elliott's here!

my sweet boy fell asleep before noon today. i know how he feels; we've had a big couple of days. baby elliott made his arrival last night at 5:46 pm. i keep finding myself staring blankly ahead of me while reliving moments from the day, realizing that i'm still somewhat surprised by a baby joining the world at the end of it all, and then suddenly i get this huge urge to bake a big batch of raspberry-lemon scones to take over to the daugherty's, followed by the thought that i may be obsessed with them. i could probably use a pre-noon nap as well. :)

i read psalm 84 yesterday morning before joseph and ian (pre-baby-brother's-birth sleepover!) woke up. beautifully significant:

"blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to zion.
as they go through the valley of baca they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
they go from strength to strength;
each one appears before God in zion." (psalm 84:5-7)

i smiled as i read verse 7 in particular, which was described in the footnote as, "they keep on finding new levels of strength for the journey," thinking of each stage of labor that luke and ann would be experiencing that day, praying strength for them throughout it all.

i can't do word-justice to yesterday's events, but my heart and mind are filled with visions of luke and ann working & moving & being together through each contraction, of the easy smiles and laughter shared between each one nearly up until the moment ellliott was born. at many points in the afternoon it felt so very normal for them to be, quite simply, having a baby together. it was such an amazing picture of beautiful God-glorifying very real life with each other. and then elliott was born, and this tiny baby boy began his life in his mama's arms with faces close and their voices welcoming him, telling him they're so glad he's here, that he was a little bit stubborn at the end there, that he's grumpy just like his brother was. he was so purple and fresh and new.

i am so thankful that i was able to be a part of this birth. thank you, Lord. you are beautiful and your creation is so lovely.


sigh. maybe i will make those scones. :)

p.s. there are lots of pictures that are much better than this one, but they're all on luke & ann's camera.. this was the only picture i managed to snag on my camera. i know, i know, what kind of doula gets a water bottle in the shot, right?