, originally uploaded by Lizi Beth.

can you see it?
there's a small ribbon of brown at ten o'clock in her right eye.
beautiful.

how yesterday went

back and forth, back and forth. scream, frown, stare, smile. scream, frown, stare, smile. heavy on the staring, light on the sleeping. that's how yesterday went. today has been ....... much more peaceful. intense at times, but peaceful.

oh how we love our little one!

cute clothes make the day better

Emma and I have been having a ...... trying day. We have been bothered by what seems to be some very uncomfortable gas in her tummy. Nothing I have done has been able to calm her for long. So, knowing that a cute baby is harder to be upset with and to reduce the likelihood of frustration on my part, I put her into one of her adorable outfits. I'm not sure if it made her feel better, but it helped me.

She did enjoy putting it on, though.

Emma finally settled down for a long nap ...

... and her bow slipped down over her eyes. I was not about to move it because 1) she might wake up, and 2), it was really cute!

He tends His flocks like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart;
He gently leads those that have young.
Isaiah 40:11

peek-a-boo!

DSC_0043, originally uploaded by Lizi Beth.

a timely and wise reminder

"Prize Your Husband" from Carolyn Mahaney's blog, girl talk:

"...The Bible makes it very clear that after our relationship with God, our relationship with our husband is to be our highest priority (Gen 2:18, 1 Cor. 11:8-9, Tit. 2:3-5). We were created to be our husband’s helper, not our children’s mother.
Certainly we are to love, care for, and nurture our children, but this love is to flow out of a lifestyle that is first and foremost committed to helping our husbands. Our husbands should always remain first in our hearts and in our care."

feeling inspired ...

... to pull out the sewing machine and sew up a dress or two for Emma Grace. These little dresses and outfits are just too cute. Of course, it probably won't happen today. But soon (I hope)! Maybe when she has fallen asleep for a few hours ....

a week of firsts

This week Emma got ...


a brand new belly button.


She showed Grammie and Daddy her first smiles.

She went to church on Sunday.


Emma also got her first real bath (which included washing her hair)

plus found her fingers and began to make more "happy" noises: sighing, cooing, sputtering, snuffling and so on. John went back to work today, and Emma and I were on our own. We got some laundry done, changed our clothes a few times (meaning more laundry), took naps, and I picked up the knitting project that had been set aside when she was born.
We are slowly starting to find our "normal".

Grandma Jacobsen's Hands

God, Who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

-I Corinthians 1:9

Emma Grace Elizabeth, 2/26/09

and twelve hours later ...

8 lbs, 15 oz
11:31 pm
20 1/2" long

We are at home now - happy, healthy, and enjoying each other. I'll post more pictures and a bit about Emma later, as the time comes! For now, Mom posted a play-by-play on her blog. She, Julia and Ben are coming tomorrow, so I'll get back to you when I can! Maybe when Grandma is holding Emma ... :)

feb. 23: the determination to serve

"If we are devoted to the cause of humanity, we shall soon be crushed and broken-hearted, for we shall often meet with more ingratitude from men than we would from a dog; but if our motive is love to God, no ingratitude can hinder us from serving our fellow men."
-o. chambers

pictures of yesterday

::lemon poppy seed loaf ::

Baby update

So, today the little pregnancy ticker reads, "40 weeks and 0 days pregnant", which means that today we have officially reached our baby's "due" date. And at this point, since the crib is still empty, it looks as if she just might be "late".

In light of that, we scheduled an induction appointment at the hospital for the 26th, at 7 a. m. (ike! that sounds early!), and are praying that we don't have to keep it. I am a little skittish about the whole idea of inducing labor, even though I know that if that is the way God wants our baby to be born, it will work out fine. I just would greatly prefer to go into labor naturally. Either way, though, His plan is perfect, He is sovereign, and He will take care of us. We are very eager to be able to finally hold her in our arms, and not just feel her through my tummy, but it felt so odd to be choosing her possible birthday!

Little One, we love you, and can hardly wait to see your little face! <3

random thoughts of dryers, dishwashers and kitchen mixers

(random in that these were running through my head between 4:30 & 6 this am)

Oh, the "essentials". Or not. Seriously, or not.
I would have to say that a washing machine is an essential, but a dryer? Hmm, no. Especially when I would only really use it to fluff things, such as towels or sheets. I mean, really, drying racks, clothes lines and hangers work just fine. We could choose a drying rack from Ikea that would cost us $17, with no cost to run it ever, or we could choose a dryer that matches our washer and costs 20x as much as the rack, with the additional running costs.
So, dryer (for us) = non-essential

Dishwashers are a great time saver, and we actually have a one in this apartment, but it is currently non-functional (in fact, it didn't work when we moved in). And we haven't missed it. I enjoy standing at the sink with my hands in the hot soapy water, cleaning the dishes and thinking or praying. It's a nice enforced quite time of sorts. But who knows, when the apartment's handyman finally gets around to our place, we might use it. Or not.

And a kitchen mixer is also a wonderfully handy, time-saving piece of convenience. Some people do consider them to be essential kitchen tools. I have found that even if I could use one, and enjoy using it, I don't need it. Making bread and beating eggs by hand is just fine (not to mention a nice little workout for your arms and torso), and the end result is just as good as if I had used a machine. It has been on my wish list, though.
In fact, for my birthday last year, John asked me to choose between a mixer and a camera, and I was truly torn. The thing that decided it for us was that I already knew Baby was on the way, and with that in mind, the camera seemed to fall more into the "needs" more than the mixer.

But, now we might be getting one. A hand-me-down one. So exciting to be blesseds by something you want but don't need!

Where was I going with post? Um .... at this point I think I finally fell back to sleep.