kevin and jenna [dot] com

Kennedy’s shoe fetish

I have a feeling we might be spending some time and money in shoe stores. Kennedy is a fantastic shopper with great taste. Definitely a girly girl!

2 comments January 3rd, 2009 by Jenna

Lunch at Wings n More

Exchanged Christmas presents with my two best friends today! Alicia, my best friend since her birth, and Amanda, my best friend since middle school. And Carlee tagged along for girls’ lunch.

1 comment January 2nd, 2009 by Jenna

Smiling Carlee

1 comment December 30th, 2008 by Kevin

Lessons Learned in 6 Weeks

Katrina, take this as your Sixteen Things About Me. ;) (PS - I know it’s not 16 things, but I can’t remember any more. See #7.)

1. I hate socks. Pairing up the kids’ socks has officially become the bane of my existence. Who knew all the socks look alike? And yet there’s always one left over.

2. Laundry becomes infinite when adding the third child. Laundry, like dishes, always needs to be done, but I used to have laundry somewhat under control and in a sort of system. Now it seems as if I wash 2+ loads per day (not counting the cloth diapers).

3. Kennedy is going to be one tough little girl. I always knew this, but especially in the past few weeks she wrestles with her big brother and still comes up smiling. She has also started speaking in sentences. Sometimes I forget she’s not 2 yet.

4. Colby is the most compassionate and caring child. When Carlee cries, he gets upset and runs to help her. When Kennedy needs help, he runs to her aide. When I need something, he helps me get it; this has been a huge help to me lately, when the phone is on the other side of the room and I’ve just sat down to nurse Carlee.

5. Carlee is a snuggly baby. She is sleeping in our bed at night, even though I never ever wanted to sleep with our kids in the same bed. But, this allows me to get *some* sleep in between feedings, and she sleeps better this way. She will not be there for long. And, I tend to fall asleep while holding her because she’s so relaxed and calm. I love how she sleeps with her fist under her chin and how she spreads her fingers out wide when I pick her up.

6. I am so much less stressed this Christmas than I have been in years past. Maybe it’s because I do have a newborn that I’ve released some obligations I held in the past. I’m not buying many presents this year, mostly giving gift cards. I haven’t bought all the presents yet and I haven’t wrapped a single thing, but it will get done. We’re just doing things on a (much) slower pace this year. And, I like it this way.

7. My memory has been pretty much wiped. I blame my general lack of sleep. I used to be on top of things. I feel like my memory system used to be like a Rolodex, with neat little cards I could pull out when I needed. Now it’s more like a very cluttered Inbox, and I can’t even remember where I am in the pile. I can’t remember who I’ve told what and when or where, so I just start repeating myself. I blame my general lack of sleep.

8. Now more than ever, I’ve been impacted with the realism that God came to earth as a very tiny baby. Wow. I am weeping just thinking about it. I love thinking about how the angels announced Jesus’s birth to the shepherds… Here are the words to one of my favorite Christmas songs; we sang it this year in our Christmas musical.

“That Night”

That night in all of Heaven, there wasn’t a sound
as God and the angels watched the earth.
For there in a stable, the Father’s only son
chose to give Himself through human birth.
And when the cry of a baby pierced the universe,
once for all men were shown their worth.

And the heavens exploded with music everywhere!
And the angels spilled over heaven’s edge and filled the air!
And the Father rejoiced for He did not lose His Son.
But, He gained to Himself forever those who’d come.

May the Father rejoice over you this Christmas as you celebrate the birth of His Son.

2 comments December 21st, 2008 by Jenna

Life in the Circus Tent

I love getting out with Carlee, when I’m able. Everyone oohs and aahs over her, as well they should. Then once the pleasantries are over, many people have asked me The Question, “How is it with 3 kids?” But they have this dread in their voices, this hushed tone and big eyes and clasped hands, as if The Question should be followed by the harrowing music “DUN DUN DAAAAAH”.

Everyone who has had 3 kids has told me how this will either make you or break you. However, they didn’t tell me this before I had Carlee. Poor girl will always have this Third Child stigma. I often wondered why I knew so many people who only had 3 kids. Now I know.

Have you ever watched a juggler? When he juggles 2 things, it’s not hard because there are 2 hands to catch these things. But, add item #3 and it’s infinitely harder to know, “Where do I put this thing?” As much as I’d like, having Hand #3 is not an option because Carlee would not recognize her Mommy anymore. So as a Master Juggler, it is my job each day to say, “Where do I put Thing 1, Thing 2, and Thing 3 so they will all be in rhythm with my juggling act?”

And, ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages, those who have more than 3 kids assure me that once you have 3 kids, then 4, 5, 6, 7+ kids are “no problem”, because once you figure out this juggling rhythm, then adding one more thing into the mix is “no different”. I do not have the energy or the want to test out this theory, at least not yet.

Forget juggling, I need a Ringmaster’s uniform.

3 comments December 20th, 2008 by Jenna

Carlee’s Home Birth Story

Sunday, November 9th, 2008 - My amniotic fluid started leaking. I didn’t panic because I wasn’t having accompanying contractions, but I knew we were getting close. And in talking with Erin the next day, the baby is ’supposed’ to be born within 24 hours of rupture of membranes, but I wasn’t sure about just the amniotic fluid since my membranes were still intact.

All that to say, this particular Sunday was quite busy - my parents were finishing their trip to California and had arrived in Houston at 6 am. My mom told me all through the pregnancy: “You may NOT have this baby until November 10th!” She was afraid she’d miss the birth, and I was afraid I wouldn’t have babysitters! But, God is gracious to give us what we need, when we need it.

Also on that day, I had to do closed-captioning for the church service, Alicia was in town from chiropractic college, Kevin and I were meeting our SAM students (adopted A&M students through our church) for lunch over at my grandparents’ house, and Kevin had to run sound for a very involved (and very long!) Derek Webb concert at our church. Plus, I had just finished a week of resting, laundry, propping up my feet, and waiting for the baby to get here.

9 am The Next Day - So, it wasn’t a surprise when I started having contractions. I called Erin, who was on the way to Temple this time, and she immediately turned around and headed to our house. (Side Note: Erin wrote the birth story through her eyes and gave me a copy for the baby book. It’s fascinating, coming from someone else’s vantage point. I’ll have to add that next.) One of the best things about having a homebirth is the midwife making sure she will be at the birth in plenty of time. However, the midwife was a little uncertain she would make it in time, so I called her as soon as I thought I might be having contractions. I got dressed, got the kids dressed and packed, I put on makeup, and picked up some things around the house.

9:30 am - Erin arrived and told me she didn’t have an assistant available. (The previous assistant had jury duty in Houston that day.) So I called my dear friend Rachel, who was planning on being at the birth anyway, and she was so excited to get to assist. I asked Erin to check my dilation, so I could know in my mind if I really was in labor or not, and she said I was at 5 cm and 95% effaced. She never checked me again after that. (She didn’t have to, and she didn’t have to check dilation then either, but I was a little apprehensive since my fluid was leaking.) I also managed to eat some breakfast - a blueberry bagel with cream cheese.

10 am - My mom came to get the kids while I was pacing around the house, gathering clothes and shoes and books for the kids. I kept drinking water when I was thirsty, a huge boost for my stamina throughout labor. I told Kevin I couldn’t bear to hear the “ding ding ding!” of The Price is Right, so he turned off the tv and streamed KSBJ through his computer. My contractions were getting more regular towards the end of this hour, about 5 minutes apart.

11 am - Somewhere in this hour, I decided to use the birthing pool. While Kevin and Rachel were setting it up, I remember reading my church’s recently published cookbook. (It’s funny what you remember.) I also remember feeling the need to do the dishes but not really wanting to do the dishes. Erin told me I could do pretty much whatever I wanted, that the Amish women would iron when they were in labor, so I could pull out the ironing board if I wanted. Yeah, right. My contractions were getting steadier, still about 5 minutes apart but lasting around 1 minute each. (In my pre-labor, my contractions never lasted more than 45 seconds each.)

12 pm - Rachel’s husband Thomas brought Chick-fil-A for lunch. (Although we didn’t get to eat it until about 3 pm.) I ordered an “Arnold Palmer” to drink (1/2 sweet tea, 1/2 lemonade) and it tasted so good during labor. In my birth kit was a flexible straw, and I was really curious as to WHY there was a straw there? And WHAT would it be used for? Of course, it would be used for drinking, duh. And so I did! It served its purpose. I had my drink in the pool, but it wasn’t as relaxed as I might have been, say, if I were in Tahiti. Contractions were getting more regular, about 2 minutes apart and I felt the need to push but I couldn’t push against the inflatable pool so well.

1 pm - I got out of the pool and immediately felt the most horrific pain I had ever felt in my life - I would later know this pain as back labor. I immediately fell to my knees over the birthing stool, grabbed Kevin’s forearms and (I’m sorry to say) dug my elbows into his hands during contractions. I couldn’t find any way to get comfortable. Contractions were right on top of each other and I was entering transition. I remember telling Kevin, “It hurts.” So whenever I would feel a contraction coming on, Erin would press really hard on my low back to alleviate some of the pain. Kevin prayed for me after each contraction and encouraged me when my pain was unbearable. He kept whispering, “God, give us strength.” and he told me to keep breathing and relax my whole body so that the baby could relax too.

I also remember asking if the baby’s head was crowning or if I was close to delivery, because the pain was so strong. And right after I asked, I got no answer, which I took to mean that the baby wasn’t close to delivery. So then I started panicking and worrying that the baby would not be okay. Erin reassured me that the baby was working her way into the birth canal, into my pelvis, and that all the contractions and pain would be worth it soon. Even though I wanted it to be sooner, I could feel the baby in my pelvis, getting ready to be born.

1:48 - My water broke, after only a few pushes, and the baby’s head was born, with her cord wrapped around her neck and her hand propped against her chin. (There’s a scientific name for that…) One BIG push later, and she was here! Since her hand was under her chin, it made her shoulders hard to come out, which was why I had to push so hard.

It’s hard to believe that the hardest part of this labor only lasted about 45 minutes. I am thankful I was able to enjoy my labor and that up until that hardest part, it was so calm and peaceful and relaxing. I loved being at home, in a familiar environment with my own clothes on. I loved being able to set the temperature in the room - with my previous births at the hospital, I trembled after I delivered because the hospital rooms were so cold. I loved not having people coming in and out of the room all the time. I loved not being hooked up to any sort of IV or fetal monitoring device - Erin monitored the baby with doppler.

And, the best part about the birth story was her birth! I scooped my baby girl up in my arms and held her close. I told her she was beautiful and that I was so glad she was here.

Carlee Joy Grubbs
November 10th, 2008
1:48 pm
8 lbs., 15 oz.
21″

1 comment December 19th, 2008 by Jenna

A picture is worth a thousand words.

I don’t think anyone really reads our blog; you all just get on so you can look at the pictures. I see how it is. However, I need to know how to get pictures from my camera onto the computer because somehow those pictures don’t just jump off my camera like those little guys in Super Why jump into books. If only.

Last night I went to a cookie exchange with my MOPS group. It was so fun and I had been looking forward to it all year. Carlee went with me (because she goes with me everywhere!) and so did another newborn who is only a day younger than Carlee. We set their infant carseats next to each other so they could sleep; they were so cute together! And of course, I left my camera in the car.

Today Shala called me and asked if we wanted to go to the park. I loaded the 2 girls into the double jogging stroller while Colby helped me push, and we headed out. Our kids got to play for maybe 20 minutes and then it started raining. Shala had come in her car, so we made plans to put all 6 kids and 2 adults into the car with the jogging stroller. But by the time we rounded everyone up and made several trips to the potty and moved things around in her car, it stopped raining. We did make it home in the jogging stroller without getting rained on. This time, Carlee was in the pouch sling and the big kids were in the stroller. And of course, I left my camera at home.

So, you won’t be getting any pictures today, ha! You just get to read a thousand words from me.

Add comment December 19th, 2008 by Jenna

Christmas Pics ‘08

This last weekend we setup a little “studio” in our garage to take Christmas card pictures of us and our friends the Super’s. It was a challenge to get the kids to all cooperate at one time, but I think we ended up with some good ones. We haven’t picked the final picture yet… can I have a little vote on which one is the best? I’m looking for the best family pic of all of us. Please vote in the comments.

: Family #1

: Family #2

: Family #3

: 3 Kiddos

: Daddy and Colby

14 comments December 11th, 2008 by Kevin

Snow!

Yesterday’s high was 74, this morning it was snowing. Pic of the house (didn’t get much snow in the grass because of our trees) and also out my office window at work.

Add comment December 10th, 2008 by Kevin

Respect the President.

Note: I wrote this a few days before Carlee was born but due to time constraints haven’t posted til now. Discuss.

I really struggled with the title of this post. Do I respect President-Elect Obama?

*long pause*

As a citizen of the United States, I’d better support him. I didn’t vote for him, but I’m not sure the opposition is any more worthy of my support than Obama is. More importantly, as a Christian, I’d better support him. My prayer group and I have been reading over Romans 13:1-7 and pondering the effects of what would happen if we actually obeyed these things:

¹Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. ²Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. ³For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, ⁴forhe is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. ⁵Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but alsofor the sake of conscience. ⁶For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. ⁷Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. (ESV, from Bible.com)

Do I agree with Obama? Not usually. Do I support him? I’ll plead the fifth. Do I respect him? I should.

It may be a long four years. If I’m not careful, the enemy can put very fearful thoughts into my brain about what Obama has the capability of doing and how the effects aren’t usually felt until after he is no longer President. However, due to the current economic downward spiral of our nation, the laws he could pass and the dramatic results from them could easily be felt very soon. Too soon.

But, I am giving this to God. I am praying for President Obama, as hard as it is to say. I will respect his decisions, even if they are not the right ones, but I’m praying most of all for his salvation and the salvation of those around him. I want him to be surrounded and supported by Christian people, if at all possible. It makes me teary-eyed to say these things because it’s going to mean a lot of change and a lot of prayers will need to be offered on his behalf. Am I ready to do this? I’d better be.

I don’t mean for this to sound like I’m taking the easy way out by not getting involved. I will get involved when it is necessary. But for now, we as Americans have made our bed, and now it’s time to lie in it.

Add comment December 1st, 2008 by Jenna

Thanksgiving Table

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving with family. This was my view from the end of the table.

1 comment November 27th, 2008 by Kevin

Not forgotten

Carlee is here, but we haven’t forgotten about our other two! I got to spend the morning with Colby and Kennedy earlier this week. Haircut for Colby and then playground at McD’s.

Add comment November 20th, 2008 by Kevin

Nothing’s wrong.

Wow, what a week it has been. Carlee is 8 days old now and only recently have I been able to process the events that happened on the day of her birth. I’ll share Carlee’s birth story later (It is without a doubt the highlight of the whole experience, other than looking into sweet Carlee’s face.) but I wanted to recount some of the details from my perspective.

Carlee was born at 1:48 pm. EMTs arrived at 1:58 pm. Those 10 minutes were probably the quickest 10 minutes of my life, because I didn’t know what was happening to her and I didn’t want them to take my baby away from me. When she was born, I was so relieved and so excited to get to hold her; I scooped her up in my arms and held her close to me. She squeezed my fingers. Erin asked me to put Carlee down and gave her oxygen immediately. I vaguely remember asking what was wrong? Was she not breathing correctly? I don’t remember the answer because I could tell by Carlee’s blue face and her not crying.

In that instant, I should have panicked. I should have broken down with such emotion and heartache (which is what I’m doing now, just thinking about it). Instead, I was filled with peace, knowing that nothing’s wrong with Carlee. This peace was so overwhelming that I actually felt time stand still as I looked into my baby girl’s eyes. I knew she would be okay. I just didn’t know when.

Erin told me she was glad I didn’t start hemorrhaging, because usually when a baby crashes, the Mom crashes as well. The whole time I was thinking about John 10:27 - “My sheep know my voice and I know them…” I started talking to Carlee and telling her, “This is your mommy; I’m here! I’m so glad to see you. You are beautiful.” I knew Carlee knew my voice.

For 10 long minutes we waited. As soon as the EMTs arrived, she started “pinking up” and responding. As soon as she got to the hospital, the ER docs said she looked fine and they transported her up to the NICU. All the tests came back with glowing numbers. Nothing’s wrong.

I had quite a time delivering my placenta - when the EMTs arrived, I was sitting on the floor, placenta and umbilical cord intact. Erin cut the cord so they could take Carlee to the hospital. (It is common practice for midwives to delay cord clamping so that the baby receives all nutrients possible from the Mom.) So when I needed to deliver the placenta, I distinctly remember saying, “I can’t.” I didn’t want to be away from Carlee. I wanted her there with me. So Erin prayed something like, “Lord, you have this in your hands.” I prayed too, knowing that the pain was only temporary, because nothing’s wrong. Within a few minutes I delivered the placenta without any undue pressure or pain.

And yet, when I think about those 10 minutes, I now cry, thinking about what could have happened to precious Carlee. The other day Colby came in to find me in the midst of a crying spell. He had such a face of empathy and genuine concern. (He is so very compassionate for a 3 year-old.) He asked me, “Mommy, why are you crying?” I told him, “Mommy is sad right now, but I’m happy to see you. I am always happy to see you and your sisters. Nothing’s wrong.” Colby said, “Don’t be sad, Mommy. I love you.” which only made me cry more. Thank you, Lord, that nothing’s wrong.

Add comment November 18th, 2008 by Jenna

Bath-time for Carlee

Jenna and I gave Carlee her first bath at home and these are some of the pictures. Jenna rolls her eyes when I get out the flash and umbrella to take nice pictures. I guess eventually that will pass… I am also experimenting with a new way of displaying pictures, just click and see a nice little presentation of the pics.