Welcome Sweet Baby Girl!!!

Finally, she is here...

We are thrilled, she is perfect!

Here are a few pictures from the past few days...

handmade is the best...

This beautiful baby quilt was made by my dear friend Beth. I absolutely love it! Beth wants all the quilts she makes to be used up and probably not hung up. Dear Beth, I promise to not keep this quilt on the wall forever. It's just so pretty I am really enjoying just looking at it every time I walk by the room, it is perfect, it is a work of art, and so cheerful and I promise that someday it will be slept with, read and played upon and used, used, used. Thank you for the many hours that you spent working on this for our wee one. Love ya!

I haven't done much sewing during this pregnancy but the day Beth gave this to me I was so inspired, I had to sew something so I whipped up a couple of dishtowels. I haven't taken a picture of them.

Today I made these burp cloths. I was going to buy some plain white ones at Target yesterday but I just couldn't do it. First of all. I had the fabric at home to make these and secondly these are way happier to look at-I think.

My mother in law made the baby some beautiful crocheted things which I will wait to show you until she wears them. But here are some of the receiving blankets that she crocheted the edging on. so lovely...

Then there was this sweet diaper cake made by two of my neighbors. So kind of them and they know my colors...

Anyway, I had a visit to the midwife this morning.

2 cm. and 80% effaced...

She says anytime now...

I cannot wait to see my baby's face...

God is good! This has been a good pregnancy.

I am ready to begin the next chapter...

my big girl...

Well, this weekend my daughter graduated high school. Woohoo!!!

Last year I was feeling so weepy with the prospect of our firstborn graduating. This time around I am relieved, happy, and so proud of her that after much perseverance and many challenges she is finally done and ready to begin the next chapter of her life.

Dearest daughter, We are all so very proud of you! You did it! God has an awesome plan for your life, just remember to cooperate!

I love you!!!

Jeremiah 29:11

love this...

Just heard about this today. I received a request from a neighbor/for a neighbor that will be having surgery this week.

http://www.takethemameal.com/

This really simplifies things.

my daughter...

self portrait by the artist in the family...

life giving books...

Several months ago I attended weekday Mass at a parish not my own. I had been searching the previous week or two for a good pregnancy book. You know one of those week by week ones to refresh my memory regarding the different changes my body would be going through. You would think by one's fourth child I would not need much of a reminder, but let us not forget, mine are over the span of almost 2 decades. Anyway as I flipped through various books at various stores. I didn't like any of them. Some of them were down right irritating, maybe even a little scary for a 41 year old plus mom to be.

Anyway...

As I arrived at Mass that particular morning and waited for Mass to begin I had a thought that I should check out the church library, which I did immediately following Mass. Right away I spotted the book, Life Giving Love by Kimberly Hahn. A book Michele had lent me after the birth of our last child. It was once again just what I needed at this time. It wasn't about the biology of giving birth but rather God's plan for us as a Catholic family. It spoke to all the objections or fears that people may experience hearing from others or feel personally about being open to "one more soul". And really, there are very few objections or fears with validity. This is the book I needed to prepare my heart for this baby. The Bradley Method we have learned about this time around will hopefully prepare me more physically.

After savoring that book for a while I once again picked up Graced and Gifted, Biblical Wisdom For The Homemakers Heart by Kimberly Hahn from my personal library.

I've had it for a while but for some reason it was one of those books that I picked up and couldn't get going with (it was the timing, not the book), until I opened it up again recently.

Such good stuff. I have highlighted the dickens out of this one!

Here is just one little tidbit from the book...

"Little by little God is giving me more of a servant heart as I relinquish my will to His, allowing the ordinary tasks of my day to reflect the extraordinary love he has for my loved ones through me."

Oh Motherhood, what an awesome journey!

No matter how long it's been I never stop having the need to learn and grow.