2 Strange Happenings on Friday Night

Last Friday, September 26, it began to rain. Rain is very unusual in Ankara (until this past week, I don't think it had rained since May or early June). Not only did it rain, it down poured. Those of us left at school by 5pm Friday even watched the outdoor overhead light fixtures fill with rain and turn into full blast shower heads. Then it began to hail. At that point, something told me the night was strange enough that we just might see an appearance of our baby boy before midnight.

We locked up the school and headed home to pick up our bags just in case we needed to go straight to the hospital. Ross took me to the Armada, which is a large mall near us, just across the street from my hospital. We had a dinner of Chinese food and when my watch hit 7pm, I popped a miracle pill. My doctor had given me a medication that is technically for heartburn, but has a side effect of triggering labor. She told me to take it Friday evening and we'd meet at the hospital in the morning, if not sooner. Thankfully, my friend Tiffany warned me that it worked for her within a 1/2 hour.

As I said, I took the pill, to which Ross exclaimed, "You just took it?! Just like that? No comment? No analyzing?!" I trotted off to the bathroom, wondering if this pill would even work...10 minutes later Ross began calling my cell phone (do you know how embarrassing it is to be called in a restroom stall?) and threatening to come in after me. I assured him that I was fine, but the pill was working. By 7:20, my contractions were 2 minutes apart. I asked for a cappuchino, in case the night went long, and we started walking the mall. I really was content to keep on walking until they got more severe, but Ross insisted we call the doctor. She told us to head straight over.

When we checked in at the ER, Ross left me and began searching for a newspaper. I held my tongue but continued to watch in complete shock that he felt he'd have time to read a newspaper in the delivery room. After we got to the room, I said, "Can you fill me in on the intense newspaper search?" He said, "I think this boy is going to be born before midnight and I want the day's newspaper for him!" :) Oh. Glad I held my tongue.

By the time we got to our room and met with my doctor, it was about 8:00. At 10:10pm, Benaiah(Ben-I-uh)Ross Campbell entered the world. Even though we had been told he was a boy (and this was a first for us to find out ahead of time), my first response was just complete shock and amazement that we had a boy. And of course, lots of that love that is indescribable when you see your offspring for the first time.

He was a whopping 8 lbs, 12 oz, and 21 inches long. His first few minutes with the pediatrician brought cries followed by the saddest frowns between cries you have ever seen. I am attaching my favorite picture because it captures it perfectly.

The joy that comes with being given such a gift as a newborn baby, entrusted to us by the Lord, is beyond description. How can I blog such deep wonder and love? It's impossible. He is perfect. We don't deserve such a privilege as becoming parents, and yet God has allowed me to do this 5 times and has given me a son on the tail end of our family.

So the 2 strange happenings...a hailstorm and a boy for the Campbells, both rarely, if ever seen, and both on Friday night.

New Labor Induction Techinique for only $1.50

On Monday, I left at 4 in the afternoon with Mary Erin in charge of Annika and Eva at home, and Esther still in her Tae Kwon Do class, with Ross soon to bring her home. I walked down our street and caught the dolmus (small public mini-bus). As soon as he took off, I realized I had a madman as a driver. He was FLYING. I could not even get the money out of my purse safely so I just hung on. A very nice covered lady stood and gave me her seat. I have NEVER in my years here had a dolmus ride like that. On the first stretch, he almost rear-ended 3 cars, then he swung into the turn. We should have lined up behind the 15 cars in front of us, but instead he bypassed them all as they waited at the stop light, using the oncoming lane to pass, nudged his way into the front of the stop light line, then flew thru the intersection in front of everyone. I thought how glad I was my kids weren't on the bus! At that point, I thought, "I need to get off this bus." But my only alternative was to get off on a major highway and try to catch another bus there, another dangerous thing to do. So I stayed on it. While on the ride, he ran red lights, swerved in and out of traffic, yelled at all the passengers to find out where they wanted off ahead of time. It was clear he was not going to go the route, he was going to just drop us where we wanted and take shortcuts. As we passed police cars, he yelled at those standing to sit down, so he would not be pulled over for filling his bus too full. Well my 30-45 min. normal bus ride was 10 minutes flat. I was talking to Ross on the phone just before I got on, then called and said, "Guess what...I am here." He could not believe it! I laughingly called a friend and said, "Well if that dolmus ride doesn't put me in labor, nothing will!" I took another short bus ride to my clinic and was a full 30 min. early b/c of that driver!

So, I taxied back to the bus station and hopped on my dolmus and wouldn't you know I had 4 contractions on the way home! They stopped some time during the night, but I would have had a good laugh if I was right and that bus ride started it all! And to think, it was only $1.50 and just down the street all along.

Contractions

I think I learned all about contractions in about the Second Grade. They seemed so easy then. You take 2 words and make them into one word, by putting a little 'comma in the sky'. Well those days of easy contracting are over. For whatever reason, my body contracts for about a full month prior to baby delivery. This phenomenon started with my second daughter Annika. Being only baby #2, I was clueless. Every time I felt pain, I wondered, "Is this it?" Now doing this again with baby #5, I have gotten a little smarter. I assume, "This is most certainly NOT it." and I continue on with life. Last night I was awoken by some pretty extreme contractions at 12:20pm. I sat straight up and breathed deeply, then got out of bed. 15 minutes later another followed, and so on. I decided to record them because of the intensity. But how does one entertain herself during such an episode? I got on facebook, I called my sister-in-law, I made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for the 1 daughter who opted not to order a slice of pizza on Friday pizza day, then I got into the bag of Tostados with a 'hint of lime' that was a gift from a friend with US Base Access. Along about 3:45, 3 hours after they began, I went back to bed and they stopped. I just don't remember having this much trouble figuring out contractions in 2nd grade.

Where did the time go?

It is hard for me to believe that I have not blogged in 3 months! I guess during June, July, and August, I just put it on hold and decided to live it rather than live it and blog it. But I am back!

Our summer was good...rather than post 50 times, I'll highlight the summer in 1 post.

-I arrived in the US 2 weeks before Ross (with Annika and Eva) and that was tough. Esther, back in Turkey with Papa, became sick. Mary Erin became her babysitter while Papa closed out the school year. Mary Erin and I baked cookies together via the phone and learned how to instant message each other on the computer daily. I was so happy when the time came for them to join us and don't plan to separate again unless by an act of God or the Turkish police!

-We enjoyed family time with the Campbells and Fishes. Eva went from calling her cousins "friends" when seeing them in photos to being able to name all 8!

-We spent one week attending a VBS called Jerusalem Marketplace. I was a helper and was dressed as a very pregnant Jewish housewife all week.

-Eva turned 3 in July and has mentioned her birthday, cake, candles, party daily since. The next morning she said, "Let's do that again today, ok, mom?"

-The kids got to take swim lessons again and I happily watched my children surpass my swimming and diving skills.

-Ross gave Esther daily bike riding lessons and she eventually began breaking rather than jumping off the bike when she was done.

-We enjoyed the people most of all...family, dear friends, time to catch up.

-We headed out on a Friday afternoon, planning to arrive in Ankara by Saturday evening. The following Tuesday night we finally made it (after delays and nights spent in both Memphis and London). Our bags made it by Thursday night, soaking wet.

Photos soon to follow!

The beginning of summer

Well, it is time for summer to begin. School ends on June 13. This summer, Ross agreed for me to fly home a little early with 2 of the girls. He'll follow me 2 weeks later with the other 2 girls.

I always start to get mixed emotions this time of year. Perhaps you can identify, but it is like when you are working a very stressful job all week and you keep thinking, "If I could just make it to the weekend." There is this wonderful delicious feeling all week anticipating your weekend plans (or even better, lack thereof), and as the day approaches, you begin to think of it more and more often. But then Friday afternoon comes, and you also begin to think, "Saturday is almost here, that means Saturday is almost over." Just at the moment you should be enjoying maximum realization that you have made it, you are also dreading that the weekend is going to be over again.

I have always loved my jobs and never really longed for weekends like I am sure some people do. But I do long for my summers. During the summer, I leave so many things that are hard...like struggling at the grocery store just to ask where an item is; escaping a culture that is fascinating, yet so very different from mine that it can be exhausting just to function here; and missing the comforts of home. And then also I gain so many things when I arrive back in the USA...some of my favorites are the worship at my home fellowship; walmart/target/walgreens and the ease of shopping there; delicious restaurants with variety and menus in English; and the most treasured, time with family that we have left. So I am just on the verge of getting all that, but I also know that as soon as it begins, it will quickly pass and we will leave again. No deep theological point here, just one of those weird feelings I get this time of year. It has gotten easier to leave, but I doubt I'll ever call it 'easy'.

Annika, Eva and I will leave on Wednesday morning to begin the 24 hour journey home. I so wish I weren't leaving my other kids. I have the laundry caught up and meals in the freezer and their summer clothes packed for them, but how do I leave my heart behind for them should they need it? Phone calling...emailing...a little treasure from Mom to open each morning...still, I'll be glad when we are reunited.

Mother's Day at our house

Ross feels that he has finally 'arrived.' His kids are now old enough to not only remember Mother's Day, but also bring home those wonderful homemade gifts for me. (It should be noted, without any bitterness, that my very first Mother's Day with a 1 month old babe, was completely forgotten.) This is the time he has been waiting for. Not only does he not have to remember, he has a daily reminder from one of the 4 girls for at least 2 weeks leading up to the big day. He is counting on this service for many years to come.

So for this Mother's Day, I was treated to breakfast prepared by my husband and children. (My only request the night before is that no one get up at 5am to fix it early and 'surprise' me. One year in December I was greeted by Mary Erin, dressed as Santa Lucia, at this hour. I tried to be gracious in my stupor.) So, yesterday a beautiful Turkish breakfast was spread...bread with honey and butter, an olive plate, cucumber slices, boiled eggs, a bowl of fruit, plain yogurt, a cheese plate. I was only asked to make the Turkish tea. This is our standard Sunday morning fare, but this time I didn't have to prepare it. It was agreed by all before I walked in that somehow a rotten egg had been boiled, for the kitchen smell was pungent. But this was a smell I knew...not a rotten egg, but the plastic handle of the pot burning on the eye.

After church, we all went to http://www.hacibaba.com/ for lunch. I chose the abugganas, which is an eggplant dish. The eggplant (which are slightly different than the eggplants I've seen in the US) is grilled and cooked in a clay pot with garlic and other ingredients. This restaurant also puts shaved lamb on top. It is delicious.

We had a great day. I've included a couple of pictures.

Big Moments in 3rd Grade

Spring always brings many events at the school. This was Mary Erin's first year to participate in the Science Fair. She did her experiment on how a plant's leaves would react with the various hues of sunlight (black, clear, green, yellow, red, etc.). She took 1st place for 3rd grade! She is pictured here with her 3rd grade teacher! Miss Sneed has been a great teacher for Mary Erin. I am still in denial, as a former 3rd grade teacher, that my little girl could be in 3rd grade.

This year Oasis did the play Annie, Jr. Though it was mostly for the Secondary students, some elementary students were chosen for roles, as well. In addition to those speaking parts, anyone in grades 3-6 was allowed to participate in the Orphan Chorus. Mary Erin readily signed up. This photo is Mary Erin, all smudged up as an orphan, after her evening performance. Though it was a small part, I couldn't help but reflect on the little girl who was too afraid to go up to the front of our church with 30 other kids to be dismissed to Sunday School! She's come a long way.