Isabel Grace & scaling a wall

You could say I was a bit nervous. You could say I could think of little else. You could say a lot of things about the upcoming birth of our daughter, but God always has the last word. 

I had a natural birth with my first son, Zane. Then I had 2 miscarriages within 9 months. Then I got pregnant with this little baby girl.  I wanted another natural birth with this pregnancy. However this time I had a lot of anxiety. 

Would the baby make it to 9 months?

Would there be problems during the delivery?

Where would I give birth?

Would my doctor get there in time?

Would I be able to understand the nurses and doctors?

Would I be able to speak in Spanish while I was in labor?

What are the 'rules/norms' of the hospitals here?

How do you say epidural in Spanish? ;) 

So many questions and so many unknowns....

Well I did the best I could to prepare and to know what I should expect, yet I still was nervous. 

At 38 weeks we had an ultrasound. It showed that the cord was wrapped around her neck once and that she already weighed around 8 lbs. 8 oz. (BIG GIRL)  So at our doctors visit at 39 weeks, we came up with a plan. We would pray that she came naturally AND if she didn't we would plan a cesarean for 40 weeks and 2 days. I prayed that she would come naturally yet struggled to be ok with a cesarean. I wanted God's will to be what I WANTED! After a 2 day prayer battle, I came to the conclusion that I WANTED GOD'S WILL MORE THAN A NATURAL BIRTH. So if she didn't come naturally, then God must have a reason why a cesarean would be better and I would be ok with that. Really, I think most of my nervousness came from just wanting her in my arms healthy and safe. After 2 miscarriages, I didn't want to risk ANYTHING. So my due date came & went. Then all of a sudden I am waking up, kissing Zane Goodbye and heading to the hospital for the cesarean. At the hospital, we waited to do the paper work. Then I got called upstairs to prep for the surgery and David had to wait downstairs. Here was another point of anxiety. I wanted David by my side the whole time to calm my nerves. (I don't do well with ANY type of medical procedure!!!) So as I am in the prepping room I took out my Bible and started to read! I started with Psalms 18. I love the beginning... 

1 I love you, O Lord, my strength. 2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 

As I kept reading I got down to verse 29b...

with my God I can scale a wall. 

Here is where I literally started to laugh out loud!!! I was picturing myself 40 weeks pregnant scaling a wall. I could picture myself at the bottom of a 2 story wall with a rope hanging down. I am dancing back and forth trying to get an angle that would allow me to attempt a start up the rope. Then I stopped laughing and realized that THIS.... RIGHT NOW.... THIS SITUATION WAS MY WALL! I did not want to give birth this way. I did not want to be alone prepping for surgery. I did not want to have any needle within eye sight of me. BUT what did the verse say again????

WITH MY GOD I CAN SCALE A WALL! 

Pause...

OK God, let's do this!! 

Now, don't get me wrong, when they put the IV in, I was nervous.

When they wheeled me to the surgery room without David, I was nervous. 

When they put the epidural in, I was nervous. 

When I couldn't feel my feet, I was nervous.

When I heard & smelled weird things, I was nervous.

But now I had a mantra....

WITH MY GOD I CAN SCALE A WALL!!!

I kept repeating it over and over and over and over. 

And I did it. I gave birth in a foreign country & in a foreign language.

Isabel Grace Roberts was born via cesarean at 1:30 pm in Tucuman, Argentina. 

She only weighed 8 lbs. (3 K 650 g.)

She was 21 in long. (53 cm)

AND SHE WAS PERFECTLY HEALTHY AND SAFE. 

 Dr. Marangoni

Zane adores his new little sister. 

David loves his new daughter and has been a tremendous help to me.

I am slowly healing & snuggling with Isabel as much as I can.

I look back over the past 3 years and feel pain, confusion, peace, & renewed hope. Now I sit here holding Isabel Grace and my heart has swelled to a new size. I am so in love with this new little person in my life. Thank you Lord for this precious precious gift!!

And even though the last 3 years has been difficult and the past 9 months have been a trial, thank you for your faithfulness and goodness.... because....

WITH MY GOD I CAN SCALE A WALL!!

Don't forget to keep reading. Next is another new blog written by David.