Perfect Timing

"Monday's child is fair of face, Tuesday's child is full of grace, Wednesday's child is full of woe, Thursday's child has far to go, Friday's child is loving and giving, Saturday's child works hard for its living, But the child that's born on the Sabbath day Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay."

Little Ellie Jane is here! She decided it would be a good idea to surprise us all by choosing to be born 10 days before her due date. On a Sunday when we all had plans to be together as a family so our calendars were cleared. Isn't that thoughtful of her?

We got a call from Jed at about 9:00 AM that Anne was thinking labor was on its way. They headed out to the hospital, and we met them at the hospital after lunch. John and Kari were there, too. Walking into the hospital room and seeing Anne in a hospital gown with equipment attached to her really brought the point home that this was it. She (Anne) was looking radiant and ready. Back and forth between her room and the waiting area, the hours ticked by quickly

(for us, maybe not so much for her?) as the four of us played games with Jed appearing now and then with updates.

Not one to use the texting feature on my cell phone, I was surprised to get a text from Jed saying the time to push had come. In under two hours, we were happily invited to join the new family of three in Room 638! Baby Ellie had arrived was swaddled in her mother's arms.

Joy. Wonder. Awe. Tears.

Words to describe the whole experience are difficult to find. We are grateful. We are blessed. We are excited beyond belief.

Anne explained to us as we held perfect little Ellie for the first time that her name was partly inspired by our fathers---Anne's grandfathers and Ellie's great-grandfathers--- whose names both started with the E-L letters for Elom and Elder. Jane is a beloved name from Jed's side of the family.

Now I ask for you to permit me to gush a bit as only a Grandmother can do about her Grandaughter. She is beautiful. She has a cherubic face as her mother did at birth - and I'm sure Jed's Mom would agree his face was as well. And dimples? Yes! Yes! Yes! They appear when Ellie makes her scrunchy little faces or if she's getting to cry just a bit. She has long fingers and adorable toes. Her feet are so simply edible it's best to keep them wrapped up!

Thanks so much for all your kind words and thoughts as you hear the news of little Ellie Jane's arrival. They mean the world to us to know she has made an impact in the world already at not even one day old.