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I was browsing blogs and found these darling Swedish girls singing "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" by Fleet Foxes. They call themsevles, First Aid Kit. I am a sucker for great harmony & a clear, captivating voice.
Even Violet was captivated and listened to it over and over.
Right about now Amanda K. is probably thinking "DUDE! You are taking THIS WAY too serious!"
BUT I thought it would be a good opportunity to post about something I am passionate about.
Anna is in the hospital right this moment giving birth to my new niece so she is on my mind.
5 years ago, after the birth of her son, Duane, PPD almost killed her. Anyone that truly knows Anna, knows that she is a down-to-earth, STABLE, level-headed, (not to mention..cute!) girl. I would like to make a thousand few key points.
Please note that we have meticulously explored EVERY avenue with a fine tooth comb.
We have been educated by brutal experience.
We have tried natural treatment, medical treatment & spiritual treatment.
I have spent hours, days and months researching this illness.
I have made up my mind.
A. PPD is a MEDICAL illness; therefore if you are truly suffering from this, you need medical help! That doesn't mean that I don't believe in the power of prayer, I DO. I felt God's presence more than ever during this time, but God did not give her this illness.
WELL MEANING friends and family would sit Anna down and try to find the sin that was causing this grievous mental torture. They would spend hours trying to minister to her. At the end of each session, Anna would be worked into a frenzy of terror, worse than when they started. If this had been a spiritual battle all this ministering would have worked. To me these sessions were the same as telling a cancer patient that they do not need medical help. Or telling someone with a cavity to just pray. The problem with this ignorant approach is that they were unknowingly hindering her recovery and putting her life in grave danger. PLEASE research before you try to help someone with PPD! After all you wouldn't suggest
treatment to someone with cancer without first researching the nature of that cancer, right? HOPEFULLY NOT. What a blessing it was when our pastor sat down to listen to her story and told her that she needed medical help.
B. PPD is something entirely different than BABY BLUES. The blues usually happen within the first few weeks after birth. Something like 80% of new mothers will experience baby blues.
Typically PPD worsens around 3 months after birth due to a sudden change in hormones and can last for 1 year, as was the case for Anna. Unless you stop sleeping, stop eating, spend every moment trying to survive while your mind ruminates and races with unceasing, tortured thoughts of murder, suicide & a multitude of other ghastly things, you probably did not have PPD. This is not something you can fight on your own.
C. PPD is NOT easy to treat! Unfortunately many patients think that when they take an anti-depressant it will cure them. Only if you are very lucky. It took trips to the ER, several different doctors, several different meds and multiple adjustments of meds to find the right treatment for Anna. It takes up to 6 weeks for an anti-depressant to work, so adjusting them is a tedious thing. The dedication paid off and though they did not cure her, anti-depressants saved her life and made it bearable until the PPD ran it’s course.
D. Though circumstance can make PPD worse, it does not CAUSE PPD. When Anna had her next baby, Claire, we were very nervous and watchful. Then when Claire was still a tiny newborn, Matt (Anna’s husband) was in a terrible accident and lost his leg. Anna spent weeks at his bedside with baby Claire. Not a DROP of depression. That is proof that circumstance does not cause PPD. It can happen to any woman after any birth.
E. It is hard to find books on personal experience.
Perhaps because the sufferer does not want to recall the nightmare.
Brooke Shields did write a book about her experience.
Please feel free to contact us if you are suffering from PPD or know of someone that is suffering from this. I urge husbands to PLEASE look out for their wives and help as soon as possible if you notice that your wife is depressed. It is almost impossible for a woman suffering PPD to help herself. PLEASE realize that it starts out silent and subtle. You may not realize what is going on in her head. PLEASE realize that this illness WILL KILL. I know of at least 2 other young mothers in our church that have died from this. Anna and I can imagine exactly what was going on inside their heads and the DEEP despair they were experiencing and know without a doubt that it could have been Anna.
I have so much more to say about this subject.
I could go on for DAYS but will stop here. Someday we will write a book.
{Oh dear. Please excuse the fragmented mess this post has become}
I tried to post these with the post below but I am having issues with typepad.
Our antique walnut balusters for our staircase. I also have antique newel posts. Anyone have an antique handrail for me?
Bits & pieces of progress. I keep telling the kids and Levi, "when it's done, it's done and we can just enjoy it". We have quite a bit left to do, but are a lot closer than a month ago. It surely can't go on forever. Can it? I snapped some photos Sunday to share with you. Everything has a story.
We have fixtures, but no light yet...
Isn't this the cutest handmade bucket chandelier? I searched the world for something like this and after hours of browsing on eBay, I found it! I immediately emailed the seller to ask if they could make more.
They emailed back: "is this Jen?"
I thought: "oh goodness gracious, I am famous"
Not so. Turns out it was LEVI'S COUSIN from across the country. Now if that's not fate, I don't know what is. BTW Michelle, if you are reading, a sad thing happened. We are afraid the other 2 were being stored in a box and mistaken for garbage and burned. I hope you can make us more! Anyone else want one?
This little chandelier has traveled the world with me. Martha found this darling for our ENK booth in NYC. It now dangles from a rusty tin ceiling in our kitchen nook. And that blue you see in the corner is state of the art masking tape.
Dad & Chad's handiwork.
I love Dutch Boy "Potato Skin"!
Neat story from Cole's daddy this morning:
One of the mornings that we were in the hospital in Marshfield we had gotten a call from one of the nurses while we were at the Ronald McDonald house that Cole had wanted to see us. It was about 5:00 A.M when I went to see him in the Picu. This story was something that made me really wonder why he was so sure on what he was about to tell me. I will never forget this moment for as long as I may live. I remember walking into the PICU and Cole was wide awake. He had a smile on his face like usual. Of course he wanted me to lay with him. So how could I pass up that oppurtunity? I found myself snuggling with him and he told me something that only he evidently knew. He sortof took his hands and put them on my cheek to pull my face towards his. He smiled with a twinkle in his eye and told me," Daddy, I am going to have another baby sister." Then he held up his fingers with the number two, to signify that he has two sisters. He gave me a kiss and the day continued on as normal. I guess I never really told to many people about that, or at least we never really thought about it. Until....this morning...I was standing behind my wife watching as the doctor pulled out our newest little blessing. "Its a baby GIRL". How could I not think about the time when Cole already told me with CONFIDENCE that he was going to have another sister. I guess now you have another girl to watchover,Cole.
Lord we thank you for the gift of life, the blessings of having a perfect angel born to us this morning. It truly is something that only you could create and give life to such an angel. The human body is far more complexed than anything we can dream up in a science lab. We are given the assurance that you are God and your blessings are wonderful. Lord we Praise you today for who you are and the life of our daughter. We thank you for watching over our family and having such a master plan for our lives. I ask you dear Lord that you would grant this girl a healthy life in this beautiful world that you have created. Help her to walk in truth and protect her. May her eyes continue to look up to you throughout her life. We thank you for Cole and the best three years that you could give us. Now you gave us life in another way and all I can do is say THANK YOU..
At 8:05 this morning my wife gave birth to a beautiful little girl.
Whitney Mae Ruotsala
6 lb. 3 oz. 191/4 in.
We dressed up my niece, Sophia, and took some photos during the cobblestone shoot.
I couldn't resist adding a touch of pink shabby rose to the Cobblestone Collection.
The story behind Violet's curled little toes? For some odd reason the chickens wanted in on the shoot. We had a flock of 20 or so slightly mad hens & roosters closely following us wherever we went. Made Violet nervous. One or two is fine, a whole flock is just creepy.
Looking beautiful in her Bicycle Pants & Jessamine Blouse.
Chloe's mom says:
I am so excited I just received my 1st order from Eden's bouquet and I had to take a picture of my daughter with your beautiful clothing on. She looks so cute.
Sweet Elsa from Finland, wearing eden's Silky Cotton Peasant Top. She told everyone at school that she got them from "Jaana from Sweden". Sounds almost exactly that same as "Jen from Windy Ridge" don't you think? As her mama says: "close enough!"