Abigail Joy

at 11:50 am today, i became the auntie of a 7 pound 9 oz, 20.5 inch long baby girl named Abigail Joy!!!

i woke up at four this morning when my sister and her husband left for the hospital, and then, shock of all shocks, i went back to sleep until i heard my 15 month old nephew Dean on the baby monitor at 7. we spent most of the day walking around the house, making a mess, and sleeping (well... the lucky boy got to sleep. i got to clean up the living room.).


we just got back from the hospital about an hour ago to have dinner... she is amazing! i'd never held a newborn before today. her fingers and toes are so dainty, with such tiny little nails. she has the typical deep blue eyes of a newborn (or that's what they told me), and such soft skin. she does have hair... light brown and more than peach fuzz but definitely not enough to put a bow in yet. the pink hat the nurse put on her is huge for her head and makes her look like a pink zucchini with a puffball on the end... sigh. oh well.

looking at that baby, i realize i have no clue what all love entails. i knew i didn't have the overpowering emotion that my sister and her husband had for this new little baby, and i knew why. as much as she is my darling niece, and as much as i would lay down my life to protect her, she's not my flesh and blood. until i have a child of my own, i will never understand the bond between child and parent or the love it thrives on.

even still... seeing that tiny perfect face wrinkle up and hearing her sneeze that wouldn't budge a butterfly off a flower, listening to her coo and try to pry an eye open to peek around... it makes me want to write a song. i've been trying to ask God to show Himself to me in everyday life... if a newborn baby isn't a fresh handprint of God to you, you have serious problems, my friend. and you need counseling. badly.

i was rocking her while my sister and i were talking, and worship songs kept exploding in the back of my mind. God is AWESOME!!! to create something so small, so perfect, such a blatant sign of His glory and creativity, He deserves more than praise. He deserves any and every thing we can give Him. if it sounds like i'm going overboard with this, it's because i am.

so that's pretty much it... they're coming home tomorrow, and as soon as i get pictures, they'll be up. i'm gonna go see about writing that song... not that anyone will hear it. my songs tend to ramble... if i can get it to be coherent and find someone that can do the music for me, we'll go from there.

baby love!

~tefa