Our Grand Return Home

This morning we returned home from hospital. Vivian has yet to wake up in her new home, so we haven't really had a chance to show off her new digs yet. Both Janna and Vivian are doing well. The challenge in the next week is two fold. First, we need to make sure Janna doesn't over do it. Second, we need to teach Vivian how to go sleep on her own. The first we will likely fail at. Getting Janna to rest is like pulling teeth. The second we will be successful at, partly because Vivian seems content sleep without raising a fuss and partly because we're ruthless about teaching babies how to sleep on their own.
The minute we got home I put Vivian on the floor so that Seamus and Deirbhile could visit with her. Both were very excited to see her. They were both very gentle with her, doing little more than sniffing her and looking to me for approval. Later on when Vivian wakes up we'll have to arrange another meeting.
When Stuart was a baby Deirbhile treated him as if he were her puppy. She would stand guard over him, trying to protect him from the evil dog that lives in the fireplace. We're hopeful that she does the same with Vivian. Speaking of Stuart, we expect him to come home tonight. Life will be different for him, but after a day or so he'll never remember life without Vivian. Thanks be to God for blessing us so greatly.

Vivian Day Two

So here we are at the close of day two in Vivian's life. Janna is getting along well. A little tired but that's to be expected. I say she's a little tired, I make an assumption in saying that. Janna won't admit she's tired nor will she let on that she's tired. She's never once complained during her pregnancy of any pain, lack of comfort nor has she complained of being tired. She lived her pregnant life almost entirely the same as normal life. I say she's tired today because I assume she must be. You have to figure after major surgery, a night in the hospital, a new baby and lots of excitement that she would be tired. Maybe she is, maybe she isn't. If she is, she won't tell anyone.
Earlier in the day Stuart came by to visit his new sister and his mother. He's had an eventful comple of days over at his Oma and Opa's house. He has taken to Vivian, though we're not sure if he understands that she is a baby. I'm certain he has no idea she's coming home with us on Monday. In any event, we'd appreciate your continued prayers for Janna's recovery. God has blessed us greatly. :)

In Which We Present Vivian Rosalind

Vivian Rosalind arrived at 12:08 this afternoon. Vivian and Janna are both doing fine over at the hospital.
Children are a blessing from God and we have been richly blessed indeed.
Janna has begun recover at the hospital. So far so good. We're not sure if she's going to leave Sunday evening or Monday morning. Either way, pray for her well being.

Happy Birthday Steve!

The Psalms

31

A Profession of Trust
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.
1	In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.
2	Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for a house of defense to save me.
3	For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.
4	Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.
5	Into thine hand I commit my spirit: Lk. 23.46 thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.
6	I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD.
7	I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;
8	and hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.
9	Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.
10	For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.
11	I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbors, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.
12	I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.
13	For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.
14	But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God.
15	My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
16	Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake.
17	Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.
18	Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.
19	Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!
20	Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.
21	Blessed be the LORD: for he hath showed me his marvelous kindness in a strong city.
22	For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.
23	O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.
24	Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

New Years Eve

We spent New Years Eve at Van Andel Arena watching the Griffins. They played someone called the Iowa Chops and as you can see their logo is that of one very angry looking pig. If I were that pig, I would be angry with the way my team played. The Griffins smoked the Chops 6-0. Jimmy Howard looked great in net, dare I say better than Chis Osgood has looked in Detroit.
Stuart loves him some hockey. He watches the game and especially enjoys big hits, pucks hitting the glass and anyone falling down. He behaves himself as well, there were some empty seats around us so we sat him down in his own seat. He especially enjoyed this, getting to sit in a big boy seat. Now we have to transfer that to church. So far he sits through about a third of it in his own seat. We're hoping for more before Vivian is born. I'm not going to get excited over his sitting at the Griffins game transfering to sitting at church. He can make noise and jump around at the Griffins game, if he does that at church there will be tears and none of them will be mine or Janna's.
Stuart has a Wings jersey that is a couple sizes too big for him. He wore it anyway of course. And yes, Janna also wore a jersey last night. It was blackout night for the Griffins last night and fans were encouraged to wear black. Not many did but in the spirit of team support both Janna and I did. I wore my 2002 Steve Yzerman Team Canada black third jersey and Janna wore my Anson Carter Bruins jersey from a few years ago. AC is to this day one of my favorite former Spartans. He captained the team back in the mid 90's. Anyway, hope everyone had a nice New Years. May God be will you all during this upcoming year.