| Written on May 7th |
May 6th has been made a day of huge celebration in my house. Theodore Clayton is here. I could not be more excited than I was yesterday to hear my little brother's cry for the first time. I'm now in a family of 7 people. "Thankful" falls short of the indescribable joy in my heart.
(Note: usually we wake up & do school work on a Friday, but this was moms due date. You have to realize this wasn't just an ordinary day - so don't judge - haha!😂)
Yesterday morning I got up around 7 - pretty early for me - went downstairs & watched Jane Eyre as the sun shone through the sunporch windows. Moms due date was today. I was hopeful. What a gorgeous day it would be to welcome a little brother. Around 8:30, the last few people climbed out of their beds to watch Netflix & eat food. About 9 o'clock our "older sister" (that is really our old babysitter that we got more-than-close to) suggested we go grab doughnuts. Or donuts. Or do-nuts. Or however it is proper to spell it. So we went to the doughnut/donut/do-nut shop. As we drove back down our rode shortly after drowning in the delightfulness of a rare sweet treat, we noticed my dad's truck in the driveway. But he's already left for work?... Of course, we all ran inside wondering if what we anticipated was a reality. And even though we anticipated it, we were still shocked:
Mom was in labor.
All of us siblings watched our parents pull out of the driveway; suitcase, baby clothes, pillows & all thrown into the back seat. The contractions were getting stronger & stronger. Our "older sis" had to leave to meet her husband in Little Rock, so a friend from church came to stay with Eli, Tatum, & Liam. I, on the other hand, was going to the hospital. My friend's mom was picking me up after checking her twin girls out of school to come with us (I'll just call them G & C - my friends literally since before I could talk). Grab the camera. Check. Change clothes. Check. Make sure Delta got fed. Check. Make sure flat iron is unplugged. Check. She pulled into the drive & I climbed into the car jittery to meet my little brother!! AHHHH.....the excitement. Each of us just kinda put up with each other's nervous blubbering & talking non-stop. We walked in the hospital doors at 10:30am. In a room right across from mom we were texting people, asking them to pray, & sending updates as often as we could. 5cm. 6cm. 7cm. 8cm. "It's time.", someone came & told us - I don't know who. We stood in the hallway shaking, smiling, & waiting to hear those strong little lungs start screamin'. Well it happened...super fast. One of the twins caught his first cry on video, & me walking in to see him for the first time. Shock. Utter shock at the miracle of life. For awhile we stood around taking pictures. Then we sent them out to friends all across the country who were waiting for the news. Everyone's phones were blowing up. Everyone was still shaking. He was here. It was finished. Once everything settled a little, we went to grab lunch at sonic & get some balloons from the local grocery store. Then for the next couple hours we didn't do anything but sit around and stare at him. I got to hold him for the first time that afternoon. He was so tiny & perfect. I'm so thankful G & C got to be there with me through this whole process & I'll remember it forever, but for them to get to be there when I held him for the first time was priceless. It's so fun to have people you've experienced every 'first' with share in your joy as if it was their own. And it was. It was a joyous day for so many although he's not anyones but ours. I guess that's just one of the miracles of friendship. Then everyone except my grandmothers & aunt left to find a little rest at the house. When my grandfather pulled into town, he drove by to pick me up. Back to the hospital we went. I can't imagine what that was like for him. His baby had her 5th baby. It was super special to watch him see his 3rd grandson for the first time. After that, I went to eat with G & C's family & their neighbor AC's families. Dinner was delish. So then we took some pictures that include hugging trees & standing by cool lamp posts before all piling in the car to go to the hospital for G & C's little brother, sister, & dad to meet Teddy, & AC came too. That was real fun. I'll remember it forever. Finally got home & ended the day a little after 10pm. Fun day, good memories, & amazing people. Everyone was so thankful. Yesterday was one of the best days in my entire life. I love you, little buddy. So much.
May 6th has been made a day of huge celebration in my house. Theodore Clayton is here. I could not be more excited than I was yesterday to hear my little brother's cry for the first time. I'm now in a family of 7 people. "Thankful" falls short of the indescribable joy in my heart.
(Note: usually we wake up & do school work on a Friday, but this was moms due date. You have to realize this wasn't just an ordinary day - so don't judge - haha!😂)
Yesterday morning I got up around 7 - pretty early for me - went downstairs & watched Jane Eyre as the sun shone through the sunporch windows. Moms due date was today. I was hopeful. What a gorgeous day it would be to welcome a little brother. Around 8:30, the last few people climbed out of their beds to watch Netflix & eat food. About 9 o'clock our "older sister" (that is really our old babysitter that we got more-than-close to) suggested we go grab doughnuts. Or donuts. Or do-nuts. Or however it is proper to spell it. So we went to the doughnut/donut/do-nut shop. As we drove back down our rode shortly after drowning in the delightfulness of a rare sweet treat, we noticed my dad's truck in the driveway. But he's already left for work?... Of course, we all ran inside wondering if what we anticipated was a reality. And even though we anticipated it, we were still shocked:
Mom was in labor.
All of us siblings watched our parents pull out of the driveway; suitcase, baby clothes, pillows & all thrown into the back seat. The contractions were getting stronger & stronger. Our "older sis" had to leave to meet her husband in Little Rock, so a friend from church came to stay with Eli, Tatum, & Liam. I, on the other hand, was going to the hospital. My friend's mom was picking me up after checking her twin girls out of school to come with us (I'll just call them G & C - my friends literally since before I could talk). Grab the camera. Check. Change clothes. Check. Make sure Delta got fed. Check. Make sure flat iron is unplugged. Check. She pulled into the drive & I climbed into the car jittery to meet my little brother!! AHHHH.....the excitement. Each of us just kinda put up with each other's nervous blubbering & talking non-stop. We walked in the hospital doors at 10:30am. In a room right across from mom we were texting people, asking them to pray, & sending updates as often as we could. 5cm. 6cm. 7cm. 8cm. "It's time.", someone came & told us - I don't know who. We stood in the hallway shaking, smiling, & waiting to hear those strong little lungs start screamin'. Well it happened...super fast. One of the twins caught his first cry on video, & me walking in to see him for the first time. Shock. Utter shock at the miracle of life. For awhile we stood around taking pictures. Then we sent them out to friends all across the country who were waiting for the news. Everyone's phones were blowing up. Everyone was still shaking. He was here. It was finished. Once everything settled a little, we went to grab lunch at sonic & get some balloons from the local grocery store. Then for the next couple hours we didn't do anything but sit around and stare at him. I got to hold him for the first time that afternoon. He was so tiny & perfect. I'm so thankful G & C got to be there with me through this whole process & I'll remember it forever, but for them to get to be there when I held him for the first time was priceless. It's so fun to have people you've experienced every 'first' with share in your joy as if it was their own. And it was. It was a joyous day for so many although he's not anyones but ours. I guess that's just one of the miracles of friendship. Then everyone except my grandmothers & aunt left to find a little rest at the house. When my grandfather pulled into town, he drove by to pick me up. Back to the hospital we went. I can't imagine what that was like for him. His baby had her 5th baby. It was super special to watch him see his 3rd grandson for the first time. After that, I went to eat with G & C's family & their neighbor AC's families. Dinner was delish. So then we took some pictures that include hugging trees & standing by cool lamp posts before all piling in the car to go to the hospital for G & C's little brother, sister, & dad to meet Teddy, & AC came too. That was real fun. I'll remember it forever. Finally got home & ended the day a little after 10pm. Fun day, good memories, & amazing people. Everyone was so thankful. Yesterday was one of the best days in my entire life. I love you, little buddy. So much.
Dear Teddy,
My heart overflows with joy to finally hold you in my arms & sing to you & pray over you & whisper how much I love you.
On Friday, May 6th, at 11:37am, I welcomed you into the world along with so many others. You are beautiful. You are tiny. You are innocent. But here's the breaker point -- you are a sinner. You, who seem to have never done anything against anyone & rely on your family to give you your every need? You need Jesus. You are broken. Just like everyone else, you deserve the greatest of all punishments... But relentless mercy & reckless grace have captured you instead. Because of it, anyone can be set free... As I look into your little eyes, & as your precious little hand wraps around my single finger, I'm reminded of how huge that grace & mercy really is. That grace & mercy bought us back. That grace & mercy died so we can live. Oh Lord, how can it be? Troubles will come for you. You'll grow up, settle down, & the world will try to rename your Christ-driven heart, but I pray & hope with everything in me that you stand firm in this grace & in this mercy. That you sell everything you have for that one field. Because that's where the Treasure is...the only Treasure.
Ever since I found out we were going to welcome a new member into this family, I've been waiting for the day I would meet you. I praise God for giving you to us...to me. You are a reminder to me of what a beautiful thing life is. This world sure can get tough. I get discouraged & angered so easily at just about anything; but if I would just live like you & lean on God to take care of my every need, I will flourish. That's what I have to tell you: always lean on God like you lean on us. You'll forget to do that. You really will. You just don't know yet how many roads bumps you'll come across, but always trust Him. I pinky promise He knows what's best for you. And I'll be here cheering you on as long as I have breath.
You'll grow up; the newness of you will wear off; but Theodore Clayton, I will always love you. Always. Friends will leave, enemies will be forgotten, memories will fade away, but family is forever. You can't get rid of me & I can't get rid of you & how glad I am. Our Father has given us to each other & as you will soon find out, it is the greatest pleasure to do life with people who constantly love you. You'll get in fights with the other 4 of us...you will...but as your siblings, we'll always love you.
We get to hold your hand. We get to teach you how to crawl, how to walk. We get to teach you how to ride a bike. We get to be the ones to wipe your tears & bandage your knees when you fall. We get to watch you learn to play t-ball, & run around outside on hot summer nights. We get to teach you how to swim. We get to be the ones to take you camping, & reel in your first fish. We get to be the ones to sing country songs together while crusin' in dad's truck to Sonic. We get to be the ones to watch you learn to drive. We get to be the ones to watch you go to college, get a degree. We get to be the ones to watch you fall in love & marry a beautiful girl. We get to be the ones to watch y'all have precious little perfectly created babies. We get to be the ones to watch you grow up. We get to be the ones to know you best. We get to keep you. You're ours & I am thrilled. I am so, so thrilled. How can someone so small hold my heart so tightly?
Here's to your new little life & hopefully many more countless hours of time spent with you by my side. I'm so proud to be your big sister.
With all my heart,
abby
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
Psalm 139:13-16