Family of Four

Perhaps some day I will get around to blogging the birth story. I know not everyone can say these things but it really was all I had hoped for and in the end, we were holding a healthy baby girl. We are so very grateful.

Among our birth team was our amazing birth photographer, who doubled as an outstanding doula, Grace. I'm pretty sure she would tell you she is a doula first and I wouldn't disagree. Being on this side of the experience, though, I almost think I am more thankful for her gifts in the area of photography. We have a beautiful slideshow video that I have watched countless times already, not to mention a whole disc of photos that captured the experience beautifully.

As it happened, Grace was on call the day of Zoe's birth for another family as well. She had to leave very shortly after Zoe's made her grand debut as their baby also decided to arrive on March 2nd. This meant that she wasn't able to get very many pictures of brand new Zoe. In the end, I think we got the best end of the deal because she came back two days later and we were able to get some really fun, still very newborn pictures.

One of the things we wanted was an updated version of a family picture we had taken the morning I was in labor.

Then, we wanted some pictures of tiny Zoe:

she comes by this furrowed brow honestly - Daddy and Mama each have their own version, Zoe has both

 And finally, we wanted some of us bonding as a family of four:

Mother and Daughter

Father and Daughter

Big Brother and Little Sister

I have loved seeing how Zoe has responded to Joseph from the time she was growing inside me. It was no different when they were face to face. She responds so quickly to his soothing ways with her.

Daddy has the touch

 

even in her sleep, her brow is furrowed

We are smitten! She's a keeper!!!

calming our new little one

studying every little detail

Caleb is contemplating what all this means

All Photos Courtesy of New Mercies Birth Doula Services

She's Here!

Zoe Elizabeth

March 2, 2016 ~ 4:25 p.m.

7 pounds 12 ounces ~ 21.5 inches

Photo Credit: New Mercies Birth Doula Services

 

Hope Deferred, Desires Fulfilled

By last night I was "under the wait." (I'm borrowing from the phrase "under the pain" and adapting it.) I remember during some years where I was living with chronic pain in my body, periodically I would get under it -- that sort of breaking point where I just thought I couldn't go on like that. I've seen it with a sister-in-law I walked through a couple of childbirths with -- sometimes back to back contractions, or some unexpected information would get her under the pain and it would take several contractions to get back into her rhythm.

That basically describes where I was by the end of the day yesterday with waiting to meet my baby girl face to face.

On Friday morning I had three or four hours of pre-labor contractions that were decidedly different than all the Braxton Hicks I have been having for months now. As much as I tried telling myself, "these could go away and it could still be weeks till you actually go into labor," there was no way around it. It got my hopes up.

I did okay for a couple of days, just kind of wondering if they would come back and move on to the real deal.

Then came February 29th: Leap Day. Joseph and I both realized we really like the idea of a "Leapling." And so even throughout the night before I was kind of holding my breath wondering at every twinge, "is this something more?"

And by the time we crawled into bed and it had been nothing more than an ordinary day (perhaps with a little extra fatigue), I was disheartened. Seriously bummed might be more accurate.

And then came a profound question, posed by a dear friend: "is Jesus wanting to take you back into a few of those yet-aching places as you once again find yourself waiting for a child? if so, I guarantee it is to bring you greater healing and ultimately, increasing joy."

Wow. And yes. I had no doubt the answer was yes and began to pray and ask Him about it.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life. A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul...
~Proverbs 13:12, 19

I believe there is much to be explored here but this I know. I spent so many years with hope deferred. And I can assure you, it brought a heart sickness. Barring the unforeseen, this time I am waiting for a desire fulfilled and have good reason to believe it will be.

I needed that to gear back up for more waiting.

A couple of other verses that came to mind:

Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
~Psalm 30:5

He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
~Psalm 126:6

This is no longer the season of weeping. I am looking ahead to joy, a desire fulfilled.