Abigail Came Home

On Wednesday.

June 29.

Snoozing after that trip home from 

Huntsville.

Ellie's Lizzie is also snoozing, in the room, 

right next to Abigail's crib.

Ellie has such an instinct with Abigail.

Her cute, barefoot, somewhat soiled, 

six year old feet, 

stretched out while she holds her brand new sister.

Andrew wanted to show Abigail his placemat.

and he introduces her to Big Bird.

The brothers and their new little sister.

Again, Ellie's bare feet in the foreground.

Abigail has joined the ranks of the Barber siblings.

Sweet sleep after her first bath at home.

My Post on Abigail

With Pictures that no one has used yet ...
because we, of course, want to find the prettiest ones.  They're really all pretty and miraculous - aren't they? However, I've picked for my post, some typically newborn looks on Abigail Ann.

I counted 14 new babies through the window this morning.
Seriously, they were all beautiful and precious and adorable.  They are brand new infants - fresh into this world.  They each have a life.  And that was only this one morning and one moment in one hospital in a small city.  They're everywhere - those new babies and those new lives - and families crowding around the window to see their star attraction.  Very proud daddies, parents, siblings, moms in wheel chairs, moms shuffling down the hall - any one of us either going for coffee or ice chips or trying to see another glimpse of new baby.  Pinks and Blues decorating the doors of the rooms where families congregate, with excitement - or sorrow.


One very young mom across the hall from Ann would be wheeled toward the elevator in her hospital gown, once by her mom, again by her very young husband.  The first time I saw her her face was tear streaked.  I put the story together - guessing they were headed for NICU - guessing the new dad was already up there and things must have been - well - not the outcome they had expected.  This morning - baby must have made it through the night.  Young mom was being wheeled by young dad onto the elevator.  


Even as a healthy baby and full term, my Laura Beth's John had to be in NICU for 8 days.  She went home without a baby and made those visits back and forth - she had to come home with empty arms for a few days before bringing John home with healed lungs.  So - those other situations, unexpected, baby too early - my heart reached out to that couple this morning and yesterday.  I pray their baby lives and thrives.

Abigail looking like a little bird - "Feed me".

Those tiny feet.

Tiny feet being held by older hands.

My skin, her skin.

That newborn cry

Ellie, like her mother 23 years ago, very confident with a newborn little sister.

More crying.

Candid shots - it evokes a funny caption.

"making a list of the things she expects when she gets home - 'first of all, feed me on demand!' "

Ahhhh, that deep sleep.  This was after eating all during the night.

And now settling into a deep sleep in the morning daylight.

That hospital bling.

Abigail Ann Barber

3:53 am June 27, 2011

7 lb. 3 oz. 20 inches.

Happy Birthday!

Abigail Ann Barber Is Ready

And So Is Her Mom

Ann did go into labor on Sunday afternoon, late.

Steve was in Chattanooga,

So Charlie and I drove Ann to Huntsville.

Steve did get here, of course.

None of us had expected Ann to go into labor.

These pictures were taken right after Ann was admitted and settled in.

I always get emotional when I see the warming lights where the new baby will be.

And later, at 10:54, after the epidural.

Again, settled in.

Ann's talking with Steve's sister, giving her an update

and checking on the children.

And we wait.

I'll do a whole new post on Abigail's birth.

Saturday at Home Again

I began this morning early. 6:21 am.

That's sleeping late for me.

7:something is seriously late for me.

I hate to wake Charlie, and any noise does - 

so I have to be really quiet.

I made coffee.  Seattle South is my absolute favorite and I recently splurged on it.  My canister is full of it, still.  

Waited, on the couch, for the perking to end.  Electric Percolator.

I heard Charlie get up.  

Looked up, saw him bringing me a cup in my favorite white mug.

Ahhhh.  That's the life.  Luxury.  Pampered.

and now, after a morning at home doing Saturday "stuff" and then at Ann's helping her in the afternoon finish "cleaning" upstairs - we're here at the house - 

It's the final countdown toward Abigail.  

Ellie, Luke, and Andrew are in Chattanooga with Steve's mom and sister.  Steve is at Bryan College at Youth Camp.  Tomorrow is church with a guest speaker.  And all of Ann's family will be back home tomorrow afternoon, late - along with Diana and Stephanie.  

We're gathering for Abigail's birth.

I'm excited.

I began the day, with coffee, and typing my handwritten notes on the sermon by John Piper.  The one I wrote about yesterday.

"At the Price of God's Own Blood".  Tell me that doesn't get your antennae up.  Surely it does.  

Here is what I want my every morning prayer to be:

"May the Lamb that was slain receive in my life today the reward of His sufferings".  

based on Revelations 5:9

Oh.  And if you want an easy way to listen to that sermon, straight from this post,

here it is:

Click Here and then click on the sermon title and you're ready to listen.

I hope that works.  I'll test it after I publish this post.

Really? Today's Friday?

It feels like Saturday.
Charlie took the day off - if you live in town, and ride by my house, you'll see him on both lawn mowers,
(not at the same time)
and using the Weed Eater.
That's just the basics.  
I'll get out there, too, but I have inside stuff as well.
I'm stealing this computer time.  I snuck in.  I have to give myself breaks.
I'm wanting to post, so badly, what I gleaned from John Piper yesterday and today.
I don't know how to do that without running off any reader.
I'm gonna figure it out, though.

If you want to go to Itunes and then to Podcasts, John Piper, and then find the one that is titled "At the Price of God's Own Blood" 
recorded April 21, 2011  Sermonindex.net Classics Podcast  Then you can hear it yourself.

I listened to it yesterday and then began the Stop/Start method of taking notes verbatum, yesterday and today.  I love it.
Notes don't include John Piper's inspiring voice inflections.  I love the emphasis he puts on certain things.  I needed that yesterday and today.  It's like getting a shot of something electrifying in my soul.

If anyone out there reading this does go and listen to that sermon - please please leave comments on here about some of the favorite stuff in that sermon that you heard.

I have to get back outside - and while I'm deadheading the hydrangea bushes I'll be telling Him again,
"Lord, have all of me - whatever it takes - "

Oops, Charlie just came in the back door - not that he checks up on me - still - he's working so hard - I need to be out there, too.

If Anybody Cares

I haven't been posting.

I've been blank.  I think it's been the heat and the anticipation of that huge event - THE HUGE EVENT - appearing on the horizon - ABIGAIL - with my eyes focused on Abigail's arrival my peripheral vision has been obstructed - not working.  I can't see other stuff very well.

"Out of my way, out of my way, Abigail is coming soon!"

Our yard is a disaster.  Weeds are full grown.  As in flowering and reseeding.   Stuff and traveling and unexpected, yet very welcome, rain has prevented our mowing and weed eating - which are the basics - and then taking care of beds - that's the big thing.  We've done nothing in the yard for 3 weeks.  Well, Charlie did a little in the front.

Abigail will be "induced" to arrive on Monday.  Ann and Steve are to be in Labor and Delivery at 6:00 AM on Monday morning, June 27.

( I know that I'm supposed to say that Ann will be induced on Monday - which is correct - still - don't we think of the baby and its decision to leave that warm fluid safe world?  I think we should say Ann will be induced - because I don't think Abigail would ever decide to leave where she is)


June has been HOT!  Unseasonably Hot!  Am I right?  No easing into summer.  I hear that July is supposed to be the June that we expected - or expect.  July is supposed to be milder.  That would be great.

There have been other things going on - but not suitable for blog posts -

Oh - and I did make a trip to McDonough, GA to stay with my little Ada and John - while Mom went to her 9:30 appointment in the big city of Atlanta - at Emory University Hospital -

As we wait for Abigail's arrival - I am reminded of our last vigil - waiting for John to come into the world - Babies are exciting and intense and they create an upheaval - and so they should.

New Life.

(Kate will be home July 1.  From China)

I'd Like to Share a Story

It is by Ellie, my 6 year old granddaughter.

She worked purposefully on this at my house Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.

The Story

This is the story 

I’ll never forget.

This little girl

walked up to this thing.

It was cool. 

So they went in.

The Pictures

Little girl and little boy in Story.  

They walked up to this thing.

The cool thing which they walked up to and entered.

The story in her original handwriting,

from which I transcribed the printed piece.

Ellie translated it for me.

The End.

I Can't Think of a Thing to Write About

So I'll show pictures.
A summer croquet game with Ellie, Luke & Andrew,
in the last couple of weeks before Abigail arrives.

Abigail 

As If You Don't Know

What Summer Looks Like....
But what else can I post about?
There is a lot more on my mind, 
but it has to do with prayer and God's kingdom and His will and I'm trying to collect my thoughts and put it in a post to share what's going on in my heart - but - really - there must be so much going on in your heart and
Your summer.
It's HOT - for one thing.
I have nothing but pictures.  I have been "decluttering" the last two days.  Whoa!  I am very pleased with what has been accomplished - but not one person would notice or know the difference.  Still, it pleases me to get it done.  But this is just downstairs.  I still have upstairs to deal with - since before Easter - we've had guests.  There is the changing of sheets and making of beds.  there is the organizing of what Kate left here while she's in China - that's all next week - getting that done - coralling her "stuff".

Fresh Mint in Water

More Cut Hydrangeas

Rescuing Them from the Heat 

I Just Like Mason Jars

and This One Is Drying

Sprinklers

Watering My Thirsty Flowers

Which Is So Very Summer

These Were Watered All Morning

and Still, in the Afternoon,

While I Am Watering the Others,

These Wilt.

The Sprinkler Is Soaking Them Now, Again.

Ahhhh, the Look of an Unsophisticated

Watering/Sprinkler System

It's Straight Out of the Side of the House.

Dragging Long Hose Is Involved &

It's Muddy and Wet.

These Did Not Wilt.  

They're Happy with the Amount of Water They Received Most of the Morning.

Two Limbs I Am Rooting.

See the Bricks Holding Them Down - to the Ground?

Happy and Watered

If You Look Closely,

Here's Another I'm Rooting.

You Can See the Clay Pot Holding Down the Limb of the Bush.

More of my Treasures in the Heat

and Paths.

I Like Paths and Walkways.

 Here Is One Which Rooted Itself.

These Bags of Water Are All Over My Back Porch.

They Keep the Flies Away.

My Vase.

A Diet CheerWine from North Carolina.

When We Visited Kate.

A Popular Soft Drink There.

THIS IS WHERE A BIG PART OF MY CLUTTER WAS.

On This Table.

Now the Table Is Empty!!

Organized Stacks Moved to my Office  Coffee Table for Me to "Go Through".

I'm Making Much Progress.

Arrangement Behind Me While I Work at My Desk Coffee Table.

That's all.

It's Summer.  I'm Glad.  It's Hot.  I Don't Care.

I Think I'll Cut Grass This Afternoon.

Still No More Word from Kate.