3+ times/week
*green smoothie challenge—30 days in Jan.
*run a 5k in under 30 minutes

James and I are gym rats.  We place a high priority on regular exercise and love going to the gym together, so I don't anticipate this one being tough.  Having a break from the kids is an added plus, as is ESPN on all of the treadmills (I walked 3 miles during the first half of the Jayhawk basketball game Wednesday night!).  No cable at home = extra motivation to workout.  We're working on improving our diet this year and have enjoyed the first week of green smoothies!

Kids
*Parker—learn how to ride a bike
*Parker—learn how to read
*Paxton—eat a whole bowl of fruit from CFA
*Paxton—get a bike
*Payton—learn how to walk

Memories/Vacation
*Beach vacation—August
*Branson—March & June
*Wisconsin
*Kansas—Feb (boys trip)
*Little Rock—Feb (Women’s conference)
*Memphis—July  (girls trip)

James' Goals
*graduate Paramedic school
*stay married

We are so looking forward to James finishing school in May.  It's been a tiring (but good) year for all of us, and we see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Here's to a great 2014!

 

Payton's Birth

First, I am so thankful everything went well with Payton's birth and that I got to have him in the water.  Although there were several bumps along the road (gestational diabetes, a husband who did not want to do a water birth, the new Birth Center of NWA not being in-network for insurance, labor not progressing, uncertainty about if I could endure the pain, etc).  The experience was very positive, and I think having Payton in the water naturally was such a sweet, healthy way to bring him into the world.  After months of arguing, the water birth experience brought James and I together and ultimately strengthened our relationship.  James was such a great coach, encourager, and support throughout labor, and there is no one else I would've rather had by my side.

 

9:45am--After walking two miles at the gym, I feel my underwear and shorts get wet as I sit down in the car. Think my water might've just broken, but am unsure as I am only 38 weeks and it wasn't that much water.  Decide I probably just peed my pants.

10:00--Drive through Chick-Fila for a mid-morning snack.

10:15--Arrive at JumpZone. I promised the kids we'd go and it's Winning Wednesday!

10:30--Call James at work.  No answer. Thankfully he texts:

• James: We're in a big meeting.  Everything okay?
• Silvy: Yes, don't leave your meeting, but I'm not sure if my water just broke or if I peed my pants.
• James: Okay.  How are you feeling?
• Silvy: Fine, not feeling any contractions.  At JumpZone with the kids.
• James: You probably just peed your pants.  Keep me updated if you need anything...

12:30pm--Arrive home after winning 8 free jump passes and take the boys upstairs for naps.  Have to change my underwear 3 times, but yet still no contractions.  Ask my next door neighbor Shalini to come help with the kids.  She insists (thank goodness) that I ask James to come home from work and take me to the hospital.  Call James and for some reason, I am still not fully convinced I'm in labor (even though my water broke at home like this with all 3 boys).

12:45--Shalini and Jennifer come over and help me pack the car and get the boys asleep.

1:15--James gets home and off we go to Mercy.  The hospital checks me in and confirms my water is fully broken.

1:30--Dilated to a 3 (was a 2 at my appt Monday).  James airs up the water birth tub.

2:00--Call family.  My mom and her husband leave Kansas to come help with the kids.

3:00--Walk, walk, walk around the hospital.  Contractions are not painful and are 7-8 minutes apart.  James goes to Bliss Cupcakes to get a treat for the nurses and were they ever nice to us after that!

5:30--Dilated to a 4 and the baby dropped to a 0.  No effacement :(.  Nurses want a contraction strip at the top of every hour for 20 minutes and then I can move freely for the next 40 minutes. Still no pain so I ask James to do my makeup (it's the only time in life he'll do it :)).  Kill more time by straightening my hair.

7:00--Watch Big Brother.  Eat a delicious Vanilla Bliss Cupcake while my nurses are gone...and maybe a Chicken Bacon Ranch Subway sandwich.

9:30--Dr. comes back.  Dilated to a 4.5.  Not progressing as fast as I should.  Dr. lays out critical times: 18 hours (3:45am)--antibiotics necessary, 24 hours (9:45am)--start pitocin and call off water birth.  Not totally discouraged yet...labor has to pick up soon, right?

10:00--Walk, walk, walk more.  Do sets of 10 squats at the end of each hall (probably did 300-400 squats).  James finds a wheel chair to scoot around in behind me because he is "tired of walking."

12:00am--James makes a Taco Bell run.  Can't resist sneaking a chicken chalupa--need energy to push, right?

1:00--still a 4.5.  Start getting frustrated.  Nurses tell James and me to lay down and try to sleep.  One minute later, James is asleep.  I can't rest or sleep to save my life, and laying down is not comfortable.  Contractions still 7 min apart and not regular.

2:30--cry my first tear.  Only 7 more hours until I can't have a water birth and all of our birth plans go down the drain.  Don't want pitocin, but have tried everything to speed up labor and nothing is working.

3:00--decide to wake James up and ask him to walk with me more. 

3:30--FINALLY, contractions are picking up (about 4-5 min apart) and are painful.  I've never been so excited to be in pain in my life.  Walk around and squat through every contraction as James provides counter pressure on my hips.  Ask nurses if I can get in the water and surprisingly Dr. Johnson says yes!  Get antibiotics to prevent infection as it's been 18 hours since my water broke.  Start filling up the birth pool!

4:15--Get in birth pool!  I didn't pay money to rent the tub for nothing!  Contractions get stronger.  Decide leaning over the side of the tub on my knees is the best way to endure the pain.

5:30--Dilated to a 7!  Progress!  Call Dr. to tell him to come to hospital.

6:09--Dr. arrives.  Checks and announces there is no cervix left.  Asks if I am feeling the urge to push (yes, kind of), so suggests a trial push on the next contraction.

6:11--Dr. tells James we should have a baby within the next two contractions (which are about a minute apart now).  No time to get the video camera on...baby is coming!

6:16am--Out slides Payton!  7lbs, 15oz, 21 inches of calm baby.  En route to placing him on my chest, his umbilical chord snaps and spews blood everywhere, including all over the Dr's face.  Yuck.  Get to nurse him and hangout over an hour until James and I call the nurses to come get him because we are falling asleep holding him.  Praise God for another healthy boy!  Overwhelmed with thankfulness.

family update

 

it's been forever.  first and foremost, we are very excited for BABY BOY KEHRLI #3 to arrive next july!  pregnancy always hits me hardest in the first trimester.  between chasing my two lil' crazies all day and the usual pregnancy exhaustion, i went to bed between 8-9pm and took a nap most days november - january.  i still take naps about every other day, but thankfully i've had more energy and less nausea these past two months.

the boys are doing well.  parker is learning at rapid speed and i love seeing him master new feats like sight words and writing his name.  he is a great listener and picks up on many things even when he doesn't seem to be paying attention (the 3 year old boy is full of energy!).  he comes home from kids day out full of stories about everything from a classmate getting in trouble for bringing a peanut butter sandwich (and trying to hide the peanut butter under the jelly!) to Bible stories he remembers in great detail from chapel.

 

paxton is my little stinker.  he has the sweetest smile and loves to cuddle, but boy he can be trouble!  his favorite word is "no" and several of his teachers mentioned they've never heard a kid say no so much.  ha!  it's become a game for him to say no to everything and smile so slyly.  he is very brave and wants to do everything big brother (bubba) is doing from playing soccer to climbing up the tall tower at chick fila. 

i love watching the boys interact and hope they continue to be best friends as they grow up. 

 

james is still enjoying working at the fire department and is taking prereq. classes right now for paramedic school that starts in may.  next year will be tough on our family with a newborn and james being in school full time on top of working 56 hours a week, but if we can make it through the year we should be able to make it through anything!

 

other than that, i am loving staying at home and teaching part time.  i picked up an extra class(financial management), which has been a joy to teach.  i am looking forward to summer and sitting outside with my neighbor watching the kids play until bedtime.  love you all and hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

challenges of parenthood

i always squeem when i hear people say, "being a stay at home mom is the hardest job in the world."  don't get me wrong--staying at home can be very difficult in an emotionally frustrating way that is different than work stress.  however, elevating stay at home moms to the place of doing the hardest work in the world unintentionally puts down dads and working moms. 

i've worked and stayed at home, and in my experience, staying at home is much easier for me overall.  everyone's situation is different (some people's husbands, families, friends, etc. play a huge role in helping raise their children, and others have husbands who travel or are deployed and are virtually raising their kids as single parents), so i don't think it's right to make a generalization either way that working moms or stay at home moms have it harder.  most of the challenges i've experienced as a stay at home mom i also experienced as a working mom--it is just seems to never end when you are with your kids 24/7.

all that to say--being a mom (make that a parent) is hard!!  as much as love my two rowdy boys, i've found myself losing my patience all too much recently.  it culminated at qdoba today when neither of my boys were listening at all.  parker kept hiding under the table, being loud, running around and doing everything but eat his burrito.  the restaurant was packed (including several casual friends at other tables) and as i was trying to pack up our half eaten lunches to take home to avoid any more embarrassment, paxton fell off the bench he and parker were using as a race track and hit his head on the ground.  crying ensued and i could just feel everyone staring at the frazzled mom trying to wrangle two disobedient children to the car.

i felt like a failure as a mom.  maybe i should give myself more credit for being brave enough to take two kids to church and out to lunch by myself (james was working), but ugghh.  as much i would like to say this too shall pass, avoiding eating out for a few weeks does not teach my kids respect and obedience.  in constantly working on molding my boys, there will be struggles and frustrations.  all i can control is my reaction.  my prayer for today (and every day) is that God gives me the grace, patience and love to respond in a way that shapes Parker and Paxton's hearts and actions to be more Christlike.  we all are still definitely a work in progress but thankfully we serve a God who is bigger than all of our shortcomings!  love yall.

(this pic was after baths tonight...still just as rowdy as at lunch!)

on teaching

this fall i had the opportunity to teach finance to adults finishing their degree at JBU.  when i decided to stay home, i knew if i worked again it would be doing something i was truly passionate about like education.  reflecting on my previous jobs, the ones i enjoyed most were co-teaching/tutoring at JBU and being a summer camp counselor.  i enjoy building relationships and encouraging others in subjects they may dislike (i.e. math), so when asked to teach (very part time) at JBU i knew it was something i wanted to pursue.

i just finished my first class and definitely will teach more if asked.  i've been praying for my students for a couple of months and even though i only got five weeks in the classroom with them, i hope their lives were positively impacted.  today i received an email from a student affirming my decision to teach (sorry for tooting my own horn but i want to document important life events).

Silvy,

I just checked my grades.  Are you kidding me?  Did I really pass this class?  And an A, OMG!

Thank you for your patience and engaging presentation of the ridiculously intimidating material.  I have a CFO that is kind of arrogant about his understanding of financial principals and my lack thereof.  I had him look at my practice exam, kind of looking for his approval/acknowledgement of my effort to learn.  He actually said, "Oh, you're actually taking real classes?"

I just wanted to let you know, that while I certainly did not learn everything there is to know about finances and financial math, I gained confidence in my ability to comprehend and understand the basics.  I will build on the fundamentals you helped me to learn. I will no longer allow him to bully me (not sure that is really what he intends, but it is how I let myself feel when dealing with him) into thinking I do not have something valuable to contribute to financial decisions about the organization I am ultimately responsible for, that by the way has an 8 million dollar operating budget.

Sorry this is late.  I felt compelled to let you know personally that you were instrumental in probably one of the most uplifting and valuable educational opportunities of my career.

Thank you!
sweet words.  love you all and hope you get the opportunity to do something you love!!