Tyler pics

Of course, I have to show him off...

Go here for all the pics...

http://community.webshots.com/album/559686630hSxJjc#

Love you all very much, thanks for the prayers. Sorry if I am short with any one of ya'll. My body had gotten used to more than one hour of sleep per night, so it is having to adjust a bit... :)

The Origin of Harrison

This is the story of Harrison’s birth. Diana’s part is italicized, Charlie’s is not.

Diana was ready to get the baby out. Our doctor had told us before that it completely safe to induce labor if we so desired. Diana had made up her mind that she wanted to do just that, even though the baby was due in just four days. (If you doubt Diana’s determination, I have videotape of her waddling to the stage, eight months pregnant, to receive her college diploma.) He loves to brag on me. I was also getting anxious to see what all the fuss was about, especially after a frustrating bout of false labor a few days earlier. So we called and made an appointment with the OBGYN to get induced.

After the usual check-up, the nurse checks to see how dilated Diana is. The nurse pulls out her fingers, and there is blood on them. Diana says, “I know what that means!” The nurse left the room to go check with the doctor. I had no idea what was going on. Diana tells me (and the doctor later confirms) that she is already in the first stage of labor. Well, that’s a relief, I thought ... although in retrospect, I was nowhere near relief.

We had to kill some time before going to the hospital (so they could be ready for us), so we made some phone calls and went to see Diana’s dad since he works nearby. He manages a K & W (a cafeteria-style restaurant). Diana had pie (I’m in labor and that’s all I can think about. Pie.), and I had some french fries because we had breakfast before going to the OBGYN. Diana’s dad was, of course, excited.

We got to the hospital about noon, filled out the forms, were escorted to our room, and waited. The doctor came shortly thereafter and broke my water. Then she told us to walk around. Our hospital is a little on the small side, so there was only so much of that we could do. Diana had some mild contractions, but nothing to get excited about. After a couple of hours, it was decided that medication was needed to speed up the whole contraction process. The small bit of Pitocin they gave me was just enough to remind my body of what it was supposed to be doing.

Once the medication began to take effect, the contractions were definitely stronger. I was no longer sitting on the sidelines, either playing my DS or reading Wizard. It was time for me to do my part. I sat or stood next to Diana for pretty much the rest of the labor process.

I would go get ice chips for her, and give her one when she needed it. I hooked her Ipod up to a portable mini-speaker system we had so she could listen to her favorite songs. Mostly, I just held her hand, encouraged her when she needed it, and shut up when she didn’t.

The contractions kept getting worse and closer together. She wasn’t getting enough time to rest between the contractions, so they gave her some medication for just that purpose. Stadol was wonderful. I would be half asleep, start having a contraction, wake up, scream my head off, and then drift back off.

Around eight p.m., my parents came to visit. Shortly after that, Diana’s dad and step mom arrived. They all ended up staying through to the delivery.

The stronger and more painful the contractions were, the closer I knew I was to seeing Harrison. The more it hurt, the less likely I was to cave in and get an epidural. Don’t get me wrong, it was terrible, but I knew it was pain with a purpose. The last few hours of labor flew by because of how intense it all became. Before I knew it, it was 11 p.m. and I was ready to push.

It took a minute to get a good idea of how to push and what everything felt like. After I had my body scoped out, there was no stopping me. The doctor said whenever I felt the urge to go ahead and push with the contractions. She also said to push harder the more it hurt. When I felt a contraction coming, I just took a deep breath, grabbed the handles on the bed and pushed as hard as I could. Before I knew it, the nurse said I could feel the baby’s head. The doctor then turned to Charlie and said; “It will be any minute now. Pretty soon, I will tell you to put down Diana’s leg. Then I want you to reach down, grab Harrison, and put him on Diana’s stomach.” Charlie shrugged. “O.K.” This from the guy who wasn’t sure if he wanted to cut the umbilical cord. Soon after that, the doctor told me to stop pushing for a minute. I knew from my preparation that this was to suction his airway and turn his shoulders. I thought at the time it took a little longer than it should, but I didn’t know why until later.

The doctor looked at Charlie and said “O.K. Put her leg down and reach down here. Diana, PUSH!” One more push and Harrison was out. Charlie placed him on my stomach and my little boy that I had been dreaming about was here. I didn’t cry when he was born, I just smiled the biggest smile ever.

They whisked him away to clean him off. I looked up at the clock and said “Did I seriously just push out a baby in 22 minutes?” The doctor laughed and said yep. I watched them examine Harrison as the doctor put me back together. I remember seeing Charlie cut the umbilical cord across the room, which I thought was strange. The nurse then came to me and said “I know you wanted to nurse him in the delivery room, but we’re going to have to take him to the nursery because he’s not breathing as well as we would like.” Then, they let me hold him for a minute before they took him off to get better. Although I was worried at seeing how pale he was, I knew he was in good hands.

Later, I found out the reason for the breathing problems and why it took the doctor so long when I wasn’t supposed to push and why Charlie cut the umbilical cord after he was born was because it was wrapped around his neck. The doctor had to cut if off before he could be born. We are very blessed, because if I had had to push longer, Harrison might have been in some serious danger.

Now of course, he’s fine. I thank the Lord everyday for my beautiful boy. I’m so glad my birth experience was what I wanted it to be. Charlie was wonderful throughout the whole thing. It’s a lot of pain and a lot of work, but it’s sooo worth it.

A Boy

I have no picture yet. I left my camera at the hospital. Larissas mom and sister took over for my mom and dad today at the hospital. Mom and dad headed home. I got 40 minutes of sleep last night. When i get little sleep, I get VERY emotional about everything, so add having a beautiful healthy baby boy by a beautiful healthy wife, you can imagine I am a basketcase right now.

I agreed I needed to come home and take a few hour's nap, but not without blogging first. Though, I could not leave without bawling because I didnt want to leave him and I sit here crying as I type just thinking about it. Everyone who says it is right; it is unlike any love I have ever known. One would think I would be happy to get away from a being that cant talk, smile, needs diaper changing, and shreiks worse than a Ring Wraith causing me to get no sleep. But the offer of quiet sleep filled me with saddness. And my wife, she gets no such luxury, so I feel guilty now... but all insisted, so here I am.

All you guys were right. And I never understood it. Brew, I suspect you are like I was... not understanding this love. I shan't even being to describe it. I thought I would not want to see him come out. I didnt sit next to the doctor, but from the spot at my wifes head, I could see is head emerge, quickly followed by his full body. His first cry had my hugging my wife as we both cried.

I no longer care about what others think of me, I no longer care of material posessions, I no longer care about myself. It is a crazy feeling.

My parents and her parents are amazing. Even if Larissa and I though we could pay them back for all the money they have spent on us in the past few months, it wouldnt touch their true worth to us. And our friends, likewise. I dont know how people do it without good family and friends.

Blast From the Past Tuesday... Babies

Here is a blast from the past titled "Babies" from Rachel on November 11, 2005... Thought it was a fitting blog to post today considering my situation...

Here's a little quote I had as a mantra for a while: "When you wake up one day and say, you know, I don't think I'll ever need sleep or sex again... Congratulations! You're ready to have children." (Ray Romano)

But really, I can't count the number of times I wanted to just drop the birth control pills and get pregnant. I'm so glad I didn't because now I've got Luke and we're in a situation where I can stay at home with him and not worry too much about money or anything else. I finished school.

Sometimes I wonder if it was worth it, since nobody really asks you if you've got an art degree when applying for the job of stay-at-home mom. But then Josh reminds me what an accomplishment it was, how proud I can be, and that in the future I may want to get a job where it'll come in handy. And he's right.

First, let me say that I've never been happier in my whole life. But let me also say that I didn't get a full night's sleep for well over a year. Luke woke up every single hour many many nights. I (and Josh) was lucky to get 3 solid hours of sleep. I was a zombie. A happy zombie, but a zombie nonetheless. I could not have gone to school during this time even if it had been the second grade. School is different from work in two very important ways: one, you don't get paid, but you pay out to go to school; and two, the bulk of your work is done at home after-hours when you're in school.

Baby and Frog

First, my wife will be induced this week. Put it this way, I don;t think we will be at church for Wednesday night Bible study... keep us all in your prayers. I will have my laptop and I will have internet access... so try to keep me company. If you have gmail, log on to see if I am online...



Second... went out in my backyard tonight, the bugs and such are very loud at night this time of year in my neighborhood and I like to listen to them... almost stepped on this little guy. If my motion lights hadn't have come on, he would have been goo on my bare foot... he seems to have tried to bury himself in the ground... wicked frog eyes...

3 things I have learned from being an almost-father..

Being that my dear wife is having our child soon, I thought I would post some things I have learned about having a baby. Not about giving birth to a child, but 3 things I have learned from all the gifts we have received from the baby showers that our beautiful family and friends have thrown for us... Please know that nothing listed is a complaint, but amusing observations. Let me know if you too have found these to be true;

1. Everything requires batteries. And I am not talking about items you would classify as electronics. I am talking about virtually everything that doesn't fall under the category of "stuffed animal", though, many of them do. We got a pack and play and it came with this light that vibrates and plays music. We ended up trashing it. A bouncy-seat... batteries. Oh, and don't think that these battery compartments open as easily as the battery compartment on your TV remote. You actually need a screwdriver to open this thing to get batteries in. Oh, and batteries are NOT included... see ya when you get back from Radio Shack... for the 5th time this week...
   


2. Few, if any noise-making toys have on/off switches. If a toy or item plays "Old MacDonald Had A Farm"*, you can rest easy at night knowing that there will not be an on/off switch... much less a volume knob. What is ironic is that while so many items need batteries, the most annoying ones that play loud music require none! This has to be a joke. Not only can you not turn them down, not only can you not turn them off, but by golly, you can't even take the batteries out to shut it up!
   *"Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", "Camp town Races", and "Rock-a-bye Baby" can also be added to this list.
   


3. Toy manufacturers do not want your child playing with the toys they make. Stay with me here. No matter how soft, how safe, or how non-dangerous a toy may be, toy manufacturers will always attach them to the toy packaging tighter than a medieval heretic by Catholic clerics. You literally need scissors to get a teething ring of its cardboard backing. It is as if they just wanted to sell the item, not expecting it to ever be used.

By the way, the Computer Lady offered up some labor advice to me the other day. She was telling me the story of how Ms Elizabeth (Elizabeth Wright Smith for all those who went to Faulkner. A beautiful older lady who beat cancer naturally and has to be 90 but looks and acts 70) induced her first child...

"Ms. Elizabeth told me she wanted to have her baby a month early on her father's birthday so she got up that morning, drank an entire bottle of caster oil, scrubbed the kitchen floor on her hands and knees, took her gun and her dog to go hunting and promptly went into labor that night. So if you just buy Larissa some caster oil and possibly a hound dog, you could have a baby this weekend. "

P.R.

So I know this isn't a good post, and I would have emailed it to you guys, but I figured this blog is read by more than those I will email and alot of prayer is needed...

My brother lives in a house that has a chimney that is occupied by racoons. A cute story of these racoons is that a baby racoon fell and was in his fireplace. He is a gentle man so he kept the baby in a cage, hoping he could nurse it back to health. His neighbor had run the 'mama' racoon off into the woods. Days went by and this baby ate nothing and only stayed huddled in a corner. He was told by friends to let the baby go or it will die, but he was afraid an owl or some beast would take it and eat it.

So that eve, he releases the baby and the mama racoon appears out from behind a tree and the two run off together. She was waiting for her baby the whole time...

Well, the racoons came back. At some point when they left to find food, my brother decided to get on the roof and cover the chimey top... so as to avoid another falling of the 'coon.

Well, he fell off and broke many ribs and punctured his lung and is in ICU.

So please, say a prayer for him and the doctors and nurse staff.

Thanks, love you all.

Wierdest Day Of My Life

Of course when I want to bring a little life into the blog by posting some old posts, Chuck would post a new one and mine would push his down... NOT INTEDED MY FRIEND!

I had this idea to do some old posts that were really good. We have alot of new readers and figured that they'd like to share in the good stories we have all read in the past. I am now posting one of my favorite blogs from Di....

I've never had to call Mall security until yesterday. A manager in our other BBW store was "let go" on Friday.

I'm not really sure of the details of why, but let's just say she didn't take it well. She threw her keys at the co manager and proceeded to say things about the store manager that I wouldn’t wish on anybody. She also said a lot of words I've only heard used on Sex and the City. Of course, guess who gets to go clean up the mess.

Before Charlie and I left for our Wilmington trip on Friday, I got a call from my store manager asking if I'd help out. I said yes, because I was already scheduled to go down there and help in a few weeks when the store manager has her baby. I left early yesterday so I had a chance to go by my mall and get the keys to the other store and ask my boss questions about the store. She left me with a warning " ***** has not been taking her termination well. She has been very verbally abusive, she's come by the store a few times, and she has said some pretty terrifying things. If she comes in the store to cause trouble, ask her to leave. If she doesn't leave, call Mall Security and have her removed from the store.

I was scheduled to work at 1-10 shift. When I got there, the co manager gave me the run down and I got acquainted with the layout of the store. Then she left to go on break. About 20 minutes later, ****** walks in the store. I didn't want to ask her to leave right away, so I watched her for a minute. She was talking to the associate about the store manager, walking behind the counter, being loud. I wanted to call my boss to make sure it was ok to ask her to go, but she kept walking in the back room! Then she said she'd be back later, and she left. I went to the back to call my boss to see what to do if she comes back. I was told to ask her to leave when she returned. As my co manager is asking me questions, my associate walks in the back door. "She's back and is demanding to know who you're talking to." I hang up the phone and walk out to talk to her. "*****, I'm so sorry, but I've been instructed that if I see you in the store, I'm going to have to ask you to leave.""By who?", "By the people above me. I'm sorry, those are just my orders." "Well, you can just tell them that [the store manager] is a F&%!ING LIAR and that I know what she did! (And here she gets in my face) I also know that they did this so you can get my job, so you just better watch you F&*#ing back!" and she walks out and sits on a bench right in front of the store.

First of all, the whole thing had nothing to do with me. Second of all, I can tell when somebody is saying things because they're mad, and when somebody is serious and wants to mess you up. She scared the crap out of me. I stood there a second and went to the back to call my boss. I explained the situation (shaking like a leaf!) and she said she would call the DM. He calls a minute later and says that I need to call Mall Security and have her removed. Mind you this is not my store, so I don't even know where the number is. I found it, called and they responded. About 4 of them. The mall I was working at is like a ghost town, so I'm sure they all sit around waiting for calls like this. I explained the situation and they said they can't take her out of the mall, but they can make sure she doesn't come back in the store. So they stood outside the door in front of her for about an hour. In the middle of all this, the co manager comes back from break and sees security guards everywhere. I explain the whole thing and the next hour she gets calls from ***** and her husband, yelling at her. Our DM calls and instructs the co manager to tell her she's not welcome in any of the BBW stores in the area.

So, I'm not going to lie, I was pretty jittery yesterday. It took a few hours to get my heart rate back to normal. I was afraid to go on break, let alone leave in a dark parking lot! We had a security guard walk us out. But then in my car I kept looking in my rear view mirror to make sure no one was about to shoot me.I don't have to work in their store until Saturday, so hopefully the whole thing will have blown over.The end. :)

Can I Get a Receipt?

It's bad enough that gas prices are way too high, but it seems like gas stations everywhere are trying to save money (or make money). Am I crazy?

Lately when I go to the pump, I get frustrated because I never know if I'm going to have to either dig for a pen and piece of paper or walk inside to request a receipt from the cashier. And, it doesn't matter where I stop for gas. It seems that more often gas stations aren't refilling receipt paper at the pumps. I don't know if they are trying to get me to walk in and make an "impulse purchase" or what. But it's driving me nuts! I just want to pull up to the pump, swipe my card, press "YES" for receipt, finish pumping, yank receipt from pump, and drive away. Is that too much to ask? I know this much, I refuse to purchase anything if I do walk in for a receipt.

Jamison did not write this.

My new "before the baby comes" toy

I bought a nintendo wii. Thought it would be funny for everyone to see me playing the wii boxing game. Loads of fun.

Getting yo "Jesus freak" on

Thought it was funny... Anytime the word "Holy" is used in the same line as "Hip Hop" ya gotta crack a grin.

This is a banner for the church next door to ours. It no doubt makes visitors of our church cock their heads in wonderment as to the style of worship we have at Dalraida.... thinking the sign is for us.

Blogging Finally Pays Off

About a year ago, I wrote a silly little post telling the story of my first pair of Dr. Marten shoes. Many of you know this story, as many of you have worn those very shoes.

About a week ago, I got an odd little comment on that story from a guy who listen a Dr. Marten URL in the comments and claimed to be a representative of the company. He was complimentary of my posting and asked me for my shoe size and address, for he wanted to send me a new pair.

I was a little bit worried that it might be some sort of scam, but the e-mail listed was @drmarten.com or some official looking thing, and it seemed a very odd scam, so I dropped him a line. We chatted a few times and he promised to send me some shoes.

Yesterday, I received those shoes from UPS! Lovely brown things that fit perfectly and are as comfortable as I remember.

I guess my years of blogging are finally starting to pay off. For my next story I think I’m going to write about the wonders of a new car, and living in million dollar houses. Who knows what I’ll get in the mail!

Diana's In Labor!

All elements of surprise aside, Baby Stubbs is on his way into the world! Last night, Diana called me to discuss the fact that her doctor recommended inducing labor today because of his increasing size. Now, Diana is vehemently opposed to using an epidural- she wants a natural birth, and more power to her for that. So inducing was a scary proposition, because pitocin causes contractions to come on hard and fast; trust me, I know! By the time I got my epidural with Luke, I was shaking uncontrollably and throwing up from the pain. So Diana was going to talk it out with her doctor this morning at her regular appointment, and if she and Charlie so decided, would go ahead and get on the pitocin drip, or "pit" as the nurses affectionately and appropriately call it.

Well, when the doctor examined her this morning, Diana was discovered to be in labor already! So no pitocin, just a good old natural labor. When she called, they were "killing a half hour" as instructed by the doctor, and getting their labor bags out and ready. Last I spoke to her, Diana said she was feeling cramps, but no full-on contractions.

Krewe of Lafitte

Booty with prized "Five Flags" fiesta beads in foreground

Last night the family went to the Krewe of Lafitte parade. I was going to have some great photos of the parade, but we could not find our new camera and then my mobile phone somehow was set to the lowest resolution possible. So forgive the quality of the small photo below.

We had a great time. My 93 year old grandmother was there and was abundantly beaded by the end of the night. People were walking up to her and Alexandra with gifts and beads. There was even one vehicle that was throwing out mini Blue Bell ice cream sandwiches.

For general photos go to the Pensacola News Journal Web site.

May 24th, 1997

My life is complete,
And my heart is full.

Memories along with future memories
Make me love you all the more.

With you, I could attain any goal I desire,
And with you I will.

"Without you" is a thought far from my mind.
And each day, God grants my wish to be with you.

Had I never met you, I would have never known
how much I need you as I do today.

Stay with me,
Wholly one,
Forever in love,
And I promise to do the same.

A couple of you may recognize this. 10 years ago on the date above Jodi and I said "I Do and I will." (The "and I will" was my spontaneous reaction to her Grandfather's "I Do" question. After hearing my response, Jodi added "and I will" to her "I Do.") During that ceremony I had my friend and Groomsman, Jeff, read that poem aloud. I penned it for Jodi's 19th birthday card. We had nothing at that point, literally. I could barely afford the card.

It's amazing where God takes you in life, but as I typed those words a moment ago. I recalled the emotion of the original ink. I wish I could write such beautiful words today, but alas my feelings don't flow onto paper as well as they once did.

I just wanted to share with everyone a special memory.

Exodus 20:3

I had my alarm set to radio today and I woke up to a news story that a top scientist at NASA had come to a conclusion that global warming just isn't something we should really worry about. He said this in an NPR interview.

In what would seem like seconds in the media world, PR officials at NASA scrambled to save face. A NASA official said of his statement: "It was a shocking statement because of the level of ignorance it indicated with regard to the current situation. He seemed unaware that 170 nations agreed that climate change is a serious problem with enormous repercussions, and that many people will suffer if it is not addressed." ... Wow, nations agreed that it was a problem... If just agreeing on something makes it fact, maybe we can get 100 people to agree that I am a rich Kentucky Colonel surrounded by beautiful southern women in tight corsets.

This made me think back on how so many Hollywood elite, or mainstream leftist politicians act when real live SCIENTISTS downplay the global warming issue; They react with, in many cases quite literally, weeping and gnashing of teeth. Why? If they are so against global warming and want the "problem" to be gone, why not say "HOORAY!!!" when a scientist says it ain't a problem? If people were dying all over the earth and the cause of death was a rise in the earths temperature by 1 degree, then I would say it is a problem, but so far, other than some smog in busy cities (which is being decreased) I don't see the problem... and apparently, neither do alot of scientist WAY smarter than me, and certainly smarter than alor of actors in Hollywood. I mean, forget the fact that during the so called "Ice Age" scientists agree that the glaciers melted on their own... without one jet flown by the Clintons and without one Hummer being driven by Sly Stallone.

This post isn't really focused on my opinion, but rather my common sense views, but even more so on the fact that we have a new religion in this world. Environmentalism. Don't get me wrong. I don't litter, I drive cars with pretty good gas mileage, and I hate oil spills. But think of it this way. In your mind, describe your reaction when you, a God-fearing person who believes in their heart of hearts that God created this earth in 7 days about 6,000 to 10,000 years ago. Now, someone tells you "Creation didn't happen." or "The earth is millions of years old." Let us say these men who tell you these things are scientists... WAY smarter than you. Do you believe them? Of course not. What if a handful or real scientists (Not affiliated with a church) say that they have found record of a worldwide flood thousands of years ago? Or say they have found that the earth actually is no more than 10,000 years old. You probably would hoop and scream for joy and hold those scientist upon your shoulders. Why? Because what they say goes along with what you believe religiously.

So go back to the environmentalism church. They react the same way when a scientist says something that goes against their belief. In truth, they kind of WANT the world to be at risk. Once the world is safe, they no longer have any work to worship. They want to be little gods who are responsible for mankind and the earth.

Going back to an earlier example. Let us say that you love steak. You don't worship steak, you just like to eat it. Now you are eating a steak and watching TV when a panel of scientists come on and say "Do not eat steaks bought a week or less ago, there is a strain of bacteria in all cows used to make steaks recently." Well, you may put your fork down and stop eating. You may even finish that steak, wipe your mouth off, and cross "Steak" off your shopping list for next week until the scare goes away. However, if perhaps you were a "Steakist" and believed that all steaks were good for you, and you found a few scientists that felt that the bacteria wasn't dangerous to humans, you' would keep eating steak and worship it by anointing it with A1 steak sauce.

I don't really want to stir up a political or social discussion, I just couldn't help but notice that a large sect of certain political leaders and alot of Hollywood folks (who say you should save the world by only wiping with "one square of toilet paper per day" -Sheryl Crow) may not worship God and may not give a flip about who Jesus is, but ya gotta hand it to them, they do love religion. Which kind of solidifies the idea about human nature; That humans feel some need to worship or have a greater power than them in control.

My opinion; I really don't think us little humans can destroy a earth that God created. Does this mean I am going to test God by trying to trow a bunch of batteries in the trash or dumping my radiator fluid down the storm drain? Never. I just think the destruction of the earth is on God's watch, not in our hands.