Baby Abigail

Greetings, all!

Grace and peace to you all from our Lord Jesus Christ!

Sorry it has taken so long to get to all of you! Thank you all for your well wishes and congratulations! Abigail is doing awesome and mommy is LOVING "being home" snuggling this sweet baby. I never thought I would be doing all of these things again- nursing a baby, burping a baby, changing diapers. What joy there is in taking care of this little one!!!!! She is so warm and snuggly and sweet!

I have so many praises to share with you!!!!! First of all, it is so neat that Abby is 10 days old today- on her actual due date!!!!

First, I praise You and thank You Lord for Abby waiting to being induced last Monday.
We got to the hospital at 8:00 AM and the nurse started the Group B Strepp antibiotics right away. When Dr. checked me about 9:00, I was dilated to 5. She was funny! She "panicked" and was like, "Oh, my! I need to get things going here!!!!" She started hustling around, getting things ready for a delivery. I could have told her- not to worry- I am not "in labor" until I am at least 8cm! Anyway, Brian and I "hung out" until Dr. came back at noon. We had papers to fill out and questions to answer with the nurse. At noon Dr. broke my water. We did NOT want to do pitosin- we wanted to let the baby come on its own. So, we walked and walked around the hospital floor. Contractions were light- about 5 min. apart.

At 2:30, contractions a got a little stronger. We continued to walk through them. By 3:15 it was time to get back to the birth room! Contractions were about 2 min. apart. By 3:30 they were one after another. I couldn't believe when Dr. said to push on the next contraction! Two more pushes and Abigail was born! She was born at 3:55 and weighed only 8 lbs, 3 oz (little compared to Aaron and Aly!).

Thank You Lord that Abigail is healthy and was not affected at all by the Group B.

Thank You for all of the prayers and support from our family, friends, sisters and brothers in Christ! We felt their prayers!

Thank You for the wonderful hospital staff! Thank You for our Dr. who also seeks You and trusts in Your Wisdom, Lord! I pray such blessings and love on these wonderful people!

Thank You for Lansinoh (lanolin ointment for soreness during breastfeeding)! Thank You that You have given me wisdom after nursing 4 other children! I knew how to work with Abby to get her latch corrected. I thank You Lord for patience to wait through the hardest time and most painful (when your body is sore already from having a baby!), to continue to work through the nursing. Thank You for reminding me that it is just a short time ( a few days to a week) that I have to get through before nursing becomes beautiful and wonderful time to bond with baby. Thank You for continuing to remind me of Romans 8:18- that my present sufferings would not compare to the glory to come! Thank You for my MP3 player so that I could listen to my music while nursing to "calm" me down!

Thank You for all of the support and love we have received from friends- meals, phone calls, just the thought that I could call any of these people if I need anything! Also, thank You for a reminder from a dear friend and mentor to stay in the Word right now, more than ever! Lord, my prayer is that You would help me to find the time to fill up on Your Word. Thank You for Your continued presence and so many answered prayers!

Let's meditate on Psalm 139:13-16
"For You created my inmost being, You knit me together in my mother's womb (and as I look at Abigail, I am amazed at how He knit her together in my womb! He knit together her personality, her dark hair, her blue eyes, everything about her!). I praise You because I am wonderfully and fearfully made! (Wow! each one of us is unique! How amazing God is! What an incredible Creator! Looking at Abigail's little fingers and toes- so tiny. Even as I change her diapers I amazed at how each part of her body was made to work a certain way!); Your works are wonderful! I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, YOUR EYES SAW MY UNFORMED BODY. (Selah! Stop and think on that!) All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be. (Isn't that wonderful??? All of Abigail's days God already knows! He has written each day in His book and knows what will happen!) Praise You, Lord!

"I cannot name myself as one
Who never goes astray,
Who never stumbles on the road,
Or leaves the hallowed way.
But when I know that baby feet
Will follow where I've trod,
I walk with care that
They too may walk
That road that leads to God." - Margaret Fishback Powers

Lord, we Praise You and thank You! Your blessings and miracles are all around us. Give us eyes to see You, Lord, never to take for granted all that You do and all that You are. Lord, I pray that You would help me be the mother You have called me to be. I know I will make mistakes, and I know I will be forgiven in You. Help me to be a Light shining for You, especially for my children. Help me to "walk with care" so that they will look to You, Father! Praise You, Jesus! In the Most Mighty Name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Blessings to all of you, dear ones!