SOME OF OUR HOSPITAL VISITORS:)

MY PARENTS WERE HERE HELPING WITH THE KIDS AND BROUGHT THEM UP TO MEET THEIR LITTLE BROTHER RIGHT AFTER HE WAS BORN... MY DAD CLAIMS HE GOT LEVI'S FIRST SMILE:) LEVI HAS ONE OF THE MOST EXPRESSIVE LITTLE FACES, AWAKE OR ASLEEP... IT IS ABSOLUTELY PRECIOUS AND SO MUCH FUN TO WATCH...

MEET CHRISTY...SHE IS THE CHARGE NURSE ON THE FLOOR I STAYED FOR 7 WEEKS. SHE CAME IN AND TOOK PICTURES DURING THE DELIVERY.... SHE GOT SOME AMAZING PICTURES THAT I AM SO THANKFUL TO HAVE. WHEN YOU ARE IN THE MOMENT YOURSELF YOU JUST CAN'T SEEM TO TAKE IT ALL IN, SO NOW WE HAVE IT ALL ON FILM TO NEVER FORGET THOSE PRECIOUS MOMENTS LEVI ENTERED THIS WORLD.

FOR ALL YOU CHRISTIAN MUSIC LOVERS OUT THERE... CHRISTY NOCKEL'S (FROM WATERMARK) DAD IS CHRISTY'S (MY NURSE) PASTOR... DID THAT MAKE ANY SENSE? SHE WAS SO SWEET... ALWAYS TRYING TO REASSURE ME AND ENCOURAGE ME WHEN SHE WOULD POP BY MY ROOM:) DURING MY 7 WEEKS THERE.

THIS IS MY SWEET FRIEND SHELLEY FROM OUR SMALL GROUP... SHE WAS ALWAYS BRINGING BY COFFEE ICE CREAM, SANDWICHES, AND SNACKS WHEN I WAS CRAVING SOMETHING... LUCKY FOR ME SHE ONLY LIVES ABOUT A MILE FROM THE HOSPITAL. SHE ALSO BROUGHT THE MOST DELICIOUS FRIED PICKLES TO ME AFTER LEVI WAS BORN... I THINK SHE STARTED A NEW "SECRET ADDICTION" FOR ME WITH THOSE FRIED PICKLES:)

SHE WAS ALSO INCREDIBLY SWEET TO BRING UP A LOAD OF BLUE BALLOONS FROM OUR SMALL GROUP AS A WAY TO REMEMBER OUR SAMUEL ON THIS SPECIAL DAY THAT LEVI WAS BORN. WE WERE ABLE TO WRITE ON THEM AND RELEASE THEM... (JOJO SENT THE SWEETEST LITTLE MESSAGE TO SAMUEL ASKING IF HE KNEW THAT LEVI WAS BORN... MY MOM SAID THAT HE INSISTED ON MAKING SURE HE GOT TO RELEASE IT AND SEND IT TO SAMUEL. )

I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH IT MEANT TO KNOW OTHERS WERE REMEMBERING AND THINKING ABOUT SAMUEL TOO...

TRICIA AND HANNAH, ALSO FROM OUR SMALL GROUP... WE ARE GETTING READY TO WELCOME LITTLE JACKSON, TRICIA'S BABY IN ABOUT 7 WEEKS... WE ARE SO THRILLED FOR THEM AND ARE PRAYING FOR THE LORD'S PROTECTION ON THAT LITTLE GUY UNTIL HE ARRIVES:)

THE TIEWS GIRLS:)...

IT WAS SO SPECIAL FOR ME TO HAVE THEM THERE THAT DAY AS WELL. LULA WAS THE ONLY OTHER PERSON BESIDES OUR FAMILY, DR'S AND NURSES, TO SET EYES AND HOLD OUR SAMUEL THE DAY HE WAS BORN. IT WAS SO SPECIAL TO HAVE HER THERE TO HOLD LITTLE LEVI TOO.

I AM NOT SURE OTHERS REALLY GET ALL THAT GOES INTO THOSE MOMENTS THAT WE SHARED WITH SAMUEL... BUT SHE KNEW...SHE FELT IT TOO...

AS STRANGE AS IT MAY SOUND, IT IS ABSOLUTELY PRECIOUS TO BE ABLE TO SHARE LEVI WITH HER... IT IS LIKE A HUGE VICTORY FOR US ALL... I KNOW VICTORY SOUNDS STRANGE.... I KNOW IT IS MORE LIKE SHARING A HUGE MIRACLE AND BLESSING.... BUT AFTER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IT FEELS LIKE A HUGE VICTORY TOO:)

GOD IS SO GOOD!

WE HAD LOTS OF OTHER VISITORS TOO. I AM NOT SURE WHO HAD THE CAMERA AND WAS SNAPPING PICTURES, BUT I AM SO THANKFUL THAT THEY DID... I WAS JUST SITTING TAKING IT ALL IN... THE BLESSINGS OF THAT SWEET SWEET DAY THAT LEVI WAS BORN!

AGAIN GOD IS SO GOOD!