Back in Charlotte

So to recap on what has been going on in our lives for the last year or so. I took a job with Mesa Airlines in Charlotte last May when we found out Mikayla was on the way. We decided moving in with family was the best option to be able to pay off debt. We moved to Charlotte in October. I stayed with Mesa till the end of the year and finally found a job closer to preparation for Missionary Aviation. I started working with Mountain Air Cargo, a FEDEX feeder operation, at the beginning of the year. The fly ATR 42's and 72's and my favorite the Cessna 208 Caravan. The Caravan is a good aircraft for a lot of missionary aviation applications which get me excited about learning as much as I can about it. I work as a Maintenance Controller and basically coordinate the maintenance operations for the aircraft. We stay in the loop with everything maintenance related for the aircraft. Part of my job is to assist mechanics in troubleshooting problems with the aircraft. So I am pleased to be able to attend Cessna Caravan Maintenance Training at Flight Safety this year as well as G1000 Avionics training. This training is definitely going to help me in terms of future missionary aviation work. The company also reimburses for college classes so I should be able to finally take some bible classes, most likely online. We are adjusting to life with family around, and we're excited that we get to see them so much. Please pray for my hopefully soon application to the FAA for a color-vision waiver, and for a place I can flight instruct in the area. Here is a picture of the Cessna Caravan.

Blessed Beyond Our Wildest Dreams... Picking up where we left off

Dear friends, we are really horrible at blogging. There are so many things to catch you up on. First off... little did we know that while posting our last blog, we were pregnant with our sweet baby girl, Mikayla. We will just say since then, our time hasn't been the same :). We found out on December 4, 2011 that we were pregnant. Looking back at the weeks before I, Katy, really did indulge a lot more on Thanksgiving than usual.

First Ultrasound December 14

Due Date is August 12, 2012

Second Ultrasound December 22, got to hear the baby's heartbeat!

It was such an amazing sound, we were so blessed to be able to tell family for Christmas!

Katy didn't start showing until about 14 weeks, here is her progression(if you missed it on Facebook or Instagram) :)

 

 

IT'S A GIRL!!!!

Overall the pregnancy went very well and we were blessed to have no complications. I craved sushi, chili cheese fries, watermelon and Krispie Kreme Doughnuts.

Labor and Delivery
The evening of August 14 the contractions started, it was insane! At 12 minutes apart for the whole night, we thought for sure that she would be here by the 15th. The morning of the 15th contractions were at 5 minutes and the doctor said to head to the hospital. I had really wanted to go "all natural", I'm so glad that I was open to other options and I knew what my choices were. We got to the hospital around 7:30 am. My BP was up and I was at 4cm so they wanted me to admit me and I had to stay in bed until my BP went down. I also had to have an antibiotic for Group B Strep. I'm allergic to the main antibiotic that they usually use so they had something different... I still had a reaction so they just pumped me with something else. Only pop-cicles, jello and fluids for me from here on out.

Here is the scripture that I tried to keep in mind while I was in labor: 

Hebrews 10:35 

"So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! [a baby!] Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that He has promised." (NLT)

I am walking in God's will when I demonstrate patience! It brings great reward! My sweet baby girl is coming soon!

We had an amazing team of nurses, I say team because I literally went through 3 different work shifts while there. Mikayla was taking her time and making me very uncomfortable. I had not progressed any and it was past lunch time(about 1?) and I was very tired from all the contractions. I couldn't relax any between them, so we talked about getting some pain medicine to help me to feel better. I was able to take a nice nap with minimal pain, only hoping to wake up just in time for her to be here. When I woke up the contractions were easier to manage and I felt that I had enough energy to make it up until she was ready to be here. Little did I know that she had decided to turn her head and was about to make it very difficult for me to do anything. I was in lots of pain and was doing my best to push through, but i was getting no where. Every time my Midwife came in she said that I hadn't progressed anywhere past 5cm. I had an amazing cheering team with me. My Mom and Pop (now known as 'Gigi' and 'Papa'), one of my best friends Gayla and her daughter Leia and Michael's mom. They were all amazing to have by my side.

By about 11pm the pain was unbearable and I was getting sick to my stomach. Michael and I talked and we decided that I needed to induce and have the epidural. when my midwife checked, I was 8cm! Only 2cm away from my baby girl being here! I don't think that I could have lasted however long it would have taken for 2cm. Meanwhile.... it was the longest hour of my life waiting for the anaesthesiologist to come and make all the pain go away! Have I mentioned that Michael was just cool as a cucumber the whole time? He was so relaxed(even if he wasn't inside). I have never needed him so much than when I was getting my epidural. I was going almost hysterical. The contractions felt seconds apart and I couldn't have relaxed if he wasn't there. He is amazing. I love him so much. 

I had the blessing of sleep until about 6am the next morning when my medicine ran out. By now I have gone through 3 midwives from the practice that I go to and who knows how many nurses. After about two hours and a whole lot of action on my part, our sweet baby girl was born!

The Lord was the only one that knew I was really going to need patience through this whole process :)

Baby girl had other plans than being here when we wanted her to. She was born on Thursday August 16, 2012 at 8:14 and weighing in at 8lbs and was 21.25 inches long.

 Mikayla Jordan Ferris

 Check out those long fingers!

My first time holding her.

Snuggles with Daddy... He's a natural.

First Bath and Footprints

Thanksgiving with the family.

We are spending the night playing cards with the family in Richmond, VA. Michael's sister Kate is in town from Alaska with her boyfriend Daniel for the last night. We are all playing progressive rummy and they fly out early in the morning. Pray that they have safe travels back to home in Anchorage. Pray for us as we pray for God's will for our next stage. We are interested in the possibilities of moving overseas for work to live in a new culture or even to Alaska for an adventure near Michael's sister in a great place for flying experience.