Thankful

I am most thankful for the people in this picture, one serves with me as we begin the journey of being Godly parents together. The other person has captured my heart in his own unique way and I'll never be the same person because of him:

I'm thankful to know and serve a God who loves, forgives and accepts me knowing all my flaws unconditionally.I'm also thankful for my family who drove out to spend time with us on this day. I'm thankful for in laws who I'm looking forward to spending time with at Christmas. I'm thankful for a church family who is so supportive of our growing family. I'm thankful for God's provision of a home, a job for Billy giving us means to support us.

Nana and Papa

Billy's parents arrived Friday the 13th and we were so blessed to have the additional support. They cleaned our house, made us dinner and Nana did our laundry. I can completely understand why families stayed together, it was for the extra advice, help, encouragement and companionship. I realize how much we lose in our independent society of being all spread out with bringing another generation in to our family. Their company and help was especially helpful in transitioning the first couple of days when Billy went back to work.

Here they are meeting Matthew:

Saturday, Aunt, Uncle and many cousins came over to visit with Matthew:

Kyle sang Matthew the sweetest lullaby...


We made it to church for the first time as a family thanks to help :-))



Sweet friends meeting Matthew at church:


Wonderful friends from class continued to bring us food!!

Shannon
Anna

Allison, Randy and their baby boy
All that week Matthew could be found one of two places.... here or here
His other grandmother came over and took a few pics, here is a little preview of birth announcements/ Christmas cards

Our First Week at Home

Leaving the Hospital
Lots of this....

and this
A visit to Dr Kellum to follow up on the jaundice

Just for my own memories, I had to have a follow up with my obgyn and a visit to the ER in the first week home as things were not quite mending initially as they should. After Wednesday, healing was back on track.

7 lbs, 10 oz. 20 1/4 inches long

Yea for friends who braved bringing Gluten Free food and coming to see Matthew :-))

Michael
Katy
Allison

Tim


Going to try Mr. Sock Monkey for size growth


How he was curled up inside me. I felt those toes under my ribs :-)

Pure CutenessNext entry: The grandparents arrive!

Hospital Stay

Matthew was in the hospital for 3 days because of a fever at birth and to receive photo therapy for his jaundice. I stayed for 2 days on antibiotics for the same fever. The hospital let us room in the last day of Matthew's stay since they weren't full the last day so we could be close to him.

Few things to remind myself about our hospital stay:
My face is very puffy for some reason
The gluten free food was marvelous!
The mommy and daddy steak dinner was a very thoughtful touch from the hospital
Adjusting to regular intervals of interrupted sleep was educational
Matthew at first was lethargic due to the jaundice
When he pepped up, began biting while nursing
I visited with all 3 lactation consultants that came on duty.
We pump then feed, that's what works for us.
Pain meds constipate you, 'nough said
Friends and family brightened out stay
Hospital personnel were the overwhelming people part (good causes, just the sheer volume)
We both cried and hugged the on call pediatrician when she told us we could take him home

I have a moment to post pics taken with family and friends who came to visit us in the hospital.
I think I got everyone who held Matthew. I know the Kerby's came by but he was in photo therapy, sorry I missed getting your pic Jill & Tim.

I really enjoy taking pics of my two favorite guys. Proud daddy

Aunt Leah with Aunt Bonnie & uncle Louis

Cousin Joan, Sheribeari, Aunt Leah
Grandma holding Matthew
Turnbow Men (Daddy with Uncle Mike and cousin Kyle)

cousin SydneyAunt Teresa
Grandad
Aunt Leah
Grandpa


Friends Michael & KatyDylan & Teresa

Amy
Dawn & Austin

Ben & SarahKeith

SheilaHe's sooo little :-))

Thank you Teresa, we look forward to celebrating many birthdays with yummy treats on this plate :-))Maybe a face only mommy can love :-) He looks like a worried little old man, hehe


Friday we had 24 hours of this...

Then at 2:45pm on Saturday November 7th, we are on our way home to be a family of three :-)

Happy Birthday Matthew :-))

Here goes trying to capture our first week as parents of imho (in my humble opinion) a gorgeous sweet lovable little boy! I'll tell it in pictures since #1 I know that's what you came to see and #2 I'm tired and lucky to get on here to tell for what ever length of time before our little guy wakes back up again hungry :-) Here goes....

Sunday November 1
Sweet friends came over to occupy our thoughts and bring us dinner the night before going in to the hospital:

Pre night prep administered:
Family arriving moments before:
Hey little guy :-)))



Our new family of three :-)

Baby Stats
Just no words yet... and he's awake.


I'll leave you with something Billy shared on Facebook that made me cry:

A Moment I Will Never Forget

Mon at 12:04am

As I sit here with the brief few moments I have until Matthew's next feeding/changing/medicating, I think of a bible verse Lori and I recited many times over the past four plus years. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." After going through infertility issues, then adoption issues, I wasn't sure exactly how God was going to fulfill that promise, even though I knew He would. Now that we have a four day old beautiful boy, I am amazed - although not surprised. God has been full of surprises that we continue to discover. So I wanted to take this time to do what a good friend suggested and speculate over the whirlwind that was the last 4 days.

Only some people know this, but literally days before Lori and I found out we were pregnant, I had a friend approach me in church and very hesitantly ask to talk to me. I could tell he really didn't know why he was telling me, but I could also tell he felt compelled to do it. He simply said "God wanted me to tell you that you are going to have a baby soon." I didn't have the words to respond because I didn't understand what I was supposed to do with that information. I only responded that I appreciated him telling me and I will have to pray to know what it is God wants me to do with that.

Long story short, when Lori was feeling sick for several days, I went out and got a pregnancy test (a familiar trip that had always ended up in disappointment). We were overwhelmed at the news that we were indeed pregnant. And after the euphoria wore off, it was a day by day journey of giving God control as we feared any day could bring us unfortunate news that this gift we had prayed for many years wasn't going to happen.

And on November 4th, at 4:11 p.m., Matthew took his first breath in this world. So many emotions were going through my mind that day and the night before. The days leading up to the night Lori was due to be induced, I was thinking of the little things we did daily that would change forever. Almost as if I would miss the freedom. Random thoughts like these passed through my mind with the foremost thought being how amazed I was that our wait was finally over.

I'm sure the many hours of labor we had were not much different from anyone else. I tried to be as supportive as any husband could and Lori tried to keep the best attitude while she was in such pain and discomfort. Once she had dialated fully, it took only 15 minutes of pushing and they went fast. I had too much going on in my mind to really log them here, but I will never forget when Matthew made his entrance. I had only a feeling of hope that it hope that everything would be okay and concern for Lori. I had made some connection to him as he grew inside Lori and I felt his kicks. But I had nothing else to identify with him. That all ended in an instant when I saw him.

He was real! It only took seconds to make sure he looked fine and everything was normal, but after that was the feeling of awe. Nothing else in my life compared to that unique moment of seeing my son for the first time. I remember the humble feeling of thankfulness and tears of joy I felt. And I couldn't take my eyes off him. Every detail of his face and his expressions and watching his brand new eyes take everything in. They had cleaned him off and after crying briefly, he was quiet and at peace looking at us all. I have never felt so full in my heart looking to my wife and to my newborn son all in the same room as if we'd all just met for the very first time.

I know God designed marriage not only for companionship, but to prepare us for greater responsibilities in serving Him, in learning to love, and in sacrifice for others. Now I know God designed children to show us how much He loves us.

I have one final moment to share. It was before we went to the hospital as I was cleaning house. Lori has a desk calendar that shares a bible verse for each day of the month and very soon after she found out she was pregnant, she changed the calendar to stay on her due date at the time, November 3rd. We all know we look for significance in these things. The verse was nice but not something I would always remember the moment by. So when I found it 4 days before we went to the hospital, I changed it to November 4th as our new date. I was greeted with another one of God's little surprises. The verse for 11/4 to remember Matthew's 4:11 p.m. arrival was Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Sometimes, God just makes me smile.