Stephanie originally went to a three week sonogram with her high risk ob/gyn Monday morning. She called me crying and mumbling something about they were sending her to the hospital because they didn’t like what they saw. The amniotic fluid was low and the blood flow in the umbilical cord was not good. When I arrived at the hospital Stephanie and her mom when still sitting in the car grabbing a bite to eat. I spent the day there while they monitored her ‘off the charts’ blood pressure and the baby’s heart beat. She spent the night there as did her mom.
Tuesday was spent waiting around for lots of answers that never came.
Wednesday we finally made progress with another sonogram that morning. He basically stated that we could have a baby in a week or 4 weeks. Nothing had really gotten worse, nor had it gotten better. I went to work the rest of the day, my mind not really there. That afternoon Stephanie calls me saying that Dr. Taylor came in and told her that if she were to deliver Ashleigh there at H.E.B. hospital our baby wouldn’t have a fighting chance and wanted to go ahead and transfer us to Harris Methodist in downtown Fort Worth. I went ahead and finished my last two calls as it was going to be awhile for the ambulance to transport her. I drove from downtown Dallas to downtown Fort Worth and arrived in time to meet the new Obstetrician that had agreed to take on the new patient. He talked to us about certain things and then immediately wanted to do another sonogram to put a fresh pair of eyes on the situation. Luckily for us he got called to do an emergency delivery and his partner came in and did the sonogram instead. Dr. Tabor was his name, and safety for mommy was his game. We both liked this guy even better. He didn’t like what he saw and told us to expect a baby within two weeks.
Two weeks? Really? Dr. Tabor was the first doctor that we’d seen that said the cord was wrapped around the babies neck. He also stated that Stephanie’s organs could also start to shut down and neither one of us were thrilled about that. That night Carol stayed with Stephanie, and I for the first time that week spent the night with Zoe.
I dropped Zoe off at her Poppy’s house Thursday morning and grabbed some doughnuts and received a call from Carol that they were doing another sonogram and to hang close by “just in case”. Luckily with my job I’m never at the same place in the mornings and was able to hang in a parking lot off I30.
Then the call came. Carol weeping she says, “You need to come on, they are taking the baby.”
I arrived 10 minutes later and found Stephanie. The nurses were already starting a different IV and I was told to put these scrubs on. The anesthesiologist came in a told her about the spinal they would give her to numb the lower part of her body. Shortly there after the wheeled her off and I waited. And waited. And waited. I waited for what seemed like an eternity and then finally the nurse came and got me and I saw Steph. Strapped to the OR table. A curtain up, keeping her from seeing anything. It wasn’t but maybe 10 or 15 minutes later and we heard a small moan.
Time of birth: 9:35am.
I tried to peek around the curtain to see what was going on but was unable to. They finally called me over and there she was in all her beauty. Little Ashleigh Ryon.

The days slowly are getting longer. The winter blast has gone, at least for now, and the weather is back to normal. Mid 50′s this week. I attempted to pull weeds in the garden when I got home. It was finally pretty enough that I felt in the mood to be outside. Looking at the garden, work stares you right back. I’m already be behind on getting seeds started. I gotta get at least two beds worked becuase onions need to be planted in about two weeks. Mmm, onions.
I have that spring itch.

Two weeks ago I started building a shed. I have the floor completed and one wall framed. I plan on having the other walls framed and up this weekend. We’ll see how it goes.

That’s all for now.

2000-

• Last year of high school.
• Meet Stephanie for first time in high school class

2001-

• Graduate High School.
• Start job at Busy Bee’s Bakery.  At the time it was my favorite.
• 9/11
• Skip college, a lot.
• Go to Philmont Autumn Adventure.

2002-

• Skip more classes.
• Elaine sells bakery, lose job.
• Start various other jobs.
• Quit jobs.
• Drive to Port Aransas and back in a day, all the while my parents think I went to Waco to visit friends.
• Do the Philmont Autumn Adventure again.
• Apply for job at Philmont.

2003-

• Tell parents visiting friend in Oklahoma, but really travel to Cimarron, New Mexico.
• Drop out of college.
• Work at Philmont for summer. Car breaks down after driving Stephanie to ABQ. No car for summer.
• Start nicotine habit.
• Start job at warehouse in Roanoke.
• Travel to Lawrence, Kansas to see The Anniversary. Turns out it was one of the last shows.

2004-

• Start geocaching.
• Quit warehouse job.
• Break up with Stephanie.
• Get new car. Xterra.
• Get back together with Stephanie.
• Work at Philmont again for summer.
• Turn 21. Have first legal adult beverage at the St. James Saloon.
• Experience Mary Jane.
• Start another warehouse job.

2005-

• Quit job.
• Start waiting tables.
• Work at Philmont for 3rd summer.
• Spend 20 days hiking. Celebrate 22rd birthday at Cypher’s Mine.
• Travel to Boulder, Co. for three days of drinking.
• Visit Rock Mtn. NP.
• Experience Mary Jane.
• Visit Great Sand Dunes NP.
• Climb Mt. Blanca. 14er.
• Climb Uncompahgre Peak. 14er.
• Climb Wheeler Peak. Top of New Mexico.
• Propose to Stephanie at “Lovers Leap”. So cliched.
• Get cat named Duck.
• Break leg geocaching in Fort Worth. Lose job.

2006-

• Start first “real” job.
• Officially “move out” of parents house. Move in with Stephanie in apartment.
• Get dog, Gizmo. A Boston terrier.
• Get married.
• Go on a 5 day cruise through the Caribbean for honeymoon.

2007-

• Buy a house.
• Get another dog, Biff.
• Backpack Glacier National Park with Dad.

2008-

• Start to grow vegetables.
• Our first child is born. Zoe Grace.

2009-

• Expand garden. Build greenhouse.
• Best harvest – squash and onions.
• Backpack in Colorado with Dad. Climb Uncompahgre Peak again. 14er.
• Travel to Grand Canyon with Stephanie and Zoe.
• Hike Grand Canyon with Stephanie’s dad.
• Find out we are expecting our second child.

What does the next decade hold? I can only imagine.

As you can see, both took up space on this over sized pillow.