Main Street Makes a Visit

My team members and dear friends on staff at Main Street stopped by to give their best to our little one.

Bob Franklin (Senior Pastor), Phillip Brunner (Worship Pastor)
& Diana Reis (Assistant to the Pastor)

Wayne Deffinger (Youth Pastor)
Only missing Jan & Arlie.  Someone had to stay back and keep the fort.

Our Little Family

The Garrison’s
Shane, Jennifer, Isaac & Ethan

 (dark hair all around)

The Amazing Race to the Hospital

In all the rush and hoopla of the past 24 hours, I noticed I didn’t share the story of the birth.  My apologies, but I know everyone wanted pictures more than words.  So anywho, here it is.

Yesterday (Monday), Jennifer went to the doctor’s office for a BP check.  Her BP was fine so they sent her home without even a dialation check.  She got home around 1:30 pm.  Starting about 1:45, she started have contractions 15 minutes apart.  As the afternoon progressed, so did the contractions and the severity.

I talked with Jennifer a couple times during the afternoon by phone, she didn’t say anything other than she was having normal contractions.  I had a late meeting that kept me at church until about 5:40.  I rushed out to pick up Isaac from the sitter and then home to check on Jennifer.  When I walked in the door, she was in serious labor. 

I immediately got Isaac’s overnight bag and called the Deffingers, our dear friends and emergency go-to.  I got him over there and settled in and then quickly back to Jennifer.  I rushed her in the car and we were off to the hospital.

Once we arrived at the Family Birthing Center at St. Elizabeth Hospital, they checked Jennifer in and immediately called her doctor.  She was WAY ADVANCED and the contractions were about 1 or 2 minutes apart.  They got all the lab work processed STAT (very ER-like).  I was given a gown, mask, and slippers and told to make a few calls to let everyone know the baby was coming very soon.

They took Jennifer to the operating room and prepared her for the c-section.  We arrived at the hospital around 6:45 pm and the baby was in our arms by 8:20pm.  That is VERRRRRYYYY QUICKKKKK.  No messing around.  No breathing techniques or walking up the halls trying to get Jennifer’s labor to progress.  This baby was ready to come.

And now he is here.  O what a blessing he is!!!

I Just Can’t Help My Self

More pics of my new boy.  Can you tell I a proud poppa?  Mom is doing great.  Isaac will be meeting his little brother this afternoon.  Family are on their way. 

He’s HERE!!!!!

Ethan Cade Garrison

Born Monday, October 29 at 8:18 PM at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Edgewood, KY.
Weight:  8 lbs 8.5 oz.
Height:  22 inchs

Jennifer is doing great.  She did wonderful and had no complications.
We are in Rm. 1331.  The phone number is 859.301.5071.

Here are the first pics.
 

Otterville to the Rescue

With Isaac being gone all week long at his Aunt Jan Jan’s, we decided that when he got home he would take his cousins to one of his favorite places in town.  The destination: Totter’s Otterville at Johnny’s Toys.  Here are a few pics from our little trip.

www.johnnystoys.com

Home Sweet Home

The Doc gave us the green light to come home.  We were out of there as fast as possible.  Jennifer has been ORDERED to strict bedrest.  No cooking, no cleaning, no laundry, no shopping, just sitting down.  That will prove to be my toughest job yet.  Keeping her still.

But we are so glad to be home for a few days.  The scheduled C-section is in a week.  If Jennifer goes into labor before then, so be it.  But for now, we should be expecting our little one next Friday.

TGIF

Two options today for the continuing saga of the Garrison clan.  1.  The doctor comes in and says, “You can go home.”  2.  The doctor comes in and says, “You need to stay over the weekend.”  Jennifer is ready to get some rest in her own bed.  I am ready to have her home, knowing that then the baby comes we will be right back here for 3 or 4 days.

It has been a long week.  We want to go home.

No News is Good News

I don’t like that expression, but that is our case this morning.  After they got Jennifer on IV fluids yesterday, the contractions eased, which meant no baby.  Last night, not many contractions at all.  And starting this morning, it appears it is going to be a “sit and wait” day.

The doctor will come in and check on things this morning, but it appears we will not have any new news until tomorrow (Friday).  Then Jennifer will be at 38 weeks which means we will have a much more developed little baby boy and that is definitely what we want.

Till Friday. Blessings to all.

Wednesday Waiting Pt. 2

Well, we might have the baby today. Jennifer has been having contractions since about 4 AM this morning. The Doc said that if they continue and Jennifer gets to 5 cm diliation, then the baby is coming out today. However, they are trying to stop the contractions with IV fluids. If the slowing stops, then we are back on the previous plan…staying here through the weekend. We are ok with either plan.

Wednesday Waiting

It’s Wednesday morning.  We are still at the hospital.  We are going to be here for quick some time.  Isaac went to stay with his Aunt Jan and Nanna and Papaw (Jennifer’s parents).  He will be there until Friday when they come back up for the weekend.

The doctor should be checking on Jennifer this morning, but we don’t expect anything new.  Friday will be the big day.  Jennifer hits 38 weeks on Friday which means they will be ok to section the baby out anytime after that. 

No Baby…Long Stay

Well, the baby is not coming home today.  The birth will most likely be on Friday (or even possibly early next week).  And guess what, Jennifer is not coming home either.  She has been ordered to stay in the hospital until the baby comes.

So we get a beautiful 7 day, 6 night retreat at the Shangra La Hotel & Spa in the St. Elizabeth Hospital.  An all-inclusive resort with fabulous meals provided three times daily.  Amenities include daily excursions to the bathroom, free cable TV and high-speed Internet, a friendly staff who checks on our every need around the clock and a great view of the cafeteria and parking lot.

Just for those who are wondering, Isaac is doing fine.  Many people have offered to help care for him.  I am running back and forth between church, the house, and the hospital.  Family will be coming and going and returning again on the weekend.  It should be a very fun week.

Baby By Tuesday?

Jennifer was admitted to the hospital this afternoon after a doctor’s visit.  The baby may be with us tomorrow sometime.  They have not given us a definitive word, just a BIG MAYBE.  We should know something by mid morning.  They may send us home, they may deliver the baby.  Who knows?

So till then, we are at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital.  If you would like to check in on us, our room number is 3102.  The room phone number is 859.301.5183.

Duty to Donate

I was listening to an episode of the Albert Mohler radio show today while taking a walk with my boy.  The topic was organ donation.  The discussion was whether or not Christians are ethically and morally REQUIRED to offer their organs for donation when they die.  How should Christian persons view organ donation which now includes nearly every major organ and some not so major, like the corneas of your eyes?

Giving blood has always been a proper Christian response to tradegy or public need.  Giving money to families seeking an organ donation or who have outrageous medical bills is very regular.  But is giving your own organs a Christian imperative?

After hearing the debate on the radio show along with a couple extraordinary stories from call-in listeners, I came home and signed my organ donor card with my wife as the witness.  While I don’t believe it is a moral imperative for Christians, I do believe it is giving life to another soul.  What more can we do to emulate Christ than give part of our life for another.  I firmly believe I will be in the presence of the Lord when I die, if my human body can be used for good, so be it. 

17 Days to Launch

17 Days and counting.  Congrats to the four winners of the name contest.  Four folks figured out the first name of our little guy using my Bible clues.  Others may have gotten the name right, but these are the only ones who checked their guess with me.

The winners were: J. Martin, W. Warren, W. Scott, and my friend living abroad (name removed for security reasons).

Jennifer went to the doctor today and she is 1 cm. dilated.  She is having some blood pressure issues which is not good, but no reason for concern.  She is going to make a return visit to the doc. on Thursday.

We shall keep you informed.

Cheapest Halloween Costume Ever

We are NOT a big Halloween family.  We don’t decorate the house with ghosts and goblins.  We don’t go to haunted houses and we surely don’t spend big money for a costume.  Last year, Isaac was a teddy bear.  (The costume was a loaner.)  So this year, we needed to purchase or borrow a costume for our 2 year old.  This is what we came up with. 

$1.00 at the grocery store.  Is this not the cheapest Halloween costume ever?  A plastic vest, toy hammer, and walkie-talkie all for a buck.  Fireman Isaac will be patroling the neighborhood streets on Oct. 31 (that is if his baby brother doesn’t come that day). 

The funny thing is that the grocery store was running low on these $1 costumes.  It appeared that quite a few costumes had been purchased by other families.  Are there people out there as cheap as us?  Is that possible?  Trick or Treat.

Navigating the Call

When a man or woman receives a call on their life by God, many new things enter their thinking & praying process.  I deeply believe that ALL followers of Christ receive a call of some sort.  A call to faith.  A call to repentance.  A call to deny oneself and take up your cross.  But by “call” in this post I mean the leading of God for certain individuals to serve in a vocational manner for the kingdom of God.  A call to vocational ministry.

I received such a call as a college sophomore.  The call resulted in me adding a second major to my college education.  The call resulted in me moving from KY to Fort Worth, TX to attend seminary.  The call resulted in me being very selective in who I dated and ultimately, who I married.  (Spouses must share the call.)

The call has impacted all aspects of my life.  My family relationships.  My friendships.  My finances.  My entertainment choices.  My private and public behaviors.  More than anything else, it has impacted my faith and desire to obey God’s plan for my life.  I have no say in what God chooses to do with me.  I must seek His direction, guidance and will.  I must be willing to go wherever He leads.  I must submit to His provision and plan for my life.  I am but a servant, He is my master.

But in this call there is much grace.  For I know that God’s plan for my life is so GOOD and PERFECT.  It is better than anything I could foster for myself.  It is filled with contentment and joy.  While suffering and hardships are inevitably a part of this plan, God uses those things also for my good and for the development of my faith.

He is the Navigator of my life, I am just along for the ride. 

The Life of David Brainerd

You probably have never heard of David Brainerd.  I hadn’t either until yesterday.  I was checking the Desiring God blog of John Piper and they informed their readers of a free audio book download at www.christianaudio.com about The Life of David Brainerd.  The writer of the biography was Jonathon Edwards.  I was intrigued by the offer to read/listen to the writings of Edwards and to hear a biography from a preacher/pastor/missionary living in the 1700′s.  So I downloaded the book, mostly because it was free and I like old biographies.

I have listened to the preface, the introduction, and most of chapter 1.  It is simply fascinating.  This man, David Brainerd, struggled all his life with what he calls “melancholy.”  Today, we would call it depression or self-doubt.  His personal introspection and deep understanding of the human heart is so engaging.  I have found myself asking, “Why don’t I think about life and faith and salvation with this kind of depth and heaviness.”

I would highly recommend it to you.  Of course, I haven’t got through the whole thing, so it may be better (or worse) in the end, but I think it will get better and better. 

Check it out here.  (The free download is only good through October.)

National Aviation Museum 10.06.07

We took a little day trip to the National Aviation Museum at the Wright Patternson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH.  Very cool museum with tons of planes.  Here are a few pics from our day. My favorite is the Puppy Astronaut.

What’s in a Name?

Some have asked what name have we chosen for our new son.  Well, we have one picked out, but only the middle name has been released to the public.  But I will give you some detail as to what the first name is, without actually giving it away.  And I will explain the middle name a bit more too.

His name will be:  ___________ CADE GARRISON

______________ means “strong,” “firm,” “enduring”and “gift of the island” (I am not sure what the gift of the island means, but I like the other ones).  The name is found in the Old Testament 8 times.  The name is very special because a whole psalm was written by a man with the same name.  The psalm written is one of the most beautiful in all the scriptures and the lyrics are used in tons of worship songs.  Can you guess what it is?

His middle name will be: CADE which is short for “kadesh.”  Kadesh is Hebrew for “holy.”  There is a story behind this one.  When we were pregnant with Isaac (meaning “laughter” and “child of promise”), Jennifer and I found out that we were both carriers for the genetic mutation for Cystic Fibrous or CF.  Because of this, any children we bear will have a 1 in 4 chance (25%) of having the disease.  Isaac was born and tested and is completely free from CF or from even having the genetic mutation.  Praise the Lord.

However, when we found out were pregnant again with #2, the whole CF thing started right back up.  I asked for prayer on a discussion board with my fellow Cohort buddies at Southern Seminary.  A former graduate of Southern was reading through the prayer requests and found my story.  This is a segment of what he wrote to us.  I have removed his name for privacy.

Your latest blog did catch my eyes because the 1 in four chances that you are praying for now is my four year old son. CF is the most unfair thing I have ever heard of BUT there is so much going in the right direction now it would make your head spin. Our son is doing great…And know that CF, cancer or hurricanes are really no big deal for our Gracious God. Our son has lived more of a life than most people 8 times his age…Take it in stride with hope. I truly will pray for a healthy life for my son but not at the expense of a holy life. I will commit to pray for your family as you approach the blessed event of welcoming your new baby!! God Bless.

We are committing to raise our second child to a life of “holiness,” not just “health-iness.”  We pray he is strong, enduring in faith, and seeking holiness from our Gracious God.  The words of this email radically shifted my mindset and ultimately we felt it had to be part of his name to remind us of these very important words.

So there’s the story…the unveiling of the first name will come soon.