Happenings....

I've been absent in updating the blog. A lot has happened and it's been a very hectic month. Work has been super busy with the Oracle project I am involved in. Half the month I've been in Raleigh, and the other half, while here, I've been working late a lot. Deadlines and a lot of catching up while I've been out of town....

Last weekend we watched my niece Kadance for the night which was awesome. She is such an angel, and it makes me long for kids to run around the house here. We took her to a local small carnival and she rode the merry go round with Uncle Dave. We had a blast with her.

I just returned from spending a few days with Angie and Josh - he is already changing and so different! I stayed at their place to help out as much as I could - cooking, laundry, playing with the kids, holding Josh so Angie could shower... Dave's been used to holding down the fort on his own, so he graciously let me take a few vacation days to be with the new mom and baby.

And speaking of baby, I was thrilled to learn that on June 14th, Jen delivered a healthy baby GIRL (much to my surprise as I would have bet my life it was a boy in there!) Carli Janet was 7 lbs 6 ozs and 21.5 inches long (but don't quote me on that as I was so shocked to hear it was a girl that everything else kind of blurred together!) I didn't get the chance to meet Carli in person as I was in Raleigh, but I can't wait to meet her very soon!!! Carli and Jen are in my thoughts daily and it's really hard for me to keep away and not see them, but I'm trying to give mom some space to adjust to life with Carli.

Um, what else. Oh! We painted the dining room and it looks great! It's not 100% done as we still have to install the window bench and a new light in the ceiling, as well as refinish the hard wood floors. But we're getting there.

This weekend we're going to Philadelphia to help Mark & Kacey move. It looks to be a nice weekend coming up. Hope everyone is well - I can't tell from the lack of comments. Please say hello - I miss everyone!

Waiting

Wait by Russell Kelfer

Desperately, helplessly, longingly I cried;
Quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied.
I plead and I wept for a clue to my fate...
and the Master so gently said, "Wait."

"Wait? You say wait?" my indignant reply.
"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word.

"My future and all to which I relate
hangs in the balance, and you tell me to 'wait?'
I'm needing a 'yes,' a go-ahead sign.
Or even a 'no,' to which I'll resign.

"You promised, dear Lord, that if we believe,
we need but to ask, and we shall receive.
Lord I've been asking, and this is my cry:
I'm weary of asking! I need a reply!"

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate
as my Master replied again, "Wait."
So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut,
and grumbled to God, "So I'm waiting...for what?"

He seemed then to kneel, and His eyes met with mine...
and He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead and cause mountains to run.

"I could give all you seek and pleased you would be.
You'd have what you want, but you wouldn't know Me.
You'd not know the depth of My love for each saint.
You'd not know the power I give to the faint.

"You'd not learn to see through clouds of despair.
You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there.
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me
when darkness and silence are all you can see.

"You'd never know, should you pain quickly flee,
what it means that my grace is sufficient for thee.
Yes, your dearest dreams overnight would come true,
but, oh, the loss, if I lost what I'm doing in you.

"So be silent, my child, and in time you will see
that the greatest of gifts is to truly know Me.
And though oft' My answers seem terribly late,
My most precious answer of all is still, 'Wait.'"

Joshua Sungming

He timed it perfectly - for me anyway. Angie was a bit exhausted after being in labor with constant contractions since Wednesday night. But Friday morning, on his due date, I got the call from Angie that she was on her way to the hospital. I was in Raleigh for the morning and due to fly home that afternoon. It was perfect timing for me since I would only be in town for 48 hrs.

When I landed in Pittsburgh that afternoon, I went immediately to Magee. Angie was only 2 cm and was comfortable on her epidural drip. I arrived around 4:30 and hung out until about 8 PM. I thought about going home, but by that time, Angie had progressed to 8 cm and I didn't think it would be much longer....

Around 9:45 they had Angie try pushing. The only problem was that while she could push, she had no idea when to push as she couldn't feel the contractions. So they let the epidural run out and an hour later, Angie would feel the contractions and began to push with them. I had left the room and Matt stayed with her. I waited across the hall for about 30 minutes.

When her nurse appeared (and the L&D nurse was wonderful!!!) I got up and stood by the door to ask how Angie was doing. Matt appeared and asked if I'd liked to come in to be with Angie. He said that since we'd been best friends for so long, she felt okay with me being there. I was so honored to be asked, and to be with her at such a special and intimate time. I helped hold her legs while she pushed and give ice-chips and encourage her to keep going. The poor girl was exhausted and pushed for 3 hrs! What a champ!!

It was now about 1:45 AM (having missed having Joshua on her due date) and the doctor felt that a c-section was her best option. She felt that Josh was "stuck" under Angela's pelvic bone and too large to pass. Angela consented to the c-section and they tried to prep her. But by now, the contractions were so strong and without the epidural (and without being able to push) she was miserable. The epidural button was doing nothing for her, and the anesthesiologist hadn't yet returned to administer the block for the surgery. It was so hard to watch my best friend be in such agony and such exhaustion.

About 45 minutes later, Matt came back to the L&D room to say that Joshua Sungming was born at 2:05 AM and was doing beautifully! Angie was great but exhausted. Josh was 8lbs, 8ozs and 22 inches long. They brought him into the room with Angie and I got to hold him. What an angel!!! What a miracle!!

I got to visit Angela and Matt and Josh the next day with Dave. Angie sounded much better and alert, and Joshua was doing great! I gave her a gift, and part of the gift was the blue blanket I had been knitting for Josh. The pictures are below - he is such a pleasant baby! Not much crying, and just as soft and sweet as can be. I'm already in love!!!