Baby Bella getting to Virginia

God works in such mysterious ways. We often wonder why certain things occur in our lives or how we get in particular places. Several months ago work had asked me to start making trips to New Market, VA to help out a Controller that was expecting a child at the beginning of the year. At the same time, I was very early in my pregnancy and agreed to making a few trips. I first came to Virginia at the beginning of October. This early December trip was to be my second of three rotations. Originally I was to make this December trip solo. Two weeks ago I was incredibly pleased to discover that another coworker (Rebecca) would be coming with me to do some prep-audit work while I helped with month-end closing. At that moment I had a sense of relief that I would not be alone. All pregnancies are different and all women have different physical sensations during this beautiful time; I have certainly had my variety. Several days before my December 1st trip, I did start feeling wierd. I spoke with the doctor's office and they said I should be okay as long as I did not strain my body physically with movement (being an accountant I typically sit on my backside all day). The first three days of the trip were basic but I was still feeling tired and having some things happen that made me cautious. Thursday morning, December 5, came the alarm and I had Rebecca take me to the emergency room 20 miles away. The staff at that small regional hospital (Rockingham Memorial) was great; they worked on me quickly, ran every possible test and discovered expeditiously that my cervix was thinning and I was dialated. The other unfortunate circumstance was that my water was bulging, therefore, making my risk of going into labor very high. The instant reaction of the staff was to get me to UVA in Charlottesville 90 miles away; that meant taking life flight over the mountains. At that moment I was dialated 2cm and I would have to stay that way in order to make the trip. I don't know that I have ever had morning turn to afternoon turn to evening so quickly. But I do know that it was a pure blessing that I made this trip to Virginia so that these great hospital staffs could pay special attention to Isabella and myself. Upon arriving at UVA after a quick 15 minute helicopter ride, a team of doctors swarmed around me stating names, positions, asking questions and running tests. In a short 35 minute window, I had gone to 6cm dialated. It took everything I had to keep from panicing; I was shaking immensely. Almost all the practitioners felt that I would deliver Thursday night. Somehow in the midst of the chaos I was able mellow out, keep myself calm and at peace through the evening. Once Chris made it to UVA close to midnight Thursday, we bonded instantly to pray for Isabella and keep our love strong so that she could feel how much we cared for her. During most of the next day I was stiff, sore and unfortunately cranky. Yet the contractions began to subside and remain relatively easy throughout the day. Somehow 5 pm hit and that all changed. The contractions first started to become stronger. Then they started to get lower. Then they started to come one right on top of the other. We notified the nurses about my pain level and they checked my dialation...I was up to 8cm and fully efaced. They quickly prepared the room for delivery and fled the room to let me relax. As long as my water didn't break she could cook even a little longer; but I knew that wouldn't be the case. I could feel her moving, knocking up against my water, positioning herself into my cervical opening, and then it happened...she was coming. She came out beautifully, she cried as a slight alarm for us to know she made it out okay, and she wiggled her limbs for us just as she had the last two months in her womb. It is very early but God has given us a precious angel. Special thanks go to Rebecca for being such an amazing friend and confidant. Many thanks go to all my coworkers for their support to ensure that Chris, myself, and our family is taken care of. And I cannot begin to express how great it is that all of our friends have pulled together to show love, caring and support; thank you all for your prayers!!!