Let’s take it way back 12 years ago to 1997….. I met his hotness on Circle Christian School grounds.  We were both being home schooled at the time.  He was very good friends with my amazing friend Elizabeth Anderson.   Elizabeth and I both were taking a Spanish class together and both needed some major tutoring..we were not very good at the Espanol to say the least.   Justin occasionally came into our class because he had a class right after us in Spanish V or something crazy…

Well Elizabeth and Justin began to get closer and closer, but I don’t think they ever really labeled it “dating” or “going out”. ha.   I had my eye on some other super cool homeschooler haha.  In the meantime, Justin and I were always really good friends and never lost touch with each other through the years.  He would call me or I would call him to see how eachother was doing.  We would always get into discussions about God, music and dance.   Then there were other silly times when I would call him with a really deep voice, acting as if I was one of his buddies.  I really got him a few times! ha.  Don’t ask why I did this..but I thought it was hilarious and he was pretty darn shocked that I could make my voice go so low. lol.  After a year or so my besty, Elizabeth, moved to Tennessee..I miss her so much.

Year 1999; After long night talks and ramblings of life that had gone on for a while,  it all kind of came to a hault around this year as we both did other things and started getting serious with other people.  I was going to Africa for a few weeks, switched schools and he was playing with his super cool band Entertaining Stewart and thinking about going  to design school.  Both of our hearts had fallen in love and both of them had been broken within these few years. We both loved and learned and don’t regret a thing.

Year 2001; This was a big year!  I graduated, got a job at an orthodontist as a records technician (yes, I was the one that made you gag on the molds and took those ugly photos).  I was a leader at the Element Student Ministry at Discovery Church, getting ready to sign up for Makeup School at Joe Blasco Makeup Center.   I can’t remember for the life of me how we started talking again but I’m pretty sure he called me and invited me to one his shows, either at Caffeine or Stone Soup Collective.  Well, when I saw him on stage singing and playing his guitar, he stole my heart.  But, he never knew.  We started hanging out more and more and just loved spending time with him.  His heart was amazing and I must say, he was pretty dang cute with his high socks, chucks and long stick up hair.

New Years Eve Concert 2001: Justin invited me to one his concerts at Westwood on New Years Eve.   This was such a memorable night…I ran the merch table and watched them play with his brothers.  It was such a great show and lots of friends and family came out.   I got to meet his Aunt Michelle that night, which was awesome to be able to meet some more close relatives of his.  Through the years I have grown to love her so so much.  After we counted down to year 2002, Justin and I walked outside to my car, this is the moment we have all been waiting for.   He finally kissed me in public around all of his friends but still kept it private enough to make it that much more special.  He then asked me to be his GIRLFRIEND! Would I?!! OF COURSE!   After that we grew as a happy couple, went to many local concerts at The Social and went on trips with family and friends.  He has always been a great friend but now he had become my closest and best friend I had ever had,  one that didn’t waver or push me aside.   He would keep me accountable, encourage me, when I was down in the dumps he would help me through it and encourage me to look to Jesus for strength and best of all he would constantly make me laugh.  I loved his attributes and character, he was a little coleric and a realist but I loved that in him.  We were the perfect balance of character as I am the farthest thing from coleric and I’m a dreamer.    The picture below is a photo of the big night! This picture is displayed in our home..we LOVE IT and it means so much to us as it was, indeed, the beginning of “us”.

January, 2004;  After 3 years of being together and learning more and more about him, I completely fell in love. I had always loved him, even back in 1997 but it wasn’t the same thing.   This was a pure and natural “in love” kind of love.    My family decided to go to Vermont for a family vacation, my sisters husband came and Justin came along too!   After doing some skiing and sitting by the fire, we all headed out to Manchester.  Manchester is a small town in Vermont and the boys said they knew of an awesome restaurant they wanted to take us too.  So we all piled up in the rental and drove for about 30 minutes, we finally pulled up to a restaurant called “The Perfect Wife Restaurant and Tavern”.  I thought it was the coolest name and thought it was a really neat gesture my dad and my brother in law had for their wives.

After our wonderful dinner, Justin mentioned there being a desert slash bar slash live music on the second floor of the restaurant and that we should check it out.  Everyone was in for it, so we mosied up with our mittens and jackets on because it was about 20 degrees and snowing..we all got some hot cocoa and waited for the band to start.  I looked to my right, as Justin was sitting there moments before, and now no where to be found, he vanished!  I asked my mom to my left where the heck he went, she said probably to the bathroom.  About 10 minutes went by and I was starting to get worried.  Moments later I see Justin gabbin with the guy from the band, 2 minutes later he grabs the guys guitar and jumps on stage..ahh! I thought to myself, “what the heck is he doing?” Next thing I know he is dedicating the song to me and singing a song he wrote of what has been on his heart for the last several years.   I was kind of unemotional at first and still had no idea what he was doing..but then towards the end of the song he starts to sing lyrics like “all you have to say yes”..I then grabbed my mom’s hand and squeezed it with all my might!  I started crying, I finally was figuring out what was happening.  The ditz in me that Justin saw back in 1997 was showing through and through .    After he was done with his song the bar let out a cheer and an “aww”… he then walked over to me, looked at me as if I was the only one in the room, got on one knee and proposed!!!  He tried putting the most beautiful ring on my finger but I still had my mittens on…hahaha. I quickly took them off!  After many many tears and video rolling we were able to capture some pretty precious moments!  It was truly the most amazing moment of my life.   In sheer excitement, we set a date that night and decided the big day would be October 23rd, 2004.  Since then it has been the most amazing and exciting 1,769 days of my life. I don’t know what I would do without him in my life.  He keeps me going, encourages me, provides for me, and keeps my head on straight daily.  The problem is he doesn’t know how really GREAT he is.

Here are some pictures from the big night!

Proposal song – he was a little nervous

Listen to Changed By You – by Justin Kirkland

My reaction

The proposal video

The proposal

I said Yes!

The happiest night to date!

Wedding day post coming up soon…

He is quite a remarkable little man, at about a month old he started sleeping 5 – 7 hours each night. I believe in, what I like to call the “BSB” method; Boob, Swaddle, Bedtime (sometimes I do a bath first but not every night). I tend to put him to bed with his eyes wide open so he gets used to going to bed even if he’s not tired.  We will see how long that lasts but so far he falls right to sleep.   SO blessed he’s sleeping through the night!

We are pretty in love with him, he has such a joyful and sweet spirit.  I caught him today looking out the window, he was smiling so big!  I suspect he saw Jesus.  His first smiles have been amazing to see, it just melts my heart to pieces.  He hasn’t laughed yet but I’m waiting very patiently impatiently.

He loves to snuggle with us, I will be very sad if and when this stops.

We moved his cradle from our room to his room and was in that for about a month.  Now he is in his big boy crib! Sad that he’s getting older but proud that he is such a big boy!

I went to the OB’s office to see if Sawyer was still breech because I wasn’t dilated  and only having braxton hicks contraction.  Since I was a week away from my due date they were curious to see if he was still breech.  I was praying to God that he was head down and ready to go.  No such luck, I went in and Sawyer was in the transverse breech position (Sideways).  The moment my doctor told me this I was filled with anxiety.  The next thing that came out of her mouth was the one thing that I had been fearing my entire pregnancy.  She told me that they needed to schedule me to have Caesarean Section.  Tears started to fall right there in the office, I was so scared.  Let me remind you, I originally was planning on having a homebirth and doing everything natural with no drugs in the comfort of my own home.   None of this was in MY plan. She continued to tell me that she didn’t want me to go into labor or contract as this could result in an emergency situation.  In fear of an emergency situation we scheduled it for January 4th.

As the days grew shorter and shorter leading up to the 4th I was full of fear, anxiety, and sadness.  After a lot of prayer and encouraging conversations with family and friends I was reminded that MY plans are not always in the cards.  God is in control, NOT ME.  I was trying to control every little thing, from the 3 page birth plan to being bitter about even having him in a hospital.  After being reminded of these things, all I REALLY wanted was to have a healthy baby.  It didn’t matter where I had him, what night gown I had on, or if I could have candles or not.  It was a defining moment in my life where God’s plan for my life is better than my own.  Random people would tell me to keep an open mind during my whole pregnancy, I’m glad I listened.

January 4th came quickly as Justin and I drove up to Winnie Palmer..

We were to be there at 11:30am and would be going straight into pre op for the epidural and other fun things. My Momma met us there for support. I had the best anesthesiologist! Her name is Tarrah Bobey! Thanks again Tarrah!

So it was 1:30pm, epideral in and couldn’t feel a thing.  Kind of scary, it felt like I had no legs.  Not a fan of the feeling at all!  They then wheeled me into the OR, I started getting the shakes from the nerves and epideral.

After a ton of pulling, tugging, smells and noises I wish to forget, my baby boy had arrived! They continued pushing and tugging and they told me I had a bifurcated uterus, which means I had heart shaped uterus and possibly one fallopian tube.  Sawyer was never able to go head down because of the shape of my uterus and it was a miracle that I got pregnant after the first try with one fallopian tube!  The Doctor said he couldn’t believe I carried him full term with my uterus.   Sawyer was only able to hang out in the right chamber of the heart shape and couldn’t get over to the other side because of the seem.  CRAZY! Its all a miracle!  Sawyer has a small storks bite on his forehead but will fade with time, other than that he has no other issues.  PRAISE GOD!

If it wasn’t for God intervening in so many areas I don’t know where I would be or my son.  God knew exactly what was to happen which led me down the roads he provided.

Here are a few photos:

Hearing his cry for the first time and my reaction..the sound of this was music to my ears

First Family photo

Timeline

April – Got pregnant

May – Picked a midwife for delivery in my home (the wonderful Diane Albright)

October – Appendix almost ruptured and had it removed (6 days in hospital)

October – Felt as if I should pray long and hard about delivering at home and felt God telling to deliver in a hospital

November – Kidney stones (4 days in hospital)

April to January – Breech baby

January – Ended in Ceasarean and a Beautiful baby boy!

All of this could have gone completely different if I hadn’t heard God right.  God had all of these things lined up so I would make the right choice. God is good.

Full of unspeakable joy!

LOVE

]]> http://www.lindseyandjustin.com/2010/02/25/sawyers-birth-story/feed/ 4 http://www.lindseyandjustin.com/2010/01/04/hes-arrived/ http://www.lindseyandjustin.com/2010/01/04/hes-arrived/#comments Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:44:32 +0000 Lindsey http://www.lindseyandjustin.com/?p=631

Sawyer Bryant Kirkland

Born at 2:20pm on January 4th, 2010

19.5 inches long 7 lbs 14 ounces

“There are two great day in everyones life; the day you were born and the day you firgured out why”

“I am changed by you and I cannot stop staring..”

I start my maternity leave tomorrow!!! Praise God!!  It will be nice to be able to sleep in a little and get my rest before the little one comes.  I’m not getting too much rest at night because my 6 1/2 pounder is kicking, jabbing, and bobbing his head around down south..it doesn’t feel so hot.  I know I will probably miss feeling him in my belly once he’s out..but since we will be having several more I don’t see that being a big issue.

Other than feeling like a balloon and feeling as if I have a bowling ball between my legs, I’m feeling really good!  My BH contractions have gotten more uncomfortable and take my breath away at times.  My energy has slipped a little but not enough to not allow me to throw a dinner party! Oh no, not me! ha, it may have been a little work but it turned out perfect and just what we wanted.  We made a delicious Apricot glazed Turkey with herb Butter and it came out great for our first time cooking one! We may have had a fire that blew out of the oven but everyone came out alive, wasn’t laughing then but laughing now!  Justin and I wanted to share the holidays with our “extended family” and just enjoy eachother before babyk comes.  I may have been contracting the entire time but I just think it means Babyk will be alert and very social! ha, he must love laughter, music and yummy arromas! :)

Here are some pictures from the night!

Here’s a few kissy face photos from yesterdays appointment.

The first one is looks like he’s puckering up and the second one, he looks like he is bighting his bottom lip.

How’s Mommy doing?

Contractions: I’ve been having BH contractions all day everyday, they have been about 45 min apart lasting about 1 – 2 minutes.  The doctor says its very normal towards the end of your pregnancy.  I see it as practice .

Weight Gain: I have gained 18 pounds up to this point, no stretch marks yet! Praying those will stay far far away. 

The Motion of Movement:  Haha, getting up out of bed on a temperpedic is a chore!  If we had a spring mattress it would be a little easier but no bouncing out for me, its more like a roll out…   Getting up from the couch, off the floor, and just bending over is getting more difficult, thank God Justin is there to help!  Not to mention standing up and feeling like he going to fall out of me. 

Justin: My blessing,  in every sense of the word.

Maternity Leave: My last day of work will be on Dec. 22! 

Hospital bags: Packing this week, cancer researchers have found that a higher percentage of post cancer patients have their babies earlier than later.  So, I’m gonna be ready!! 

How’s the Nursery coming along?

I took a few pictures of it the other day, we are still in the works with getting it in order (painting, wall hangings and curtains still need to go up, but you get the idea

Thank you to Catie Loveless and Megan Nettles for making it so amazing and meaningful!!

It was great to see my friends and family there!  The support and love I felt was ridiculous… I feel so blessed to know such amazing woman.

Here are some pictures from the fun day. Click on the photos make them bigger!

My crafty friends, Miss Christina Butler painted the most amazing canvas for Babyk’s room and Miss Teya Early made me some incredible, hand stitched onesies that may have scarred her poor finger tips for life.  Thank you girls for putting your creative juices to work..Babyk will love them both!!

Pregger line up!   Lauren – 14wks, Rachel – 20wks, Mary Hannah – 23wks, Mel – 26wks, Paislee – 29wks, Me – 33wks.  Funniest part of it is they all are having girls accept for me, Babyk is going to have lots of prospects ! Lauren hasn’t found out and need more boys for the boy team!! Come on Lauren!

 Catie wrote a beautiful poem especially written for Justin, BabyK and I…You may laugh, you may cry but either way I will still be crying from her sharing it on Saturday. haha.    It will be kept close to my heart forever…Thank you Catie, you have no idea how much this means to me..xoxo

 Oh My, What an Adventure!

 

“In just a few weeks, BabyK will be on his way!

You will breathe fast and Justin will drive fast.

You will push hard and Justin will pray hard.

And finally, my dear friend, you will meet your son.

 

Oh my, the adventure begins!

 

A few days later, you will take your new family home.

You will walk slowly and Justin will drive slowly.

You will rock softly and Justin will talk softly.

And your heart will melt into a puddle on the floor.

 

Oh my, what an adventure!

 

By then, it won’t matter what color you painted his room because you will be undone by the color of his eyes.

You will forget about the hospital trips, the appendicitis and the kidney stones

You will be in awe, in love, and over the moon.

 

What an amazing adventure!

 

He will cry in the middle of the night and the middle of the day and many, many times in between.

Your mom will say, “He looks like Justin!”

Justin’s mom will insist, “I see Lindsey in that smile!”

 

And you will think, oh my, what an adventure!

 

You will teach him how to make the ordinary an experience: a fort in the living room, a safari in the back yard, a shark encounter in the swimming pool, and a bug hunt under ten million stars.

 

Everything will be an adventure.

 

He will get scrapped knees and have scary dreams and want to jump from high places.

He will have imaginary boo boos requiring Spiderman band-aids, only Spiderman will do.

He will have his first day of school, his first big test, and his first best friend (my son, Miles, of course)

 

Oh my, what an adventure!

 

You should get ready now, because he will also have his first girlfriend, his first kiss, and his first broken heart

He will get his first speeding ticket, and probably his second and third..

And it will feel like he is always speeding off…

to hang with his friends or go to a game or find some fun, somewhere.

 

And you will wait at home, eager to hear his latest adventure.

 

Then there will be the time he will choose the path less chosen or be honest when it’s hard

And your heart will swell with the pride of a parent.

You will capture the small moments and

You will teach him to be wise,

Enjoying each chance to nurture the spirit of God within him.

 

Oh my, what an adventure.

 

And one day, he will tell you he met a girl

He will ask her to join him on his adventures for the rest of their lives.

They will plan big and they will dream big.

You will save as much money as you possibly can

And at the end of the night, as you dance with your son

You will think, “Oh my, what an adventure!”

 

Soon you will get the news, they are having a child of their own and they are on their way!

As you drive to the hospital, your heart will race fast and Justin will drive fast.

Your chest will pound hard and Justin will pray hard.

 

And when you see your son, holding his child

Tears will stream down your face and you will say to him, “Oh my, what an adventure you will have!”

- Catie Loveless

Miles AKA BabyK’s BFF of course.

 

 

A few updates:

• I went to a BabyK appointment on Monday and everything went great!  He is still very comfy in the breech position…Mommy isn’t too please but the doctors seem to think that he has plenty of time to flip and they aren’t worried at all. 
• I’ve gained 11 pounds so far, the doctor said this was fine and isn’t worried because BabyK is growing at the normal speed and seems to be very healthy especially with all the moving around he’s been doing!
• No more sausage foot!  Thank you Lord! My left foot had been swelling everyday and its stopped. Crazy foot.
• I’m working 4 days a week now, I’m off Mondays at my request and it’s helped so much!  My body thanks you Invision!
• I’m still trying to find a good price on a white dresser/changing table.
• Wrote my birthplan out yesterday (2 pages long, lol), I will be posting several copies on the walls of my delivery room and recovery room.
• My Sciatic isn’t hurting anymore!

I just can’t wait to hold this little guy, he has been so strong and so fearless.  I fear that I will never let go of him once I finally meet him.  Only 8 more short weeks and we can finally meet eachother. 

I wonder….

if he will have hair?

if he will have Mommy’s distinct laugh?

if he will have Daddy’s smokin’ hot jaw line?

if he will dimples like Mommy?  

What I do know and pray for is that he will have a contagious spirit, play hard and love harder!  Mommy & Daddy can’t wait to meet you!!!

AHHH! 9 MORE WEEKS PEOPLE!!! I can’t wait until he gets here!!!

Here are a few pictures of the trip!