The Newlywoods: August 2011

Hiiiiii there! Are you still with me? I hope so! I know this is WELL overdue but I am so excited to be back!..and hopefully updating more consistently now that I finally have adjusted to mommy-hood! Thanks for being so loving, patient, and supportive by the way. I've gotten some fb messages from some of my friends that read my blog and I can't tell you how much it brightens my day. So thank you! Ok,so first things first..

2 months ago today, a new love entered my arms, stole my heart, and changed my life.

Introducing our baby boy...

ELIJAH PAUL WOODS

Born June 7, 2011

6lbs 6oz

ambervraiphotography.com

I will never forget the moment he breathed his first breath, when I heard his tiny little cry, and the nurse laid his warm little body on my chest. Overwhelmed with an emotion that words can never sufficiently describe, I looked up into the eyes of my husband, then down back at the life we created, and sobbed...
how can any moment in life ever surpass this?

He looked at me, so alert, as if we had met before...

I can't believe it has been two months since the day I gave birth to Elijah, our family feels so full now, its almost as if he has always been here. So you may want to know how it all went. The labor, the delivery, the whole shebang, and honestly you KNOW I would love nothing but to walk you through every little detail,

but what I have written in my journal is long enough to write a book...

so I will spare you and try to keep it as short and as sweet as possible :-)

June 6, 2011

6:00am - I woke up that morning early because I couldnt sleep. I kept having this reoccuring dream of a voice telling me that Elijah will be here soon. "He will be here on the 7th..."I kept saying "but today is the 6th isnt it?..then a voice would say "He will be here on the 7th" This kept happening repeatedly, so much so that I decided to just get up and start my day. I went down for some cereal and after scafing down some Honey Bunches of Oats in typical pregnant woman fashion, I felt my first contraction. I remember it being painful, but now I have kind of forgotten how painful it truly was (funny how that happens)....well I called my hubby down and told him...and then I tried to get some rest...unsure of what lied ahead.

4:00pm - The day progressed and the contractions came sporadically...every 20-30 mins or so but, unfortunately you can't go to the hospital until they are 5 minutes apart for an hour. So Aaron and I decided to head across the street to good ol' Target. Of course I suddenly thought of a million of errands to run and time was running out! So here we are at Target looking at baby stuff, stopping every few minutes for me to kneel over grab a rack and say..."this is it, this is it, lets go home..I cant take it anymore!" and then 60 seconds later, it would be over and I'm back to deciding on what color outfit Elijah should wear home from the hospital.

6:00pm - The contractions intensified and started coming more frequently...so we grabbed our bags and headed to the hospital. We couldn't believe this moment had finally arrived! After trying to turn back for items that seemed so crucially important..i.e make-up and breath mints...lol my husband literally dragged me out the house and told me we had to go! lol

8:00pm - We check in to the hospital, I put on that hideous robe, got hooked up to all kinds of wires, tubes, and gadgets then signed my life away on dozens of documents in between the pain of contractions...funny the things they ask you to sign when u can barely think straight!

10:30pm - I remember breathing through contractions, and wanting so bad to just break one of Aaron's fingers. Maybe, just maybe that would make me feel better right now...lol. One time I attempted to bite his neck, while saying "I don't want to do this...but I have too"...somehow he managed to escape my choke hold. lol...Well, just when the pain reached an unbearable point, the anesthesia doc came in to administer my epidural...it hurt a bit, but in comparison to a contraction, it felt like a mosquito bite...lol after that kicked in, it was smooth sailing! Surprisingly the nurse informed me that I was 8cm dilated at this point, and couldn't believe I had progressed so far. My little man was just around the corner. Numb and pain free - I had my hubby dim the lights, turned on some Kenny G on Pandora, and i got some rest! (Yes, I said rest! Can you believe it?!...) The atmosphere was so calm and serene...I felt the presence of the Lord with us the whole time. I remember looking over to see my husband journaling, and then I would see him on his knees in prayer...words couldnt describe what it meant to have him there supporting me and covering every moment in prayer.

1:30am - After my nap (lol) I woke up, the nurse checked me and told me I was 10cm dilated and it was time to PUSH! I asked for the time, and sure enough, just as I had heard so clearly that morning, it was past 12am - and officially June 7th. After a few good pushes my son was out! And I couldnt believe what I saw before me...I held him closely, and sobbed saying "hi baby, mommys here...dont cry..its ok"...sigh I wish I could relive those few seconds over and over again...there is truly nothing like it...i am sure my mommys out there can attest to that right?

Well, I know I made that sound like a trip to the spa friends, perhaps maybe as painful as a bikini wax..lol but it WAS tough don't get me wrong! But I know the Lord truly showed me favor by granting me such a smooth, quick, and problem free delivery. What a blessing..seriously. The Lord has been way too good to me! :-)There is one verse that perfectly describes the state of my heart: The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places, indeed I have a beautiful inheritance. Psalms 16:6. In the beginning of my pregnancy, it was these words, that gave me comfort and peace the most. This verse that encouraged me in the times that I thought I was going to "miss out" on life by having a child so soon into my marriage. But friends, can I tell you how TRUE those words are in my life? Jesus, ever since you came into my life, you have filled it with love and joy unfathomable. Oh, what a beautiful jewel, a beautiful gift, a beautiful inheritance I have found in You. So I can only say Thank You. Thank you for transforming my heart through my husband and now...my son.

Thank you. I am so unworthy of your unmerited favor and grace. Thank you.

Well friends, there are more pictures to share

and stories to tell..but I will leave you for now...

Stay Tuned! :-)