Julia Rose

DJ and I are happy to share the news that we welcomed our daughter, Julia Rose, into the world on November 17th at 9:53 am.  She was 7 lbs 2 oz and 19.5 inches long. 

We are all well and absolutely thrilled about our new arrival.  Thank you for your prayers.  And thank you Lord for your latest miracle.

The Stones

C-Section

Every pregnancy has it's ups and downs I'm learning.  DJ and I will experience both tomorrow.  Our little one decided (after weeks of trying to delay labor) that she didn't want to be born yet after all.  So we are now scheduled to deliver by C-section tomorrow morning (something that, to be honest, makes both DJ and I terribly nervous to go through again).  We both had very high hopes for a natural delivery.  But that is the end of the downside.  Everything else is looking up.  All reports have come back that she is healthy and thriving.  I doubt I'll be able to sleep a moment tonight knowing that I get to meet my daughter in the morning.  Christmas hasn't got anything on that. 

Please keep us in your prayers.

The Stones

It just doesn't seem right to post without pictures, so I have delayed and delayed.  A virus ate our computer and until recently, I thought we'd get it working again.  But, I have now resigned myself to life on my laptop with no photo software.  Se la vie.

We are all alive and kickin'.  William has been growing an inch a day and knows no greater joy than to go to his preschool class.  The girls are happy and squealing most of the time, screaming some of the time, and sleeping for just an instant each night.  DJ is working hard at work and home and I am about to pop I'm so pregnant.  I've been having regular contractions for a couple weeks now and taking medication to stop them.  It seems this little one is a true Stone - impatient to get where she's going.  But we officially cross an invisible line tonight that marks the boundary between dangerous prematurity and a healthy birth.  Thank God we made it into the safe zone. 

We are trying to work out our photo problems so that we can introduce you to our new baby when she arrives.  Please keep us in your prayers for a safe and healthy delivery. 

The Stones     

Anniversary

Yesterday was DJ’s and my anniversary and it has me thinking about all the years DJ and I have known each other.  DJ and I met when we were 19 but didn’t decide to get married until we were 27 and living a country apart.  To those of you from Teen Mania who are just convinced we were romantic while there, I must disappoint you and say truthfully, we definitely were not.  We became friends while working together.  In the middle of an environment of extreme stress and pressure, we found that our friendship provided a retreat and a safe place.  We had each others’ back.  Our saga stretched over the next 8 years.  It took me quite some time to go from friendship to romance.  Finally (and DJ would strongly emphasize the word “finally”), I came to the realization that his friendship had become my refuge.  Our relationship had evolved into something so much more.  I looked next to me and saw someone keeping pace with all the same dreams and values, someone I could run with.  And run we have.  For those of you who know how dramatic and fast moving life has been for DJ and I during our marriage, I can say it does feel as though we are running across a finish line out of breath (although the race keeps going).  Our love continues to grow and change, what a wonderful thing we found together. 

 DJ and I a long time ago

To DJ:  What wonderful presents you’ve given me already – glowing memories, beautiful babies, more laughs than I can count, and your love and companionship.  I’m so proud of you my love… proud of the man you are, the father you are to our children - our many, many children J - and proud to have you standing by my side sharing our lives together.  I love you more than words can say and look forward to the years to come.

To everyone:  Please don’t think me unromantic, but in the last year, the words to this song have touched me deeply.  I’d like to share them because I feel they are so important and true to marriage…

“Love is not a place
To come and go as we please
It's a house we enter in
And then commit to never leave
So lock the door behind you
Throw away the key
We'll work it out together
Let it bring us to our knees

Love is a shelter in a raging storm
Love is peace in the middle of a war
If we try to leave may God send angels to guard the door
No, love is not a fight but it's something worth fighting for”

Warren Barfield
Love Is Not A Fight

Wishing you someone to run and share with,

The Stones

Baby Proofing

DJ and I hit a new run of baby proofing this week.  The kids decided to neglect all of their old favorite toys for a new more adventurous pastime… risking life and limb on anything that might even remotely seem fun.  This led to numerous injuries.  It seems common sense that a brick fireplace and your face wouldn’t be a good match for a fun time, but who can imagine what reasoning if any went through their minds.  You might guess that William was the ring leader but you’d be wrong.  It was my little Olivia, 10 times bigger in heart than in body.  And anything Olivia did Emma was soon to follow. 

After hearing a loud crash in the girls room at nap time, I opened the door to find Olivia out of her crib ecstatically running around and Emma half way in and half way out of her crib.  This brought us to expensive purchase number 1 – crib tents.  I had serious doubts at first, but would like to say that these have been enormously successful and I could just kiss the person who invented them.  They may sleep in their cribs now until high school graduation.

And the second realization came when Olivia decided to launch off of our brick fireplace.  She made it.  Emma following shortly after didn’t.  My heart came to a full stop when I saw blood… lots of it…  on her face.  I have spared pictures of the injury – it was gruesome – and she is fine now, but this brought us to expensive and time consuming purchase number 2:  a homemade bench covering the entire brick surround with multiple layers of foam padding.  I knew from the start this would look horrendous, but it actually didn’t come out as bad as I thought.  Then we wired the fireplace guard to the fireplace itself.  William could swing on it like Tarzan and it isn't going anywhere.  I’m rather impressed with DJ and me. 

Kids limbs and major organs in tact…  check

Future safety ensured…  check

Mother breathing again… check

Bank account full… negative

Wishing you and yours all the peace that crib tents can bring,