We are now a Family of Five

Wow!  It happened only a week ago that I started labor pains Monday afternoon before Siena's gymnastics class, but the doctor said I wasn't dialated.  But my body caught up and after a long hard labor, Allegra Grace made her entrance into the world at 9:47am on Tuesday, April 14th.  The doctor delivering her wasn't aware her gender was a surprise so the climatic element was removed, but we cherished it all the same.  We are so grateful that God gave us another healthy child and a natural delivery, so we can't help but give Him the glory, honor and praise for such a miracle.  May she live up to her namesake of lending favor unearned in a joyful, upbeat manner and may she be a blessing to all those she encounters.  

 First introductions to her siblings: Siena couldn't be more happy to have a sister. 

 Uncle Dave has been such a big part of all the kids lives and he was there to meet her at the hospital. 

 1st Day Home and her 1st stuffed animal from Daddy. 

 1st Bath at home on Saturday, the 18th. 

 1st Bottle given by Daddy. 

Allegra has been such a quiet calm baby and she lets her siblings do all the talking for her.  She has been the sweetest addition to our family.  

"Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them." 

- Psalm 127:3-5

Easter Celebrations

Easter never gets enough credit.  It's the biggest celebration of the year for Christ-followers, or at least it should be.  Christmas is awesome and who doesn't love snow and hot chocolate, but Easter is the celebration of Christ's sacrifice AND His victorious triumph over the grave.  This means so much more to us this year knowing that our friend Jon is hunting Easter eggs in heaven, as Siena reminds us, and that death has lost it's sting in our lives!  That's worth a Hallelujah!!

All that to say, we had a fantastic Easter and beautiful weather to enjoy it.  We dyed Easter eggs, searched for those eggs around our house, enjoyed a great service with 20,000 other people from middle Tennessee at our home church campus and then we celebrated with a Southern BBQ dinner and Easter egg hunt with our Tennessee family, the Hamricks.  I could write a lot of fun stories about how many hard-boiled eggs we broke (all but 1), how many bottles of bubbles we went through (I lost count), and how quickly we, I mean Siena, ate the jelly beans (They lasted until 11am).  But really, it's the kids and their smiles that make it so memorable.