Well, I am very happy to announce that we have a baby! Her name is Noelle Lorica, 8 lbs, 4oz, born last night. I am so thankful to the Lord who is so completely in control of every detail of our lives, and occasionally we get to catch a glimpse of His minute care of us.
As a lot of people know I was really dreading labor this time around. It seems like eveytime I go though it there is more and more revealed to me of what could go wrong. From yucky waters, cord issues, blood pressure, excessive bleeding... Goodness-how long is the birth canal, 6 inches? How could there be so much peril wrapped up in that little distance? But I am a worrier and especially at night my mind goes to all these situations and plays them out until I think I will go nuts. I know I shouldn't. I know it is a lack of faith. Consider this a confession.
Besides. It hurts.
Well, my midwife came and gave me the tablet that would bring on contractions. We putzed around much of the afternoon.. Finally about4:00 the contractions came on strong enough that I knew we were going to have a baby. But all in all they really weren't all that bad. I paced around for a while and everything seemed to be going in textbook order. Waters were clear, blood pressure stable, no cord obstruction problems.. Thank you Lord!

But the baby just would not come down! My midwife decided she was probably being held up by the cord-whether around the neck or the body, who knew? But the heart tones were still good and she decided to deliver her quickly and untangled her as we went. And there we are-a baby! She was a bit purple from the cord. Her color is getting more normal now. And she nursed right away and 'talked' to Rand and looked about her for a while, and went down to meet all her brothers and sisters. They were so excited to have a sister! We love our boys, but after four in a row we were thinking a girl would be rather nice.

But I am so thankful, for a lot of things-Mostly I really felt like the Lord was with us and in control of each step along the way. I am really thankful for all the people I knew were praying for us, I felt those prayers. Except for a little bit when we realized the baby just wasn't coming down I didn't get fearful or lose the feeling that He was there caring for the baby.
My midwife thinks it was real provision that we had the baby on just the right day. Though the waters were clear when we broke them she had a lot of waist-down meconium. Betty felt that if she had released all that in utero it would not have been good. I usually am really hard to induce as well,most of the time it takes at least two tries. So it was really gracious of God to allow it to work the first time this time! Also, there was a snowstorm over the weekend. And one point I thought the contractions were dying out and had the roads been clear I probably would have told Betty I didn't think it was happening and lets try again in a couple days. But I was afraid with the snow she might not be able to get back! Thank God I didn't!

So now here we are, she's sleeping peacefully beside me, I can hear the kids running around downstairs, and Joseph yelling... Rand is cleaning up (there is a ton of laundry involved in a home birth) and bringing me bits to eat... Ahh.. So good to be on the postpartum side of another pregnancy. Such a privilege that God gives us to mold and shape another wee person. And I am so thankful He deals with us according to His mercy and not our deserving!

So now it's Lana's turn and we can all start praying for her!!
(Who I would link here ordinarily, but I'm on the laptop and I don't know how to left-click on it. But she's @ Art of a Joyful Home on my sidebar...)

Nappy time!