Neil and I married in the LA Temple and I became pregnant on our honeymoon.  Marshall was born in the hospital 7 1/2 months later, 6 weeks premature.  He lived in the hospital 8 1/2 weeks until he died in my arms while my husband was holding me.  I was told that all of my children would be premature and all would die.

To have Chani, I went to bed rest when I was 32 weeks pregnant.  She was born full term at home with a midwife.  She didn't want to nurse at first.  I cried and my heart rejoiced to have her and broke because she wouldn't nurse.  Then after four full days she suddenly started nursing!  I had wept every minute but I constantly made myself available to my little daughter.  Once she started she nursed for 35 months and the relationship was one of the sweetest imaginable.

When I was pregnant with Ben I spent 5 weeks on bed rest.  He had been a twin pregnancy where I had miscarried the twin.  Five months after the miscarriage, Ben was born.  It was an emergency homebirth and he was ten weeks premature.  He lived in the hospital for four weeks and came home nursing 100%.  His older sister had "helped her brother" by nursing extra.  Suddenly I had a nursing infant and a nursing toddler.  Life was wonderful, even with the obvious struggles.

When Ben was 18 months old, I gave birth at home to his sister, Chamrie.  To get Chamrie to full term I had gone to bed rest when 27 weeks pregnant.  My homebirth with her was pain-free.  My midwife had wanted to go home and wait for me to really start labor only to find that I was just hitting full dilation.  I nursed Ben another year while I also nursed his little sister making his nursing time 30 months.

When Chamrie was almost two I gave birth to Chiya.  I had been in bed since I was 21 weeks pregnant.  My labor with Chiya consisted of five contractions.  I delivered her at home and felt that angels had brought her directly from heaven into my arms.  I nursed Chamrie for another six months right along with her new sister.  Chamrie weaned when she was 30 months.

When Chiya was 2 years old I gave birth to Nathan at home.  I had been in bed to put off prematurity since I was 18 weeks pregnant.  Nathan came right when I was very sick with pneumonia.  I gave birth after a short labor and held my baby to my chest.  The next morning I awoke with pleurisy.  Every breath was painful and my condition was very serious.  But my little baby gave me a warmth and strength that went beyond mortal comfort and into the divine.  I nursed Chiya right along with her precious brother.  Chiya weaned at 30 months and Nathan weaned at 35 months.

Three weeks after Nathan weaned I gave birth to Ryan.  I went to bed/couch at 17 weeks pregnant.  Ryan was my miracle c-section baby.  I requested the c-section when I found that he was an overdue breech baby.  Ryan nursed until the morning of his sister's birth making his nursing time 27 months, my shortest.

Cheyanne was born at home after my being on bed rest since 17 weeks pregnant.  Hers was another miracle birth.  She was a persistent posterior military presentation eleven pound daughter born after 2 3/4 hours of labor with no pushing.  Wow!  What a mouth full.  Add to that the fact that my blood pressure was way out of control because just before I went into labor I took some medicine for asthma and reacted to the medication.  Cheyanne weaned herself when she was 17 months old.  It nearly broke my heart and yet, the idea was all hers and she was content to suck her thumb and be rocked and sung to without the extra comfort of nursing.  Cheyanne weaned 4 months before her sister was born.

Chalae was born at home after two hours of pain free labor.  I went to bed when I was about 15 weeks pregnant.  She was beautiful and seemed to talk right from the very beginning.  While in labor there was a period when her heart tones were lost.  She was healthy but to be sure we wanted her checked by our doctor.  He found her healthy and only wanted to get a blood test and heart x-ray.  The hospital took over and demanded that our healthy new born be admitted.  Everything was found perfect after thirty minutes but they insisted that she stay, thinking that she was the daughter of my oldest daughter, Chani!  Chalae nursed for 35 months and weaned 3 weeks before her sister was born.

For Chrystal, I went on bed rest at 15 weeks.  She was born after a 2 hour labor.  It was the first time I had ever needed to push a baby out.  She was a posterior baby who tried to turn and so was born looking at my leg instead of up or down.  An hour later I died due to a hidden trickle hemorrhage.  Chrystal is still nursing today at 31 months and seems to be following same pattern as Chalae.

Amid all of the sacrifice, trauma and joy of having my ten children I have discovered the adventure of raising those same children.  My book, Ten Children Raised on Hope and Love, is all about the many things that go into family life.  The frustration and peace of discovering what works and what I hope will work in mothering and managing the angels under my care.   I hope these pages uplift mothers in their incredible and eternal calling.  I hope you enjoy the articles listed below.

Everything you read here is freely offered, asking only that you honor my copyright by sending my site address to others rather than copying and sending the individual articles.  You may print and use my articles provided that you give credit to me as the author and link back to this site. The articles were written in the hope that they will help mothers realize just how normal chaotic life with children really is and how priceless the journey.  If your heart is touched, your mind enlightened, your spirit strengthened please visit Our Missionaries, the link will be at the bottom of every article. Search My Site! Search our Site: sitemap . . Noble Child Message Board . The Noble Child Email List Be notified of any new postings in the topics of homeschooling, parenting, home management and just plain fun.  Converse with other mothers and keep the joyful perspective while raising children.  Many of the mothers are LDS but the list is open to mothers of all religions.