The wife of a Youth Minister

To some, it's a thankless job that requires lots of time and devotion. To others, it's a burden that consists of time and devotion. To say it's an easy job is far from the truth. It's emotional, trying, (thankless), burdensome, and it takes a lot of encouragement, but when the day ends it's more gratifying than you can imagine.

My name is Angela, and I'm the wife of a Youth Minister. What does the wife of a Youth Minister do you ask? Well that's easy! Nothing right? Nope! Sorry! That's wrong.

For one, I help plan activities to keep young people busy, but it's more than that...I'm a help-meet. I'm a support group. I'm a sounding board. I'm whatever my husband needs & I share his burden. That burden is to see young people saved. To encourage and uplift, and yes, to help guide and direct young people to make righteous decisions.

It's not always easy to deal with teenagers (can you say attitude?) or their parents, but I love every minute of it. I love the fact that I can make a difference; make an impact; and maybe, just maybe be a mentor to them. It takes a lot of prayer (that most times no one sees), and sometimes it seems like your prayers are in vain, and that you're never going to reach them.

And though I strive for perfection, I'm far from it. So when I see a young person make decisions that will lead them in the wrong way, I try to encourage them to get back on the right path, but it doesn't always work. So when they fall, I take it personally. I hurt...I hurt a lot, and oftentimes, I question myself.

Was I too harsh? Did I do enough? Could I have done more?

You see because when young people start making bad decisions, the don't just hurt themselves...they hurt me too. Because I have a burden for them....and when they leave for good; I grieve. I grieve as if they died. Then usually the cycle will repeat itself; I question myself, and then I grieve again. Wondering all the time if I was there enough for them.

Because of my burden, I grieve.

So just remember young person, that when the time comes for you to make some tough life decisions, just know that I will grieve, and will always be praying for you because of my burden.

Labor, delivery, and our PRECIOUS MIRACLE pt.1

"A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path."
-- Agatha Christie

Monday, September 6 - Labor day
I woke up with contractions at 2:30 am. I got up and decided to do some last minute cleaning, seeing as how I was not sleepy. They continued to come every 5-7 minutes apart. They were not that bad, but bearable...sorta like a menstrual cramp. Since Saturday's contractions only lasted a few hours, I figured it would be the same today, so I decided to wake up Joel if they continued on until 7:00 am. Well they did, and so I woke him up and told him that I had been contracting, and that if they continued we should go to the hospital around 9ish. I asked him to take a shower,and after his shower, would he mind timing the contractions for me so I could rest in between them. Of course he said okay, and after an hour of that I decided to get up and start cleaning the house/packing my bag and getting last minute things together. We ended up getting to the hospital at 11:15am. I was still hesitant to go to the hospital. I just didn't want to be sent away and be embarrassed, but Joel said it's better to be safe than sorry.

So we get there, and we are immediately hooked up to the monitors (baby and contraction) and for the next hour we are assessed and she checked me for dilation (1 1/2 cm). During this time, the machine also checked my blood pressure, and it showed it to be higher than normal. The nurse came in at around 1:00ish and said "Well since you're here, and the baby is overdue, we might as well send you downstairs and check your fluid"...and so we headed downstairs. To my further embarrassment, the technician was a male. However we got through it, and went back upstairs.

As we walked through the door, the nurse said to us, "Guess who's staying?"....at that moment, reality hit. We were about to have this baby soon; real soon! We decided to call my mom, as she is 3 hours aways. Apparently, I had low fluid. What should have been around 7-8cm of fluid was 3.5cm. Time to get the birth plan out right? Wrong!

And so preparations were made to get me into active labor with Pitocin. I told the nurse I did not want pitocin, but she told me that sometimes we have to think what is best for the baby, and the reason why we needed to get pitocin started was because we had such low fluid, and that was not healthy for the baby. So I consented.

Around 5:30pm my mom made it to the hospital, and boy was I ever glad to see her. There is just something so comforting about seeing your mom. Joel was getting hungry, and so I told him to go get something to eat. He went out to eat with a few friends (and they stopped by to say hello before heading out to bring me back my "After I have this baby dinner" of Chipotle) I was determined to have this baby before 10:00 pm...lol.

I labored for 17 hours (of which 5 were with the pitocin being increased every 45 minutes)before it started to get really bad. I decided to wait until Joel got back before I made any decisions. I wanted this birth to be as natural as possible, but the way things were going it was far from my birth plan and what I wanted. When Joel came back around 7:00pm, I waited another half an hour. The nurse came in to check me (only at 2cm...WHAT! You mean this pitocin isn't working?...all this time of laboring has been for nothing??) and said she needed to up the pitocin...I just couldn't handle it. My body was shaking so bad from the contractions, I was unsure how much more of the pitocin I could handle. She told me she had to up the pitocin in order to get my body to dilate or we would be laboring like this for 2 days.

I was left in a dilemma. Do I up the pitocin? Do I just get an epidural? Can I handle this? What about my birth plan? This is not what I wanted!!!

In the meantime, my blood pressure was all over the place and that kept making the babys heart beat drop and he was stressing out. I had to think about the baby. So I consented to an epidural....

I felt like a failure...all I did was cry through the whole thing and kept saying I did not want this. Joel was trying to be comforting, but it just wasn't working. Then in the middle of the needle being put in my back, my nose starts running. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am super self conscious....and so I asked the nurse for some tissue because of my nose. I am sure that they were all looking at me like I am weirdo...here this needle is going in my back, and all I can think about is my nose running...lol

35.6 weeks- Honey Dew this...

Today we had a Dr. Appointment. I gained another three pounds. I guess I like the three pounds every two weeks routine...lol. From this point on, we start seeing the Dr. every week until he is born.

Baby had a strong heartbeat at 150 again. Fundus was measuring small she said at 35 1/2 cm. She guesstimated that Baby Jehoshaphat would weight around 7 pounds. We got another sneak peek at him with an ultrasounds. She wanted to make sure that he was still in head down position; of course he was.

I haven't really had a lot going on this last week, (Oh, this week had two people ask if we were expecting) but I anticipate that next week will be filled with a "Honey Dew" list for Joel as the baby shower is on Saturday, and I will be adding my rocking chair and crib back to the room (hopefully)!

I got to spend time with one of my "best good friends" (thats my version of a BFF) Tammy yesterday. We went and got Pedi's. I have been telling Joel for the last three weeks or so that I was going to get my feet done before I had this baby (especially if I had to look at them while giving birth; nothing worse than looking at gnarly ugly toes)....AND if I went into labor before I got them done, you better know that I would be sitting in that pedi chair (labor pains and all) getting my toes groomed. It was nice, refreshing, and absolutely relaxing. Thanks so much Tammy.

I am sure next week's post will be filled with more special thanks as well. So without further ado, lets see...

What's new this week?

How far along: 35.6 Weeks

Maternity clothes: Yes.

Total weight gain: 17 lbs. Had a Dr. Appointment and gained yet another three pounds. I'm cringing thinking I have four more weeks to gain weight....why am I so worried? I dunno. I know you have to gain weight, but why so much? lol.

Waist: This week my waist measures in at 45".

Belly Button: Still an innie, thank the Lord, but it's getting sorta flat looking.

Best moment this week: Getting a much needed Pedicure...Thanks so much Tammy! I really, really, really, really, needed it!

Food cravings: None this week

Food aversions: Everything. Heartburn is almost over right?

Gender: He's still a boy! Check out the picture from our previous post.

Crazy Dreams: Had a bunch of crazy dreams this week, but most of them centered around me not being able to get to Joel for whatever reason it was in the dream.

What I miss: Being comfortable while singing and sitting. It never fails, every time I start singing, Baby Jehoshaphat decides its a good time to be in my ribs....and then after singing, sitting down is a nightmare with him in my ribs still. I am sure that in a few weeks time, I will be missing the feeling, but for right now the only thing I miss is being comfortable...lol

What I am looking forward to: The baby shower this Saturday. Finishing setting up the nursery.

Milestones: We made it to our weekly OB appointments. It's crazy how time is flying. I know he will be here very soon. My doctor thinks I should be right on time.



Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight


Until next post,

34.6 weeks-Nursery is on it's way towards being finished

This week has been pretty uneventful...well except for my crazy emotions...lol. This is one thing I can't wait to be normal again. It's rather embarassing. I went over to my SIL's house on Saturday night, and she and another good friend asked how I was doing....to which I simply replied "I've been emotional today."...and the next thing I know, I'm crying. It was so embarrassing, but I was so grateful that it was just in front of family. They were understanding and gave liberal hugs and in a few moments time, I was better.

I was so excited to get the nursery finished and painted. Thank you to the best husband in the world! It's like a load lifted off my plate. I ended up shampooing the carpets today as well, and last Friday, my Dad came and picked up the crib. Now I can finish decorating and setting it up once he is done painting it. Can't wait!!!

I also got to spend some time with my niece Mya. She is my little luv bug. I miss her so much when she is not around. Thanks Alex for letting her spend the week with me. We had lots of fun!

Special thanks to:

Monica H.-Thank you for the beautiful bedding. I always appreciate it when people think of me.
Jesse and Lynna- Those onsies are adorable, and Joel will be a proud papa when Baby Jehoshaphat sports them!


What's new this week?

How far along: 34.6 Weeks

Maternity clothes: Yes.

Total weight gain: 14 lbs. Have a Dr. Appointment next week, so we will see how much more I have gained.

Waist: This week my waist measures in at 44 1/2". That's a gain of 1 1/2" in one week!

Belly Button: Still an innie, thank the Lord!

Best moment this week: When Joel finished painting the nursery. Shampooing the carpets.

Food cravings: None this week

Food aversions: Everything....It gives me heartburn. I can drink water, and I get heartburn...That's okay, only 5 more weeks to endure this heartburn.

Gender: He's still a boy! Check out the picture from our previous post.

Crazy Dreams: Had a bunch of crazy dreams this week, but I forgot them...too bad!

What I miss: Energy- it's so bad I have to take naps still.

What I am looking forward to: The baby shower on August 7th. Finishing setting up the nursery.

Milestones: Baby still kicking up a storm, and gaining weight each day!



Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. His fat layers — which will help regulate his body temperature once he's born — are filling him out, making him rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever. His central nervous system is maturing and his lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

Until next post,

Happy Birthday to a wonderful husband and a wonderful Pastor's wife!!!

So today is Joel's and my Pastor's wife's birthday. Joel is officially in his last year of 20's...lol and he feels old.

We celebrated their birthdays at the Rushings house. We BBQ'd up some steaks (btw...those were sooo good) and chicken. Sides were awesome...macaroni and cheese, asparagus, zucchini and squash. I've never been a fan of zucchini, but I thought I would give it a try....and I am soooo glad I did. It was yummy!

I made a special cake for the occasion too! I saw this other blog that made a Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake (thats a layer of red velvet cake, cheesecake, and then another layer of red velvet cake topped with the traditional cream cheese frosting) and decided to make it. It came out really yummy. Here are the recipes I used:

For the Cheesecake
For the Red Velvet Cake
For the cream cheese frosting

My changes for the cheesecake are: Minus the 2 extra egg yolks; add 1tbsp of vanilla. It turned out really yummy. I was very happy with the texture and taste.

As far as the Red Velvet cake, you might want to consider using a simple syrup to keep it moistened. I have noticed when I bake and split the cake, every time the bottom piece is always drier than the top. Weird I know.

And the cream cheese frosting is to die for.

Here's to another year older. Love you Joel and Sis. Rushing. I hope you had a fantastic day!

Emotions of a pregnant lady...

I never knew that a baby mobile could bring me to tears, but that is exactly what happened to me this afternoon. I am constantly looking for things for the nursery, and today while surfing eBay, I found the perfect baby mobile. As most of you know, I decided to go with a vintage theme. It can get rather expensive looking for decor, so I limit myself to looking for certain things, and today I decided to check out the vintage mobile section on eBay....and then I found it.

I immediately called Joel and asked if I could make a "best offer", and after thinking about it, he said "Why not?"....and so I did.....and then I waited....and waited...(okay so my wait time was probably about an hour, but that is an eternity when you want something, and it's perfect, and you have to have it, and know right now that you're going to get it), and then I checked my email and saw that they accepted my offer....and then the emotions started coming. First I got so excited, and I sent a text to Joel telling him the good news, and the next thing I know, I'M BAWLING LIKE A BABY!

I know to most people it sounds silly, but to those that have been pregnant before, you understand (at least I hope you do, and I am not the only weird one to ever cry over something as silly as a baby mobile...lol)

So without further ado, here are a few pictures of the mobile that made me cry today. It's going to look perfect in the nursery....and for those who are worried, it is just for looks, and baby will not be "playing with it" due to the small choking hazards it possesses.







It is authentic vintage from the 1950's that is Brand new in the box. How cool is that? Also, here is a reminder picture of the two decorative toys already purchased for the nursery.


The duck is a reproduction, but the apple is vintage. Aren't they so cute?

Until next post,

My husband has a new blog

So most might not know that Joel loves writing, and has always loved to write stories. With much encouragement, he has decided to start blogging his short stories. Now please keep in mind, he is still working on them, but your feedback would be much appreciated. So if you have a few minutes, stop by and read "a piece of his heart".

Love you Joel, and I know that you are a good writer. Who know's, maybe you'll be the next Harlan Coban, or Stephanie Meyer's....

His blog can be found here or in the left sidebar under "My favorite blogs".