So This is What It is Like

Yesterday, I went to bed with 3 children.  Tonight, as I type this new blog entry, my wife is laying in bed with our brand new baby son lying next to her.  It has been a good, long day.  I am emotionally drained from the events of the day.  I am physically tired ... going to bed at 1:30am (my fault) and waking up at 3:30 am to start the day with a 2 hour, if I am being generous, labor and delivery (not my fault - hehe), and then it was go go go with introducing all the kids to Joseph, our new baby son, and coming home just 5 hours or so after delivery.  The rest of the day was a full house of excited and over zealous children. 

Now, it is 10:30 pm.  I can finally slow down a little, and I ask myself, "So, is THIS what is like to have four children?"

And I look back to eight and a half months ago, when we found out we were pregnant with baby number four.  I can still recall the cautious enthusiasm I had that day.  It started with "Thank you, God for blessing us with your creation!", and it drifted over to " ... are we going to be able to do this?" 

From then until now, it was many nights of prayer.  Prayer for Kelly to be healthy.  Prayer for Joseph to be healthy.  Prayer for a labor and delivery with no complications, and as Jake prayed it "Please help Joseph to get here at the right time."

That 'right' time was 5:05 am on Sunday, April 15th, 2012.  At that time, God answered our prayers and reminded us once again that He is sovereign, and that He truly is the author of life.

Quick aside - my wife is the most amazing woman in the entire world.  She carried this baby boy for 9 months and 2 days.  She endured what I am deeming about 2 weeks of mild active labor and then 2 hours of violent transitional labor and delivery.  And at the end of those 9 months and 2 days was a beautiful baby boy.  Perfectly pink.  Eight pounds and five ounces.  Twenty-two inches.  The most adorable little boy.  Thank you, Kelly, for enduring and being so strong. Thank you for being the wonderful woman of God that you are.  And, thank you for choosing to do this whole life thing with me - end aside

We get home from the birthing center and the whole house is a-buzz.  Everyone is excited and tired at the same time.  My parents are here, Kelly's parents are here.  Three small children are here.  A dog, a recovering mother, a newborn and me.  A full house.  But I can still stop and smell the roses.  And I see a loving family all around me.  I grab my second oldest son and hold him tight. 

And I thank God, for the new life that He has blessed us with, and for the other amazing children that He has given us. 

And my mind drifts, and I know that we will, with God's guidance, be able to do this.

And I see my daughter holding my new son, Joseph.

And I tell myself, "So, THIS is what is like to have four children"

To God be the Glory.

Still waiting ...

Today is Saturday, April 7th.  The doctors moved our due date from 4/13 to 4/2.  This never bodes well for the mental state of a pregnant woman ... especially when the educated guess is wrong.  So, the due date is now, once again, 4/13. 

My impetus for writing today's blog is two-fold.

1.  I want to add an addendum to my previous blog.
In my last blog, I cited many instances in which God had intervened in our situation - to which I give Him all the glory.  One of my favorite verses/concepts of faith in the Bible is captured in Daniel chapter 3 and is summarized in verses 17 and 18 (Daniel 3:17,18).  That verse sets the tone for my addendum.  We had something 'bad' happen to us .  A circumstance that was not in our plan, that we were not expecting.  Luckily, things fell in place to make it easier than it could have been ..... BUT ... and please read very carefully, even if nothing 'good' would have happened to help us, nothing 'fortuitous', we would still be giving God the glory.  He alone is the author of all things.  Too many people give God honor and praise for just the things that seem to prosper us, but I think we need to seek and find God in the things that happen in our lives that do not prosper us.  In all our situations, every day, in all that we do.  We should seek Him.

2.  I love the family that God has given me.
My wife is beautiful.  She has a sweet spirit, and she seeks God with all of her heart.  She is my best friend.  My forever companion on this earth.  I would not be where I am today without her in my life.

My daughter is so precious to me.  She is very bright, so quirky, and she hides her face when Mommy and Daddy kiss.  I expect her to fall madly in love with some very bright, quirky man.  She won't let you know it, but she has a deep love (and understanding - I think) of music like her daddy.  When you catch her in the right mood, she will ask you the biggest questions about God.

My son, Jake, is so sensitive and kind hearted.  He is the best little hugger in the whole world.  He is a track building genius and loves getting dirty outdoors!  He defends his mommy all the time and I hope to train him to channel that chivalry, so he can be a modern day knight for his future family.

My son, Jansen, is a chatter box.  He loves to talk.  When his hands get busy, he will start to sing.  No little two year old can sing Hosanna as good as him!  I love hearing that little guy's sweet voice.  He loves to kick the ball with Daddy and he craves one on one time with his parents. 

My son, Joseph, is keeping us in waiting anticipation of his arrival.  Who will he look like?  What will he be good at?  What will God teach us through him? 

All this is resting on my heart because in the last week, with us waiting for Joseph, God has given our family a lot of time together.  In the last week, we have done a ton of stuff together, and I am ending each day with a new found love for my family.  I have been working from home, we went and saw Christy Nockles in concert (AMAZING!), a night of Chuy's, park and ice cream, a night of looking at the planets.  And all this after Joseph was 'supposed' to be born.  Thank you, God, for my family and the time that you have given us together before our next bundle of joy comes.  You are truly great and greatly to be praised.