An Announcement...

of almost Biblical proportions!  

To us, anyway.

So without further ado, may I present:

Our granddaughter 

fresh from God on May 24th at 5:05 a.m. 

7lbs. 4oz., 18 3/4"

10 fingers.  10 toes.

Blue eyes, fine hair with hints of blond and copper.
Welcome to the world, little angel!

14 hours old
Here's the blow by blow:
May 23rd, 9:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m.  Talking on the phone with D#2

Her:  "Been feeling something, contractions, I think, about every 1/2 hour since late this afternoon."

Me *trying to sound supportive, not anxious*: 

"You know your body.  You'll know if it's labor. 

Perhaps you could call your midwife to see if it is 'something'."

Her:  "Oh, I'll just see if they continue."

Me:  "Have you been timing them?"

Her: "Sort of..."

Me:  "Maybe you and [SIL] could start recording the times."

Her, sounding a little anxious and hopeful:

"Oh, we'll just see what happens."
11:30 p.m.-Phone call saying she's definitely in labor!

May 24th, 1:15 a.m.-Dear Husband and I are awakened out of a sound sleep
by a text saying "We're on our way to the hospital!"
6:15 a.m.- I'd just exited the shower.  My cell rings.
I run with it to the living room where Dear Husband is still reading the paper.
SIL says we have a
granddaughter!
She and Mommy are doing well.
My baby has a baby.
Selah.  Pause and calmly think of that, Karen.

DH and I headed to work for a few hours.  Then we drove up to meet her.

I keep telling myself:  This brand-new little girl is my granddaughter...

and his, too...

and now my Mom is a Great-Grandma!

4 Generations

Still can't believe what a miracle you are!

10 days old.  Wearing an outfit I got her.
Glamorous pink bow, a gift from her other Grandma.

Thank You, Lord, for this precious gift straight from Your loving hands and heart!

I will praise and give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples;

I will sing praises to You among the nations.

Psalm 57:9 Amplified

I know that several of you dear blogger friends have been 

checking up here for this.

Cate, Joyfull, Mary, Jo-anne "Blossy," Heidi, and Donna hope this was worth waiting for.

Thanks for sharing this joy with our family!

God bless you all.

Love,

Linking with
Time-Warp Wife for

Internet Cafe for

Courtney @ Living Well Wednesday

Iris @ Grace Alone for

Beverly's Pink Saturday

Charlotte and Ginger @ Spiritual Sundays

Empty Nest

 Are you on this end of motherhood?  How did/do you deal with it?

Are your friends, activities, job, husband, and home

enough to fulfill you, allow you to live your purpose in God's plan?

Been there.  Still do it.  Or, at least, tell myself to do it.

But I struggle.

Struggle, as in 

"I miss my kids so much my chest feels like it's going to burst!"

That began when our eldest went to college and got married, and only increased in intensity as the next 2 did the same.  I've been trying to find a healthy outlook in this season for over 10 years.

Am I the only one?

Yes, there are many joy-filled moments and blessings to be savored.  

There's lots of love to keep me warm.

But in my heart, this "missing them" spot is fresh and tender.

Do you have one of those?

Elizabeth at Just Following Jesus left me a thoughtful comment [love those!] on yesterday's post.

I hopped over to her site to thank her and found a kindred heart.

In her Wednesday post, she talked about her sorrow as her Daughter, SIL, and children 

leave the US to serve God in Africa.  

She quoted Watchman Nee,

"God wants us to love Him more than our Isaac."

She's considering starting a new blog called M{oms}O{f}M{issionaries}

with this purpose-

Maybe us Mamas need an online place to share both the wounds of letting go as well as the joys of seeing our children serving God and to share prayer requests as well.

I want to be a joyful, gracious woman of God.

For the most part, I believe I am by the looks of me.

But my heavenly Father and my Dear Husband know differently.

They know my struggle.

I want to be able to be alone with myself and them

and truly be that woman.

I need some other Moms to come alongside me 

and help me learn to love God more than I love my Isaac.  

I have encouraged Elizabeth to begin that blog.

How about you?

Would such a blog fill a need in your heart and soul?

If so, please visit her and tell her that.

I am so thankful that you are there.

Your posts and comments help me with these crazy ups and downs

as I try to find my way with Jesus.

O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:1, 23-24 

May you taste God's abundant grace today!

Love,

Linking up with 

Iris @ Grace Alone for Thankful Thursday

My Mom

Her children arise and call her blessed.

Proverbs 31:28

Here's my Mom on her 80th birthday, November 11, 2007

She is surrounded by our 3 children and their spouses.

Dad couldn't be there 'cuz he'd been in heaven for 5 years and 3 days.

They were married for 52 years.

Mom had quadruple bi-pass surgery in early October that year.

She has had diabetes for 15 years, been a widow for 8.

We'd planned a big shindig

-that's "party" for those who don't know-

for Mom's 80th birthday:

"What a lady!  Margaret's 80!"

When Mom was sure she'd be strong enough to party-hardy,

family members and friends came from

Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, Washington, Oregon, and California

to celebrate with us.

We reserved Mom's favorite restaurant

PJ's Abby,

and the management graciously allowed 30 of us

to sing one of Mom's favorite hymns,

Be Still My Soul

before they opened.

Rarely has one who shunned the spotlight all her life 

been more, well, in the spotlight!

And deservedly so.

For:

She [was] a wife of noble character...

Her husband [had] full confidence in her

and [lacked] nothing of value.

She [brought] him good, not harm,

all the days of her life.

She...[worked] with eager hands.

She [got] up while it [was] still dark;

She [provided] food for her family...

She [set] about her work vigorously;

Her arms [were] strong for her tasks.

Her husband [was] respected...

She is clothed with strength and dignity;

She speaks with wisdom,

and faithful instruction is on her tongue...

[She is] a woman who fears the LORD

[and] is to be praised...

[Oh, Lord, this is my prayer for her:]

Give her the reward she has earned

[by Your grace]!

Proverbs 31:10-31

As I mentioned here, Mom has had some new health challenges.

She got depressed when we all left after Christmas.  

Isn't she cute?
She and I enjoyed French toast together the day after Christmas.

She didn't eat properly.

Didn't manage her meds well.

Got an infection.

Landed in the hospital for a week.

Has spent nearly 3 weeks in a skilled nursing facility.

That's where she is at this moment.

And I'm here.  So far away!

I told her the Lord has a job for her to do,

lives for her to touch, in that place.

She agreed, suggesting she could start with her 94 year-old roommate.

Oh, for grace to have such steadfast faith!

Lord, please lay Your healing hands on my Mommy.  Show her the good works You planned for her to do and make her arms strong, once more, to do them.  May she experience the joy You promise when we walk in Your ways.  And please guide my bro and me to take care of her well and honor her in all we do.  Thank You for the Godly heritage you've given me and all my family.

In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Thank you to all who've prayed for Mom during this time.

God bless you and keep you in His grace always.

Love,

Linking with Scripture & a Snapshot

 

and

Magical Mouse Schoolhouse

and

Renee Swope's

and

Iris @ Grace Alone

What Will My Legacy Be?

As I shared here, there's a lot of junk in my past that I'm not proud of.

But when I walk in the grace of God's forgiveness

I'm free to dream about wonderful things:

like the fact that I will be a Grandma for the first time

around Mother's Day next year.

And I've begun to wonder

what kind of legacy will I leave for my children?

And now, my grandbaby?

The Holy Spirit reminds me that He is still at work in me,

that I am His beloved work-in-progress.

And He gives me this word of encouragement:

"Remember the faith of Timothy's mother and grandmother.

You, Karen, have that faith in Me.

Fan it to flame by spending time with Me."

I'm weak Lord!

He continues patiently,

"I did not give you a spirit of timidity, 

but a spirit of power,

of love

and of self-discipline."

[2 Timothy 1:5-7]

I want to be that kind of woman!

I want it to be said of me,

"She had faith in the Lord no matter what." 

Nichole Nordeman's lyrics brought these thoughts to mind today:

I wanna leave a legacy.

How will they remember me?

Did I choose to love? 

Did I point to You

enough to make a mark on things? 

Wanna leave an offering.

Child of mercy and grace 

who blessed Your name unapologetically

  and leave that kind of legacy.

Just wanna hear, "Good and faithful servant!"

[the video is at the end of the post]

Thank You, Jesus, that You continue to draw me to Yourself.

Give me grace to grow in my faith today.

Grace and peace to you, friends!

Love, Karen

Linking up with Iris & friends @ Thankful Thursday.