Ellerie

Haven't gotten to the birth story yet but here's a little of what's been going on ... feedings, diapers, tiredness, hormones, lots of snuggles and kisses ... and did I mention hormones? (I love you Brian!) Anyway ... here's a picture until I have more time to write!

Home!

We came home this morning! It's so good to be here - with a new little baby. Thanks to Kim for updating everyone and thanks to everyone else for all of your prayers! I am going to go take a short nap and then feed the baby ... again. But I hope to do a post soon about the Birth Story - sooo much to tell! And of course, we'll post more pictures!

I love you all!

What a beauty!

Ellerie Dean

Born April 24th at 4:32 p.m.

6 pounds 3 ounces

18 1/2 inches long

I'll leave the details for Jenn. Every mom deserves to tell her own battle story ;)

She and the baby are both doing wonderfully.

She's Here!

Details to come...

Waiting....UPDATED

UPDATE BELOW



Hey ya'll! It's Kim and I get to do a "guest post"! Isn't this fun? I should meander through here and change all her fonts and colors and stuff. Jenn would like that.

Seriously. Here's the news...

Jenn was dilated to 3cm (as of 8:45) and the doctor broke her water. Her contractions are regular and so baby girl should be here today!!!

I called the house and the kids all wanted to talk on the phone.

Emmie: Ms. Kim....you know my baby sister is coming today!

Coleman: Ms. Kim....I had more birthday cake last night. I have a Lightning McQueen car like Samuel.

Priorities people. Priorities. Babies come everyday. Birthday cakes do not.

More later. Prayers are appreciated for a wonderful birth experience and a healthy baby! Thanks in advance.

UPDATED AT 1:45 P.M.

Jenn is 5 cm dilated and has lost the "chipper" voice she had this morning. The epidural is on the way which means *Happy Times* are ahead.

Baby Update

I have been contracting since yesterday morning and they have slowly gotten closer together. Now we are at about 3-4 minutes apart and they are a bit more uncomfortable and involving some back pain. I think this may be it. I was trying to hold out a little longer so my Doctor could deliver her when he gets to the office this morning but I may have to go with the on-call Doc!

We have made it 3 more weeks since she tried to come a little early. This is about the time frame that I delivered my last 2 and they did great. Now we are all ready to meet her. My 4-year old kept asking me last week when her little sister was coming and I told her that only God knows. She informed me later that God told her she would come next Tuesday (which happens to be today)! She is going to be thrilled when she wakes up and finds that we have gone to the hospital.

Please pray for a safe delivery. This will be my second VBAC. She is a little early and small so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. We continue to trust in God's grace and sovereignty as we await her birth! Hopefully the next post will have a picture of our new sweet little girl: Ellerie!

The Disturbed Church

Update below!

A couple of weeks ago, my husband heard a promo for a new church in our area. He went to their website to check it out and what he found can only be described as disturbing! Here are some quotes from their website:


"We believe that church can and should not only be relevant to your life, but it should also be a fun place to come. We also believe that kids don't have to be bored at church. One of the things that we hear from people that come to Foundations is, "We don't have to drag our kids to church any more. They get us out of bed on Sunday mornings! Our family loves coming to church."

Every week we do what is called "Fusion." This is what happens when Nickelodeon collides with the local church. What results is a zany, high energy environment that the whole family will enjoy.

So fire up the double shot of espresso load up the minivan, and experience a relevant, exciting, and fun church right here in your community!"


"Following the adult and children’s gatherings, families will come together for a 45 minute family extravaganza. It will be a presentation that is relevant to all ages. What Walt Disney would do, had he gone to seminary. A sort of spiritual Nickelodeon. It will be fun. It will be entertaining. But most importantly, in age-appropriate ways it will reinforce Christian principles and deliver God’s Word."


Where do I even begin with this? I realize that I am really hormonal right now and I want to protect you from an irrational, hormonal rant ... but this may actually be a rational, hormonal rant! (Did you know there was such a thing?)

Church should not be relevant to us and where we are! That's one of the problems with many evangelical churches today. They live out practices which favor a man-centered theology while neglecting God-centered theology. I think "children being bored at church" is often just a reflection of the hearts of their parents. How can we be bored when God's Word is being opened? How can we be bored when we are hearing the voice of God? If we are bored, then we need to check our own hearts.

"When Nickelodeon collides with the local church ... what Walt Disney would do if he went to seminary..." Do I even need to go here? I just can't stomach that! My prayer for my children is that they would never be exposed to this type of collision. My prayer is that they meet God each week as they dive into His Word. That is my prayer for my entire family. Church isn't about me and what I want and making myself feel good. (Read what Kim wrote). Church is about God - worshipping Him, opening His Word! We don't need to alter it - or make it pretty - or present it creatively - we just need to present IT!


Update from a comment: Check out this quote from Pastor Kent Hughes, of College Church, in Wheaton, Illinois; "The unspoken but increasingly common assumption of today's Christendom is that worship is primarily for us--to meet our needs. Such worship services are entertainment focused, and the worshipers are uncommitted spectators who are silently grading the performance. From this perspective preaching becomes a homiletics of consensus--preaching to felt needs--man's conscious agenda instead of God's. Such preaching is always topical and never textual. Biblical information is minimized, and the sermons are short and full of stories. Anything and everything that is suspected of making the marginal attender uncomfortable is removed from the service. Taken to the nth degree, this philosophy instills a tragic selfcenteredness. That is, everything is judged by how it affects man. This terribly corrupts one's theology."

Coleman's Birthday Party

Coleman will turn 6 on April 23. It's hard to believe it's been 6 years already. This year he wanted a Lightning McQueen cake so we decided to go with that 'theme' and have a little party with family and church friends at the Race Track! We had originally planned for his party to be the weekend of the 21st, but I wasn't sure if I'd be able to keep this baby in that long.

So we moved it up to this past weekend. He had a great time and it was special to have family and friends there to celebrate with us. And boy howdy, I am relieved to have this BIG shindig behind us as we await the birth of this baby!

Here are some pics from the day:

The cake! Granny made the cake for me this year since I am supposed to stay off my feet! Thanks Granny! It was beautiful AND delicious!

Opening presents ...

Coleman and Emmie sharing a hug! (Yes, of course they always act that way! They are a reflection of their Mother!)

Daddy and Coleman in the racing car. (We won't mention the fact that PawPaw, Brian's Dad, was the one to get a yellow caution flag!) Mommy couldn't ride this year because as Coleman said "You're too big - you won't fit!" (Thanks Coleman!)

For those of you who read Mercy Days, that's Kim over there hoggin down on some good pizza, right Kim?

Anyone Out There?

"Is anybody out there? Our Mommy has had to rest alot while we wait for our new baby sister. Frankly, we're bored out of our minds! Can someone help us?"

I realize this is my 101st post and I should have done the "100 Things About Me" list but frankly I can't think of that many and I didn't want to bore you!! So we'll just move on...

Another Baby Update

We thought little Ellerie might join us yesterday. Yesterday, (close your ears guys) I lost some mucous, which is a sign for me that labor is usually about a day or two away. So I went into the Dr. so they could try and stop the contractions. They ultrasounded the baby and she is almost 5 lbs, which is great. After IV fluids the contractions slowed down and I got a steroid shot to help her lungs. I am home now and will rest until she comes. Pray for her safe delivery and pray for my husband as he picks up the slack around home! I will have completed 34 weeks tomorrow but we're hoping to make it to 35 weeks next Saturday.

Will keep you updated if she decides to join us early.

Baby Update

I had my 34-week check-up today. Well, I like to say I am 34 weeks, because I am in the 34th week … know what I mean ladies? But my Dr. says he likes to say 33 ½ weeks. (Technicality right?) Except for the fact that I have already started dilate – I am about 1 ½ cm right now. I usually have my babies early (by about 37 weeks) and I usually dilate a little early, but not this early. I am not on "official" bed-rest because they will only try to stop labor if I go in the next 3 days. But I am supposed to take it easy. Out first goal is to make it another week and a half, preferably a little longer.

Take it easy … sure ... with a 5-year old, a 4-year old, and a 2 ½-year old. (A busy 2 ½ year old I might add). Sure Doc. I came away today a little frustrated and emotional. You see, I am a keeper of lists and I have a LONG list that needs to be completed before this baby comes. Although I am starting to prioritize my list into what really has to be done – I mean, I don’t really need to finish painting the deck stairs … My husband is so sweet and told me not to worry about the house or the laundry – that he will take care of it when he gets home, yet it is still frustrating not being able to do what I feel I am supposed to be doing.

So I have just been praying today and claiming promises from His Word, remembering that God is sovereign and my little girl’s arrival is already a part of His plan. I am praying for peace as I seek to wait on Him. (This may be a good opportunity for me to catch up on some reading and some Bible study.)

Isaiah 26:3 – “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”