Five Brown Kids

I was supposed to be induced Wednesday morning.  We were going to drop the kids off at Emily's, drive to the hospital and park in the parking lot, walk in like a civilized couple, get hooked up to the drugs and Tyrone was going to rub my feet and back while the contractions gradually got more intense.  We'd wrap up with an epidural and a nice peaceful birth.   Instead this: we woke up at 6:30am on Tuesday.  Everyone was home on break so no hurry to get out of bed. Tyrone and I made plans for the day, Scotia crawled in bed with us.  Jaxon checked and saw the bed was too full so he went to watch TV with Taye.  I had a few small cramps which we ignored for awhile, eventually I got up to take a shower as it seemed they might turn into something.  By the end of the shower I was hurting and Tyrone was having the kids get dressed and cleaned up.  We carried the bags and car seat down stairs and before I left the house I cancelled a playdate for that...

We had a lively Christmas. I was trying to keep things low key but it didn't work out that way. Razor scooter, kindle fire, American girl doll, a new grill plus lots of extras. And the boys loved new suits from grandpa brown. 

Life moves on.  The new baby is so yesterday. Jaxon turned 10 this week and the party was on Saturday.  It's the same party we've had the past few years but no need to mess with success.  Tyrone and the boys marked off the backyard field with spray paint (while I tidied the house and prepared the dessert).  Jaxon went to his basketball game with dad (while I pushed the baby in the stroller on a walk).  Then friends arrived and they played serious and totally silly football back there.  Something about Dad being in charge that makes this game the best all year.  I made "homemade" pizza with Trader Joes' pizza dough and we all ate out on the deck. (Did I mention it was sunny and 75 degrees for the first day of winter?)  For dessert we re-created Jaxon's favorite - Fresh Berry - ice cream with all his favorite toppings! As for Jaxon - in one word - he is marvelous.  He's a little scatterbrained at times but that is more than compensated fo...

Blythe Brown  December 17, 8:10 am 7 lbs 8oz 19 inches long Happy and healthy. She is the sweetest!  A perfect birthday present for Jaxon! 

Did you see this new statement on race by the church?  Please read it. It clears up a lot of misconceptions including the "less valiant" statement which broke my heart as a faithful teenager. There are posts galore flying around the web about this new statement.  I just wanted to say two things: I am happy that they are making an effort to explain a process that has confused and bothered so many of us for so long.  I  am so sad for 150 years worth of black families that would have joined the church, and lived the gospel and flourished. I am sad for black families today who can not in good conscience join a church with such a history.  Every day Tyrone and I marvel at what a difference gospel living has made in the lives of our families. A post from a few years ago….

Five weeks before my due date an early morning doctor's visit showed that my blood pressure was still high and I was starting to show protein in my urine.  After a busy day I headed back to the office for another quick check.  They were closed and I debated leaving but then saw someone in the back and knocked on the door until they came out.  A nurse still there checked my urine again and it was worse and my blood pressure had gone through the roof.  She called the doctor on call who said come to the hospital now.  I called the Rick's house and Matt answered.  I told him I was coming to drop off my boys.  No problem he said.  Emily saw me at the Ricks and came out to say hello, she offered to take me to the hospital.  So we grabbed a quick bag from my house and headed off. Emily was 9 months pregnant and there were some looks when we showed up together at labor and delivery triage where I was was admitted to stay.  Emily spent...

Jaxon came speeding into the world on Dec 18 - three days early .  After a good night’s sleep Tyrone and I woke up at 7:30.  Around 8 my water broke and I started having mild contractions.  Tyrone started getting Taye ready for preschool while I showered and finished packing my bag.  Since I was still handling things okay I suggested that Tyrone take Taye to preschool and then come back. We called  my parents and told them that the baby seemed to be on the way - they were somewhere in Pennsylvania at a hotel on their way down to see us for Christmas. At 8:30 I called the Clarks and asked them to pick Taye up from preschool at 12:30.  Around 8:50 Dad took Taye to school and I was starting to get a little uncomfortable – concentrating on contractions instead of being able to pack and clean up. I knew Jaxon was on the way though – so I kept reminding myself in a little while I would have a beautiful new baby. By the time Tyrone got back to the house at 9:...

(Just for fun before adventure number four!  All three birth stories - edited for the web) The night before Taye arrived Tyrone and I had an appointment with the stake president. He called Tyrone to be a counselor in our married ward bishopric.  After,  we drove up to Orem to tell Tyrone’s parents and then Tyrone went to play ball at Gold’s gym.  He came home after midnight and we hung out and then went to sleep.  I came flying awake around 5 with the most outrageous contractions and they didn’t stop.  We started packing bags and getting ready to go.  The nurse midwives had mentally prepared me to be late  and  since this was 5 days early I didn't have anything ready … .. While we were getting ready to leave my mom was on speaker phone in the hall (a real telephone sitting on a little table, next to the phone books - remember those?) and admist my wailing I could hear her telling Tyrone it was time to get me to the hospital! ...

I mentioned this summer that Tyrone's Abingdon High School basketball scoring record was about to be broken. It happened this week and Tyrone got to go home to Abingdon and present the game ball to the new record holder.  Tyrone has held the record for 20 years so he wasn't too sad to pass it on. Jaxon went with and they visited lots of friends and family too.  I stayed here and spent Friday and Saturday shuttling Taye and Scotia between school and a big swim meet and other activities. It was exhausting. Taye had a fast weekend though! 

We spent Thanksgiving with the Cleverly's enjoying delicious food and conversation while the kids terrorized their house. It's always a party!  But there was no end of complaining over breakfast earlier in the day that the baby had ruined our tradition of Thanksgiving in Pennsylvania... That baby! Already wreaking havoc! 

Did you see this article about the 14 most stressful jobs in America ? Nurse anesthethists are number five. So, I've been married to Tyrone for 16 1/2 years and .... College football - stressful! Nursing degree - stressful! First job as a nurse - stressful! Nurse anesthesia school - insanely stressful! Working as a nurse anesthetist at a level one trauma hospital - I've never known Tyrone to be so happy, content and unstressed! Certainly there is the occasional case when things go wrong and his heart leaps into his throat but for the most part he shows up at work, sees patients, works through his cases and comes home content and happy. I love Tyrone's "stressful" job!