Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Grace is here!

And all is well. She's just a little over 24 hours old, and the tiniest little thing! Her head fits right in my palm--grapefruit sized. When Jason brought the kids up to meet her yesterday, it struck me anew how huge they are in comparison! I mean, Nate just looked like a Mack truck or something.

I'll post more details and pics later--I just wanted to thank everyone for their emails, blogments (did I make up a word?), calls and most of all, prayers. I don't think childbirth could've gone much more smoothly than this. Thanks also to Becky for her sweet post and all the Suburban Matron readers! It was so sweet to read what y'all wrote. We are off to a pretty good start and I am feeling great. I love this hospital--I gotta tell you. They are really wonderful here. The nurses are all just so friendly and so helpful--it's like having all these moms and big sisters around. They call me "sweetheart" and bring me tea. It feels a little like summer camp. But with stitches, less sleep and no mosquitoes. Can I stay forever?

A few years ago, when Nate was still a baby, I was sitting up in bed one night, and had this thought: Your next child will be a girl, and you should name her Grace Elaine. Another baby wasn't really on the radar yet for us, so I tucked that thought away for later. But when we found out that #3 was a girl, we had our name. Elaine is my amazing mama's middle name, and I can think of no better person to name a child after. And Grace--well, grace is one of my favorite ideas/concepts/truths. Realization of what grace is has changed my life forever. So I love that our new baby daughter will be a reminder of that for me.

I just want to include this little "definition" of grace from a spiritual perspective. I love the way that Frederick Buechner worded this, and it's this amazing truth that comes to mind when I think of why we named our little one Grace.

"After centuries of handling and mishandling, most religious words have become so shopworn nobody's much interested anymore. Not so with grace, for some reason. Mysteriously, even derivatives like gracious and graceful still have some of the bloom left.

Grace is something you can never get but can only be given. There's no way to earn it or deserve it or bring it about any more than you can deserve the taste of raspberries and cream or earn good looks or bring about your own birth.

A good sleep is grace and so are good dreams. Most tears are grace. The smell of rain is grace. Somebody loving you is grace. Loving somebody is grace. Have you ever tried to love somebody?

A crucial eccentricity of the Christian faith is the assertion that people are saved by grace. There's nothing you have to do. There's nothing you have to do. There's nothing you have to do.

The grace of God means something like: 'Here is your life. You might never have been, but you are, because the party wouldn't have been complete without you. Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don't be afraid. I am with you. Nothing can ever separate us. It's for you I created the universe. I love you.'

There's only one catch. Like any other gift, the gift of grace can only be yours if you'll reach out and take it.

Maybe being to reach out and take it is a gift too.”


More later. Love y'all!

18 comments:

  1. I love that Beauchner quote. Randomly the phrase, "raspberries and cream" will come into my head and it is a reminder of all he says about grace.

    NOW...CONGRATULATIONS!
    So happy to see your Grace, and that you are well. Sooooo far away, but I am having a party in my heart for you and fam, right here in Kansas.

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  2. Amy! Thanks--you know it's funny, that quote always reminds me of you. I think you introduced that book to me. So, thanks. :) xoxo

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  3. Congrats, Amy! She is gorgeous.
    Hugs,
    Angela

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  4. Congratulations Amy...So wonderful to read about your family. I love the name Grace and what you wrote about it...I'm especially fond of it because "Hannah" also means grace, and that is the whole reason I use this name...Grace is what God does for me that I cannot possibly do for myself.
    Love ya...

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  5. So wonderful! Wish I could be there with you to rub your feet and say "Way to go!" Grace Elaine is beautiful. The name and the girl.

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  6. I'm so happy everything went well! What a sweet baby girl. Grace is a wonderful name. I remember Lily seemed huge after Emmy was born, and Lily has always been just a little peanut! Enjoy this time with your new little one.

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  7. We just saw you and spoke via Skype. You look great and Grace is gorgeous. I could tell that she was particularly responsive to her Papa's voice. I think we've bonded already.

    Love to you all. See you soon.

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  8. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! Grace looks absolutely gorgeous:) Looking forward to coming to visit her and you in a couple of hours. And yes, that hospital is just the best isn't it!!! I remember not wanting to go home either although in my case I did have to go home without Rebekah:( And btw, you are amazing to be blogging so soon after giving birth, is there anything you can't do!!:)

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  9. Hey Grace' momma,
    More grace 2 u n ur whole family. Loads o' luv from all da 'Diamond Conf.' organizing team.Y

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  10. Yeah, Grace is here ! What a blessing ! I am so excited that I'll see her soon and hold her. She's absolutely precious and beautiful. Thank you for the honor of giving her my name. You touched my heart.

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  11. Wow! What a fantastic quote! Pretty much says it all.

    And your baby girl is beautiful! So alert! (I literally keep tearing up-good golly-what is up with that! Just so happy for you all, I guess!)

    You and yours are such a blessing, Amy. Much love to ya! xo

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  12. I can't believe that you are already blogging. Do you fly around in an invisible jet? Because you are like Wonder Womaaaaan!

    Grace is such a little peapod! I can't wait to hold her.

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  13. Amy! I have been so excited for you and was shocked you were blogging so soon. Grace Elaine is BEAUTIFUL and I'm just thrilled for all of you. :)

    Yay!

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  14. Jason, Amy, Ava, and Nate,
    I join in your excitement over Grace's arrival! She is beautiful. I love her name, and it will be a continual reminder of God's gracious gift to all of us. Enjoy your precious baby. Give her lots of hugs and kisses until we can do it personally.

    Much love,
    John and Kathy

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  15. OH AMY!! Grace is such a doll! I especially love her name. My Avery's middle name is Grace because she was saved by the grace of God. He is so good, and what a way to keep that reminder with us.

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  16. Amy,

    I'm so grateful you took time out to update us! I can't tell you how many times Julie and I have looked at the pictures you guys have put up. More plz kthx.

    -David

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  17. HUGE congrats! She's beautiful!

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  18. Hoooray for Grace Elaine! I'm so happy that she's here. She is so beautiful and tiny! Can't wait to hold her.

    I was really taken by this post, Amy. I can hear your overflowing joy through your words. Thank you for sharing!

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