Built to Last: June 2008

This weekend proved to be very eventful for the Duersch Family. The story is actually a pretty good one. But if you don't want to read this long blog here it is in a few phrases: Paul move's with Benjamin to Bellingham, WA; drive 1000 miles through Thursday and Friday; Vicky, still in Provo, has irregular labor contractions starting Thursday morning; Vicky can't get a hold of anyone at 4 am (Mtn. time) Saturday morning, so she drives herself to hospital (dilated to 6 1/2 cm); Vicky in Provo, calls Paul in Bellingham at 5 am (Mtn. time) because she is having baby Rhett; 2 hours after Vicky arrives at hospital, Saturday, June 28 at 7:07 am (Mtn. time) baby Rhett is born, three weeks early; Saturday afternoon Paul and Benjamin fly back to Provo (courtesy of Paul's sister Heidi). What a weekend!!

So here is the full story, from Paul. (Yes I included every detail I could so as not to forget this experience, so now you have been warned.)

On Wednesday, June 25, Vicky and I were blessed to have a number of members from our BYU ward, and Wes Truman, help us pack our moving truck. The 16 ft truck was completely packed in thirty minutes. The rest of the evening was spent cleaning our apartment. Special thanks to my sister Marianne and her family, and my Mom for helping us clean. We spent the night at my Mom's house in Orem that night.

Thursday morning around 9:30, a little later than planned, we were on our way. I drove the moving truck with my little sister Ruth as co-pilot and trip photographer. We were also towing our 4-Runner behind the moving truck. Behind the truck and 4-Runner was my other little sister Alene and her husband Kelv, with Benjmain in the back seat, driving our Honda Accord. We left Orem as my mom and Vicky cried in the driveway.

An hour later we arrived in Kaysville, UT, where my Grandmother Sanders lives. I sure enjoyed visiting with her. She is the most charitable and sweetest women I know, and I will miss her. After a brief visit with her we commenced our traveling caravan on to Idaho.

Idaho is not a very exciting state to drive through. I know that my brother-in-law Kelv may disagree, but I'm going to stick to my beliefs.

We stopped for gas in Burley, ID, at a Sinclair Gas Station at $4.09 a gallon. From there we continued to Boise, ID, where Kelv is from. It was 5 pm and Kelv's mom and dad made us dinner. Those BBQ sandwiches really hit the spot. At 6 pm we were back on the road. We filled up the truck and Accord in Boise at Albertson’s Express at $4.09 a gallon as well.

(That guy on the motor cycle passed us at least five times.) From there we continued up the Interstate through Oregon and the Blue Mountains.

Just outside of Washington State, we put in a little gas in the truck in Stanfield, at a Pilot Gas Station, at $4.15 a gallon. An hour later, at midnight Mtn time, we were at my older sister Heidi Sego's house in Richland, WA. Visiting with the Sego's was Landon's (Heidi's husband) brother Abe and his family. So it was a full house at the Sego residence.

That night I called Vicky to see how she was doing. She told me that she had been having labor contractions off and on throughout the day, but nothing was regular.

Friday morning, we had a big pancake pow wow for breakfast with a berry mix for syrup. Benjamin enjoyed chasing the Sego's "meow meows" around the house. At 11 am we left Richland heading for Bellingham. In Richland we filled up at Tesoro Gas Station for $4.17 a gallon.

The weather for the entire trip was perfect. Hardly a cloud in the sky, including in Washington. We could see Mt. Rainier and Mt. Baker from Richland when we got on the interstate. The drive went really well. I don't think we passed anyone while driving that moving truck. Being only able to travel no faster than 60 mph left us being passed by all, including semi-trucks. But because of that we saw a great variety on license plates; Utah, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, South Dakota, Michigan, Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Indiana, Missouri, British Columbia Canada, Alaska, and Hawaii.

We hit Seattle at about 3:30 pm and were met with very heavy traffic. It didn't clear up until we passed Everett, 30 miles to the north. From there we strolled right into Bellingham with no problems, arriving at 5:30 pm. After a couple hours the truck was unloaded and the unpacking began. Ruth, Kelv, and Alene, were incredible helpers. Ruth even vacuumed and washed the carpets in our house. And Alene and Kelv unpacked our kitchen. Benjamin in the mean time was running around the house laughing and have a great time with his aunts and uncle.

Throughout the day I had been in contact with Vicky and checking on her status. Being the she was 37 weeks pregnant we were really hoping and praying that she would not go into labot until she was in Bellingham. Vicky said she was still having irregular contractions throughout the day. So she studied and took her last final at BYU, on Friday. Congratulations VICKY!! I am so proud of you for this accomplishment! Way-to-go Sweetheart!!

I spoke with Vicky late Friday night and still nothing was different with the irregularity of the contractions. These off and on contractions were frustrating for Vicky because she didn't experience anything like this with Benjamin and the nurses and doctor had previously told her to expect the same situation as what happened with Benjamin. With Benjamin, Vicky only had 5 hours of steady contractions before he was born. None of this irregular business.

Around 12:30 am (Pacific time) exhausted I finally laid my head down to sleep. The next thing I know my cell phone was ringing. It was 4:15 am (Pacific time). Vicky was on the line and she told me she was at the hospital. She said that as she went to bed Friday night the contractions finally became steady and regular, every 10 minutes. From there it went to 8 minutes apart and then to 6 minutes and then around 4 am (Mtn. time) she was down to 5 minutes apart. Vicky was tired off the contractions. So she tried to call my Mom in Orem to take her to the hospital. But Mom accidentally left her cell phone in another room that night. Vicky tried to contact Mom two more times unsuccessfully. Then she tried to contract a couple fellow Hall Advisors, but still nothing. So at around 4:45 am (Mtn. time) Vicky had had enough. She drove herself, in Ruth's car, to the hospital. Once at the hospital she had two very mild contractions and thought to herself, oh no their going away. Upon inspection from the nurses though, Vicky was already dilated to 6 1/2 cm. The baby was on the way!

Vicky and I called each other back and forth for the next two hours. During that time I was able to contact my Mom and Dad (as a note, Friday night Dad had returned from a two week business trip to Africa and France.) I contacted Mom and Dad at 6:30 am (Mtn. time). Then I called Vicky back, she told me that the nurses just broke her water and could feel the baby's ear. So I called Mom and Dad again, and told them they better grab their camera and get to the hospital. Once the doctor was ready, and with only two good contractions, out came our second son. Rhett Buehler Duersch was born Saturday June 28 at 7:07 am; three weeks early, 7 lbs 14 oz. and 19 1/4 in long. Buehler is my Grandmother Sanders' maiden name, and my middle name.

Lucky for me, I was able to be on the phone with Vicky during the final stages of labor. Between my words of encouragement, I could hear a play by play from the doctor and nurses. What an incredible feeling it was to hear the doctor quickly say, "He's out." A few moments later Rhett let out a wail of excitement, sharing with us how cold and bright his new environment was. How proud I was and am of Vicky and my new son Rhett. Me missing the birth of my second son was something that Vicky and I new could happen since she wasn't going to fly out to Bellingham until the upcoming Wednesday. Even though we talked about it and knew that he could be born during that short time apart, we didn't expect it to happen.

Mom and Dad arrived only moments later after Rhett was born. They told me that Vicky was beaming and both mother and baby were doing very well and healthy. I then called Vicky's mom, and all my siblings. Another note, my oldest sister Laurette was 38 weeks pregnant, and my older brother Jason's wife was 40 weeks pregnant at this time. Both women were pretty jealous that Vicky beat them in delivery.

My older sister Heidi and her husband Landon, insisted on flying Benjamin and I back to Salt Lake City to be with Vicky and Rhett. So they purchased me a ticket to leave Seattle at 3:30 that afternoon. The rest of Saturday for me is mostly a blur. We quickly cleaned the truck and filled it up at $4.35 a gallon at Fred Meyer Gas Station, returned the truck, moved around the boxes in the house, returned the carpet cleaner, got ready for the day, and left Bellingham. While at Fred Meyer returning the carpet cleaner, I ran into a good BYU CM buddy who had just moved from Alaska to Bellingham. Come to find out he and his family are even in our same Bellingham Ward. They are going to bring us dinner this Wednesday night when we arrive back in Bellingham.

Seattle is a 1 1/2 hour drive from Bellingham, not including Seattle traffic, so we had to get going. Since Ruth wasn't going to fly out until Monday and Alene and Kelv until Tuesday we needed somewhere for them to go. Luckily Kelv's older sister just moved to Seattle a month ago, the three of them went to her place.

Benjamin traveled very well on the Southwest flight to Salt Lake City, this was his first flight. He enjoyed the cheese nips and the juice. We ended up having a whole row to ourselves, which made life for Benjamin nice. He had room to wiggle and move. Benjamin probably spent a third of the trip standing on his seat. He also really enjoyed opening and closing the window shutter, and have the lights turned off and on.

My Mom and Dad met us at the airport and drove us back down to Provo. It was really wonderful to be back with Vicky again, and be with my newborn son. Benjamin was also very happy to be with his mother again, but not as excited about his new little brother.

Sunday morning, since Mom and baby were both still doing great and healthy, both were discharged from the hospital.

Benjamin is warming up quickly to Rhett and even held him on his lap this morning (Monday).

I feel greatly blessed from this whole experience. I know that the Lord is closely involved in our lives. How interesting it is, and not by coincidence, that so many things and events feel perfectly into place for Vicky and I. Especially with bringing Benjamin and I back to Utah. Rhett is a handsome fellow and I am overjoyed to have two wonderful sons.

As of this morning as well, we just found out that Jason's wife might have her baby tonight or tomorrow. And Laurette, my older sister has an appointment to be induced this Thursday. Both are expecting little girls.

What a weekend!!