Warning! Long post!

I have wanted to write a detailed post for a few days now about the last week. Because it was so significant to us all it is important to me to have it written down.

On Monday (August 11th) it was 12th day before baby came. Rhonda, Austin and I met my sister in law Jessica and her two boys for breakfast. We had a great time, and then we went and did some last minute shopping for Rhonda. For her last surprise I gave her a robe to wear in the hospital. During different times in the day Rhonda and I would tell each other that the baby should be here by that time tomorrow. Austin spent the night as his cousins house on Monday cause I had to leave by 6 am to make it to the hospital by 7.

I arrived at the hospital shortly before Rhonda and Laura (Laura is a awesome worker from the agency). We took some pics of Rhonda and headed in. Per Michelle's idea I brought some games and music with me to listen to at the hospital. They started Rhonda on the "pit" farely quickly, and then gave her a local drug. After that drug she was a little buzzed, but it was better than the pain. We played "Phase 10" for awhile, and then called my friend Dorney to bring us over a CD player. She is a true friend and came through in a pinch. Thanks Dorn! They gave her the epidural around 10, and that was a huge help. I have to say the staff at the hospital was amazing. They were so nice to me, and treated Rhonda so well.

Scott came over around 11, and it seemed Rhonda was not progressing much so we went and ran some errands. Ok, Rhonda if you are reading this I will say we went to lunch but there was no way I was going to tell you that cause you were SOOOOO hungry. When we came back from the hospital, things had taken a turn for the worse. With every contraction the baby's heart beat would struggle even more, so they had to take her off the "pit". Her contractions slowed way down, and she was only dilated to a 5. Once things evened out they slowly put her back on the "pit" and things got very painful for her cause the epidural was starting to wear off. My friend texted me, and I texted her back at 2:29 saying it would be several more hours. Well she started progressing more, and when the nurse came into check her the baby's head just moved down. They called the doctor and told him to get there ASAP. The nurse was there with her green gloves on ready to catch, and Rhonda did an amazing job waiting patiently for the doc to get there.

He arrived, and Scott and Vicki and the caseworkers went to the waiting room and with one push, out came the baby. The cord was wrapped around his neck and he was purple. It was scary, but I could tell they were not worried. He started breathing quickly, and then they asked me if I wanted to cut the cord. I had had thought about him being born so many times, but I had never thought about that. I asked Rhonda if it was ok, and she said yes. The put him on Rhonda's belly and he peed all over her. It was kinda funny. I went over and watched them take care of him, and weigh him. It was weird cause this time, I was the one watching everything. With our other two it was Scott. It was an amazing experience to put it lightly. Words simply don't express it. Scott and Vicki came back in and saw him, and then Rhonda asked me if I wanted to hold him. I teared up. It was so surreal. Hence the picture of me crying. I could not believe after all this time of waiting for another child, here he was in my arms. I was a mom once again. His apgar came back at 8 which is pretty great considering how sick he looked at first.

My friend Tonya brought Austin down later that afternoon to meet Brock. He immediately was attached to him. They took him out of Rhonda's room when they were doing rounds, and he did not like that at all. He kept saying "Brock needs to go to Austin's house". I was able to talk to Rhonda's mom Barbara for awhile. We had a great conversation, and I am so thankful to her for her support of Rhonda in this decision. I had heard so much about her, and wanted to tell her how much we love Rhonda and how she will always be a hero to not just Scott, Austin and I, but to all of our families. I really appreciate the time she took to speak with me. We all left for a while and then I came back to bring some things to Rhonda. Austin once again freaked out leaving the baby. I felt so bad.

I could not believe how well Rhonda was doing. She was walking all around, just 2 hours after delivery. She was a trooper!! On my way home from the hospital I was driving right where I get off to go to Delta, and I could not contain myself. I had to stop and show off to all of my friends the pics of our sweet baby. I actually interrupted a training class and had everyone in the class look at our blog on the overhead projector. I am a nut! That night I stayed up super late getting things ready for Rhonda's basket the next day.

On my way down to the hospital I stopped and got us some cinnamon rolls and then tried and tried to get some pictures developed, but could not find anyone open. I was able to see Brock when I got to the hospital and he had already changed. A friend of mine who has adopted called and I left Rhonda to be alone with Brock. After I came back we packed her things up, and left the hospital. It felt weird. Even thinking back to it, I can't believe it is all over.

I came home did a million things, and then around 4:00 Rhonda called me to tell me everything was signed. Although in the last few months I never doubted her intent to place, it was peaceful to me to know that after 3 miscarriages, I would really have another child. I felt the love and tenderness of my Father in Heaven very strongly at that moment.

I picked her up and we met Scott in Bountiful to go to the Mandarin for our "last dinner". We gave her the basket of things, that I had been searching for. In it was a Napoleon Dynamite movie signed by the writers (thanks to my caseworker, they are her neighbors!), a great salt lake mug, her photo album, a Utah shirt, a metal little boy like we have in our home, and a few other nick naks. I know Rhonda loved it, and I was so happy about that.

After dinner I took her back to the hospital to see the baby one more time. They let us go in a room by ourselves, and she put a little shirt on him that fit the bear I gave her. I gave her some time to be with him by herself. I knew this would be hard for me, and it was. One thing that was so hard was for Scott and I we know empty arms. We know how it is to lose something you love so much. Even though adoption is different than Ethan, it is still a loss. My heart was so heavy that night and I could not sleep well at all. Rhonda's love and sacrifice will never be forgotten, and Brock will always know and love her for that.

Thursday morning was crazy as I realized I needed smaller clothes. I ran around to several stores, and then went and picked up Rhonda to take her to the airport. It was so hard to say goodbye. She had become my sidekick and we had spent so much time together over the last month. My heart still hurts when I think about it. We got to the hospital and they said "where is his clothes, he is ready to go". Denise went in and dressed him, and we went with Jane to sign our paperwork. While we were signing Denise brought Brock down, and Austin didn't notice. The second he saw him he said "there is Brock!"

It was so fun to have him come home and for some friends and family to come meet him. We had Brock wrapped like a burrito, and Austin said he wanted to be a burrito too. So Scott wrapped him up, and we now call them Burrito and Burrito Grande (see the pic from the previous post of them in their blankets on the floor, that is my burritos!). Rhonda called us to let us know she made it back, which I was relieved cause I knew her flight from SLC was late getting into CVG. It was great to hear from her and comforting to hear her voice.

This blog at this point is not just about us, along the way an amazing person by the name of Rhonda came in to it. So many of our close friends who got to know her say that adoption now takes on a different meaning. Usually they just know the adoptive parents who are thrilled beyond belief to be getting a child. This time they met this great birth mom who with so much love and courage decided to place her baby with us. Our friends and family got to know her, and so as excited as they were for us to get Brock their hearts ached for Rhonda. She will always be a part of us, in our hearts, in our thoughts and in our prayers. We will be forever blessed because of her. We love our new son beyond measure, and Rhonda, we love you.

Karen