A year in review...and merry Christmas!

We've had a great year filled with many fond memories. Sophy turned 3, Joshua was born (at home, waterbirth, VBAC-for those interested), my family visited several times, we organized a neighbborhood preschool co-op that Sophy's been going to, Troy built garden boxes in our backyard that were bountiful, we went to St. George as a family to see the Tuacahn plays, Troy refinished our table and chairs (they now look like a $1,000 set from RC Willey!), Emily is busy babysitting 1 infant-crawler and 2 three yr olds pretty much full time which makes Sophy's days very busy, and we are happy to have family here for Christmas! We are grateful for our Heavenly Father, His son Jesus Christ, all of our friends, and family especially at this time. Thanks for all of your love!
Hope your year has been great! Let us know!
Merry Christmas, The Gerbers =)

August Fun

We have had so much fun this summer! Here are a few pics from this last month! I can't believe we took Sophy (and Joshua) camping for the first time (SHE LOVED IT!), got to visit my siblings in Idaho, ride the Trax train for free (now Troy takes it to work everyday), and so much more! Enjoy our fun! We love you!

What you see is what we did...

What's up with us? See for yourself! :)

Too much fun, that's what! Thanks for the fun mom!

Joshua, Garden, and Sophy

We built a garden, and here are some new pics of Joshua...1 month. You can see how much he loves his sister. Also, you'll be able to see his CLOTH DIAPERS! Yes we do cloth now...and no it's not hard or gross...and yes it does save us alot of money! :)

Anyone that reads my Blog still will get the WHOLE SCOOP!

Well, the time finally came! We had our deliciously cute baby boy. Joshua Kimball Gerber at 7lbs 7 oz and 20.5 in at 10:54am on April 7th, at HOME :) The weeks before I was going crazy. I was so excited for him to come (and so BIG!) that I couldn't wait. I organized every room in the whole house, planned events, put together most of a wedding book for a friend (love you Nicki!), cleaned and organized the basement (thank you mom!), and finished 3 major home decor crafts (all of which I knew NOTHING about before going into them). My mom was visiting for 2 weeks and we figured that would give PLENTY of time for her to help me a little before the baby came and then alot after he came. Not so much! He was like Sophy, figured he knew better than the technicians and the "due date" calendar and decided to come 8 days over the expected. Sophy was 9. We planned a home birth and were soo excited for it that I remember crying to my midwife (the day I ended up going into labor oddly) that I'd never been so excited to go through pain in my life! That day Troy and I went walking 3.5 miles around Daybreak (a park/community near our neighborhood) including up and over bridges and up and down the hill leading to the Oquihrr Mt. Temple. We did 3.5 miles the day before as well. Needless to say, Wed, April 6th (a very significant day to me, serving a mission in Kirtland, OH and also a "due date" I selected for myself when the other ones didn't "work") my water broke.

I was having a consistent pattern of contractions from 4pm on, and at 7pm my water broke. From that point we called the midwife to let her know, and Troy's sister Tandi came over (who has gone through midwifery school as well). We talked, I walked, threw up, then Tandi told Troy to push on 2 pressure points on my lower back when I'd have contractions. Then I didn't feel like throwing up anymore! Priceless! Around 12am April 7th my midwife came. We worked on different positions and continued through the contractions. My mom was still here, but was to leave later that day...so she changed her flight for a day later :) I hit Transition around 7am April 7th. Troy's mom had come to pick up Sophy and was told it may be as soon as 20 more minutes until the baby came. I had a hard time relaxing. Joshua was posterior and I was having alot of back labor. We switched from laying on my side on our bed, to the toilet, to standing up pushing the wall, to the bathtub (which always felt really good!). I ended up doing repeat patterns of that while getting tired of hearing "I can see the head, just keep pushing! You can do it!" or when they could tell I needed a break "Just breathe through this one" (that was pretty funny to me as it actually felt better to push than to breath through anything). It was very hard, but he came out finally, in the bathtub with my midwife guiding him out.

I sat down afterward not remembering that a baby came out, but just that I had accomplished something amazing and was done. Then my midwife (right after she'd guided him out, and wiped off his eyes a little) said, "Emily catch your baby..." She guided him into my arms, and I put him right on my chest. where he immediately looked up at me and then Troy (who was right behind me in the tub). Then he immediately started trying to nurse. GOOD BOY!! I held him for awhile not able to believe what had just happened. It seemed like forever, and pretty near impossible. They had checked his heart rate all along the way and he was perfectly healthy and happy through the whole thing. He is strong and beautiful.

The experience was amazing. I had a VBAC naturally and at home! There were angels present. Many times I felt like my Savior and said "I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE! I've done ALL that I CAN DO!" I even continued to tell my midwife to take the baby out herself (to which she responded, "I wish I could, but you are the only one that can do this, and you can."--like the amazing midwife she is. At one point I remembered looking up to heaven and saying "Heavenly Father, please help me! I cannot do this alone. I need your help. You are the only one that can help me." I know that He did. I know that I was blessed with much much more power and strength than I EVER have had on my own. I was very weak at the end and I know I was giving everything I had...then something changed and came over me, and I pushed harder than I had strength to do times about 10. He ended up coming out anterior (the "right" way) by switching on his way out.

I thank the angels and the many who were praying without even knowing what I was going through. I thank my Heavenly Father that He allowed me to be the mother of this special boy who could have come to this world any way, but was able to come in a magnificent way and enabled me to learn so much about sacrifice for those you love and peace. I happened to read one of my favorite scripture that day, Helaman 5:12, "And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the^arock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your ^bfoundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty ^cstorm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."

This scripture, oddly enough helped me cope with the miscarriage I had almost exactly a year ago (March 26th, one of our due dates for this baby also). I now feel so much strength and hope from it but in a much different way. God has a plan for each one of us. When we find out what it is, we need to follow it with all of our hearts and He will NEVER leave us alone. Especially with things that only we can do.

Upcoming Birth Excitement...and hardship

I've been having a hard time lately. Troy and I have decided to have a homebirth...not a decision we have come upon lightly. We have prayed and researched heavily about many different options and feel this is the best one for us. Moving forward, we are excited because we know we are making the right choice for us. Since then I've had many well meaning friends tell me they are worried for me when I really want their support and excitement at this special time in our lives. I know it's scary, but birth is scary no matter where it happens. I know the odds and much of the info, more than some of my friends think I do I'm sure. I love you all and I am grateful for so many different options. One is not right for everyone and I support others in their choice. If there is anyone who wants to tell me they are excited for me, I could really use that now. :)