Placenta what???

I think it's important to document some news we received about 12 weeks ago during our 20 week ultrasound. We know the Lord is in complete control, sovereign over every detail in our lives and we're looking expectantly to see what He will do.

To start off, our baby is doing wonderfully! He/she is growing, developing, changing just as baby should and as all parents know, this bit of news is such a relief. We are blessed to be anticipating a new life in our home!

However, we also learned that the placenta {the life sustaining organism the Lord creates for every baby to take oxygen and food from it's mother} isn't in a good spot. In fact, a really serious health risk spot if things don't change. I was told I have partial placenta previa which means that the placenta is partially covering the cervix area making it impossible for baby to come first once labor begins. Many of you know my love for babies, the natural course of the birth process and the amazingly gifted and talented women {midwives!!!} who support moms through it. This is how I desire my babies to enter the world. In a quiet, intimate birth center atmosphere with just Matt, my mom and the 2 midwives. You can read all about Allie's birth HERE and HERE if you'd like. 

Well...if this placenta previa doesn't move up the uterus wall as pregnancy progresses, then things will look dramatically different this go-round. As in a c-section. Many people wouldn't bat an eye to news like this:

*I get to meet my baby sooner? 

*I don't have to go through the pain and agony of labor? 

*I don't have to be pregnant as long? 

*Where do you sign me up? 

But I see it so differently. Not in a prideful way but more soberingly...

*My baby doesn't get to stay in the womb as long as he/she needs to? 

*I have to have a 4 day hospital stay? 

*I won't be able to deliver with midwives again (many midwives, especially my own, don't see clients for Vaginal Birth After Cesarean)? 

*I'll have to have major abdominal surgery that will not heal the same way before being cut? 

The list is long and it makes my heart hurt. But let me also say...if this is the path the Lord would choose to take us and it really would be life-threatening to the baby and myself because the placenta hasn't moved, Praise the LORD for modern technology that allows these life-saving surgeries! The alternative isn't an option. This is when c-sections are a blessing and to be embraced. I'm just praying that if we come to that point, that my heart will be in the right place.

We had another ultrasound at 30 weeks to learn that not much has changed. The placenta is still there and still partially covering. *My Heart Sank* How could this be? I was told and my researched showed that 98% of women with this condition don't stay that way. Their placentas move. And the 2% are those where the placenta has actually embedded into the cervix area or the majority of the placenta is completely covering the cervix. These women would also experience lots of bleeding, cramping and spotting. All things to which I am not.

So...you can see...we are in a place of great expectation, and dependency and walking down a road that is greatly increasing our faith and trust. What a perfect place to be! We are asking the Lord to completely move the placenta by my next ultrasound (sometime in mid-May) in order to go to Alaska to birth with our midwife again. If the Lord says no to this, we are praying that He would move it in time to have a vaginal birth here in California at our local hospital. Finally, if He chooses for me to have a cesarean, we're praying for peace as we trust Him in that decision. 

If our family comes to mind, we'd love you to join in praying for these things too! I'll keep the blog updated as we know more.

How do I do this again!?!

It's been far too long...5 months too long! Boo! I've missed so much documenting of our little family's lives. And I'm determined to pick this back up and do my best to keep going. Not so much to try and catch up but to go from here. 

This sweet baby who moves, kicks and lately makes my tummy roll, has been so so different from his or her sisters. The nausea and prego-sickness didn't abate until weeks 22 or so. Even then, it still comes in waves here or there. Also a super chill baby in the womb. There's enough activity there to let me know baby is ok and thriving, but really it's minimal. This could be a very good thing. A relaxed, easy-going child #3. That would be splendid with so much else happening around here.

And wow...the hormones! I've heard of lots of gals who have cried over commercials, things they've read or even just for no reason. I've joined their club this time around. I can't believe how easily the tears have come and stayed and held on. I sometimes don't even recognize myself. Matt has been the kindest, most patient husband. Letting me cry even amidst not understanding why.

We've also reached 32 weeks! That's craziness! Somehow, though, I'm still managing to feel as big as a barn (...just the way my mama used to say it when she was pregnant with #5, 6 and 7) and like I could deliver tomorrow. Ha! Eesh...8 weeks to feel this way. Praying it keeps going quick. :)

So what things have filled our days lately?!?

A good number of things:

- March birthdays for Daddy and Reese

-A Berry Sweet 3rd Birthday party that you can read all about HERE

- Exciting news for our church family!!! ~ Placerita Baptist (as of last Sunday) officially has a new Senior Pastor! We are praising God for leading our church through some challenging 17 months to the place of welcoming Adam and Lisa Tyson as our new pastor and family! We can't wait for them to arrive sometime in June.

-A quick little Spring Break trip get-a-way as a family this past week. Matt just happened to be telling a friend and co-worker about his spring break plans and this friend offered for us to use his parent's beach house for a night! What a blessing it was for the 4 of us to not have a to pay (yay!) but to still feel like we had a mini vacation. But...if you have kids, know of friends who have kids or can just imagine...there's always a little extra challenge to any trip. Specifically Allie catching a full-blown cold during the night of our stay (really?!? Where in the world did that come from on a Tues/Wed), taking 1 1/2 hours to find our dinner spot because MapQuest is lame-o (thereby said children not having dinner till after 7...not to mention a crazy hungry mama bear), then choosing a restaurant the next day for lunch that we LOVE as adults but isn't so kid-friendly (to the point of Allie breaking a dish...at least it was just 1). We learned our lesson(s).

-And a few more events here and there that I'll leave for another blog post. Thanks for still reading...even in my very long absence! It feels good to be back. :)

~Ashley

Without further ado...

Why the silence!?!?

I'm sorry friends for such a long lull in blogging. But there's a reason and a good reason at that.

I was all ready to plunge back into regular family news-worthy stories. An update on apartment managing, enjoying our big {and growing} girls, fall time and decorating the house, Wednesday nights with our niece Hayden and even FINALLY BUYING A VAN! --never thought I'd be writing that bit of news!

But...all of that has taken a back seat to this:

A baby! Sweet baby boy or girl number 3 for this Mehringer family! We are so thankful, thrilled and excited for this little one! We can't wait.

I've been spending a lot of time on the couch, and in the bathroom, and plugging my nose, and eating crackers...lots and lots of crackers! Bleh!

This early pregnancy morning sickness has been a doozy! Worse than both girls combined. Again, I'm thinking it's a boy. But maybe I'll be right this time.

Tomorrow I'm 9 weeks which makes June 1st our due date. 

Reese tells us regularly that she'd like a brother. Allie is just content to smile at us.

Oh ~ we've decided to not find out the gender. *BIG SMILE* So we will be extra-excited when 

Delivery Day arrives!!!

Looking Back: summer edition

Sigh. I have so much to catch up on. It's almost painful when I realize how much I've missed just by not blogging like I normally do. 

I use this blog as our family's journal and as I think back...I've missed some big events. Oh, I'll definitely write about them and try to recapture those important milestones. But it's the small little details I'll be foggy on and probably altogether forget. Just helps me determine in my mind not to give up on remembering. To keep on, keeping on because God is so kind to us. He has blessed our little family greatly and I want to be like the Psalmist who says:

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits." Psalm 103

Even today I've been working to Bless the Lord in my heart when the circumstances around me only make me want to complain or grumble. We're in the thick of round #2 (as in second time this summer) of super high fevers, achy bodies and sleepless nights. It's a challenge. Makes me want to rebel in my heart as I watch my girls suffer all the while it being hotter than blazes outside.

But...King David didn't say to Bless the Lord only during the good times. He didn't tell us to ascribe Glory and Honor to the Lord just when you feel like it. He instructs us to continuously Bless the Lord at all times, that His praise be on our lips. So that is what I'm preaching to myself right now. And I'm praying that the more I do that, the more I beg of the Lord to change my heart, that my first response will be to worship Him.

Wow. There's a little insight into my heart tonight. Hope you don't mind.

And since it's getting later than I had planned, I'll just leave you with one picture. It's probably my favorite of all the pictures I took this summer. And just to warn you...it's not exactly "G" rated. But I really love it and don't plan to post it on facebook...so it will only be here on my blog this one time.

See you soon!

Moved In

Note: I wrote this the night before we got on a plane to head to Alaska for 20 days. Very delayed in posting this but still a big event in our Mehringer lives and something I want to remember.


We are plum tuckered out! Like...could sleep a few days to finally feel normal again kind of tired. BUT we are moved into our home and couldn't be more thankful for this new place.

First, we had an AMAZING team of guys who moved our things in 2 hours. 2 hours!!! I couldn't believe how efficient they were and careful at the same time. It blessed me to hear them laugh, joke around and {for some} even whistle while they went to and from. My sweet friend Jen kept our girls for the morning so I could work without interruption. Her thoughtfulness allowed me to move out and back in my entire kitchen. Everything was where I wanted it when I went to pick up the girls at 1pm. Thank you Jen! Moving day would have looked a lot differently for me had it not been for you.

Next, we spent ALL day Monday getting things out of boxes, putting stuff up on the walls and turning this place into our little home. This was all possible thanks to our beloved Marmee! She picked up the girls at 8:30am and her and Papa both brought them back that night by 7:30pm. Matt and I couldn't believe how much we were able to accomplish, how easy it was to jump in the car, grab a few things at Lowes, to pick up lunch on the way back, inhale {well almost} our food and then to have 7 hours left of intense measuring, nailing, drilling, assembling and all out decorating. What a supportive hubby I have to devote a whole day to this!

 I have lots of rearranging and organizing to do. But that's the fun part. And it will come in time. I just need to be patient.

July 4th

Hmmm...a simple day. 

We wore patriotic colors. We played July 4th -ish music all day long on Pandora. Amidst our packing craziness with moving only 3 days away, we stayed indoors and kept busy.

But our sweet parents aka Papa and Marmee knew we had to stop at some point and eventually we'd have to eat. So they invited us to have a 4th of July picnic at the park. And that's just what we did.

Sweet simple memories are made of this!

Happy as a clam...doing what she loves best!

Silly faces with Aunt Mollie

Blowing pinwheels...

So much love!

A lot has changed in a year...
Happy 4th of July!

July 4, 2011...
Allie came 15 days after this picture

Going back to work...

Before you gasp and think, "what in the world?!?" just know that I get to do this new job from the comfort of my own home and with my one co-worker being my super amazing, all-star hubby!

We have been praying, waiting and praying some more for the opportunity to become apartment managers in our own complex for the past 2 years. We trusted that the Lord knew the best timing (and even if this would be the best situation for our family) and stepped back to see when and how He would direct us. What seemed like out of the blue...we just assumed it was looking like a "no" from the Lord...we were asked if we'd be interested in doing an interview. The same day we were offered the job! We took some time to prayerfully consider all the ways this would impact us as a family and a few days later gave our acceptance. 

Gulp! We've never managed 33 families/units before. It's a big step and the learning process can at times seem daunting and overwhelming. BUT...we're thankful for the ways God is providing for us. We're thankful for our own little "house" that's a unit all by itself within the complex. A backyard for the girls to run and play. A washer and dryer INSIDE our home (a first in our 5 1/2 years of marriage). An office to do all this management work plus a space for Matt to spread out and do his teacher planning/grading thing! The biggest blessing of all...getting to put money into savings for {Lord willing} a future downpayment on a home! 

All of this has led to packing the home we've loved for the past 3 years. I'm gonna get a little nostalgic here. ;) It's been a lot harder than I thought it would to leave #107 behind. This is the place we discovered we were going to be parents and then parents again so quickly! We've brought both our babies home here, set up their nursery, had countless nighttime feedings. Many friends and family members have stayed with us, had meals, game nights, movie watching and surprise birthdays! I guess I can start to feel that by moving away from this home I'm leaving behind all the events that happened within these walls. 

And then the other part of me pipes in with...but you're going to make so many new and wonderful memories where you're going. You will come to love it just as much (maybe even a little more) than the previous one. You will look back a few years from now and think...did I ever feel that way? And I would have to agree with this other part of my brain. Matt said the same words to me when we left our first home (the only home I'd known with him). They are right, I just tend to hold on to what I know and am comfortable with tightly.

So I step out in faith. Trusting the Lord that He is leading and guiding us in this next chapter as apartment managers. I'm so grateful for all the ways He is taking care of us and how we've never lacked for anything. He will continue to be the same Jehovah Jireh and Covenant keeping God!

I took some pictures of apt #107 so as not to forget. Enjoy!

I spy something orange! ;)

And blue!

Guest bathroom

Master Bath