Week 1

Julia has received so many visitors this past week of her little life with so many more people to meet! There has been so much excitement as I look back on the 7 days - her timing has been pretty amazing. She was present for her daddy's 31st birthday and will be celebrating her first Father's Day tomorrow. I'd say that I'm safe not buying Charles any gifts this year, I think he's pretty happy.
Pastor John arrived for a visit on Wednesday. I must say, Pastor John is an amazing man. He embodies a gentle man who loves God and loves his community. We absolutely love him at our Trinity home. We had a conversation that was quite thought provoking - he asked each Charles and I to sum up our experience with Julia so far in one word.
My word: Contentment - despite some frustrating and scream-filled moments (on Julia's part, not mine) our house is just so peaceful. Charles and I just sit and look at her in amazement. I remember feeling as she entered the world that life could not possibly get better than this. She is so pure.
Charles choose the words Love and Sacrifice - He has embraced fatherhood from the beginning and is so hands on. It is amazing how much love pours out of you - love that you never knew you were capable of. I know he would do anything for this child.
So as Pastor John was leaving we closed in prayer. His prayers are so thoughtful and God centered and I just felt such a peace in the room as he spoke. He ended with a prayer capturing the meaning of her name saying, "Julia, may you always have a youthful spirit and may your path always be bright and clear".
That is my prayer for her too.

Julia is here!

Julia - "Youthful"

Claire - "Bright/Clear"

We'd had a rough week of touch and go appointments that indicated that Julia was probably going to come early. I went in for my Friday visit and my blood pressure earned me an immediate admission for an induction. I was somewhat relieved that it was sprung upon me rather than sitting it out, though there were some tense hours in the midst of it all. I was induced on Friday, June 12th and Julia arrived quite vibrantly into the world at 12:11pm on Saturday June 13th, 2009 at 20 in long weighing 6lbs 7oz. The whole process was truly amazing and we are in absolute awe of her.

We are thrilled to be home and attempting to figure out how life works now with this whole new person in our home. She fits in quite well.

Room in Progress

I started collecting ideas for the nursery from the beginning, which has been so much fun! I love putting each piece to her room knowing that she is going to create her own identity within these walls. The alligator burp cloth from her Aunt Kirstan in Florida matches her eclectic Amish quilt bedding perfectly and her organic fabrics, provided by Laura, assure her daily safety. :)

Everything has been added with so much love.

We live in a house that has a lot of personality and much room to work with in regard to adding our style. Needless to say, Charles and I are not so handy, but we put a lot of work in throughout the winter. I have had my moments of anxiety, but I love that we can look at even the imperfections and know that this is OUR work. I'm not sure whether baby Gray will get in to Harvard after all of these paint fumes, but she put her time in too. :)
I added my finishing touches to the bedroom


While Charles worked on the nursery in his typical clean and concise fashion...
(I love these pictures - they are the complete opposite of our personalities.)

Since this baby is arriving a bit ahead of schedule and with the added bonus of bedrest on top of that, the room has not been completed. I had been all set to paint a tree mural on the wall, which not going to happen any time soon.
I don't think she'll notice.

My mom will be here tonight to help with some finishing touches before baby Gray comes this weekend.

Anxiously awaiting...

"For a long time there were only your footprints & laughter in our
dreams & even from such small things, we knew we could not wait to love you forever."
- Brian Andreas, Story People

I am in awe as I look back on 38 weeks of pregnancy. I had no idea how much I would embrace this life as she grew from day to day. It has been an amazing journey and now we are faced with a bit more of a planned arrival than expected.

It looks like baby Gray is coming this week due to Pregnancy Induced Hypertension. With all the preparation that has gone into this process, I am at a loss with what to do in these last few moments before she arrives. I recognize that no matter what people tell you, it will never truly make sense until she is here.

So the best thing I can do is reflect.