How are things going?

1) Clover and JOTS: JOTS have responded beautifully with Clover. They like her, they are interested in her....for a while, then they are ready to move on and do their own thing. It seems to me the more kids we have the easier it is to bring home a new baby. No one is accustomed to getting large amounts of individual attention, and they are used to having babies around since we have them so close together, so no one is really phased by it. Stryder has taken well to being with Bob while I am feeding Clover. What a blessing.

2) My health after labor and delivery: I usually have post-pardom hemorrhaging, which leaves me feeling weak for quite some time after the baby is born. However, this time I did not, so I feel better than I ever have. What a blessing.

3) Bob's assistance: Bob took the week off work, and because we had her on a Friday, he also had last weekend, and this coming weekend, so this is giving us lots of adjusting time. I thought it might be challenging for him to be home with the kids all week, as he is used to working outside, and away from home quite a bit. He has amazed me with how well he is handling it all. He's a cooking, laundry doing, cleaning machine. He's better at my job than I am, and he's doing it all joyfully. What a blessing.

4) Clover's health: Took her to the Dr. yesterday and she is not jaundice, (as many babies are in Colorado) she is gaining the appropriate amount of weight, she nurses well, everything looks great. Wow. This is a first. All of our kids have had a little something to deal with, but not her. What a blessing.

5) Clover's sleeping: She sleeps in 1-2 hour stretches right now, but when I go to bed at 9:00pm and get up at 9:00am, I've got time to lose, so it's not bothering me. Next week when Bob is back to work and Jayla is back to school and I'm up at 5:30, I'll probably be a bit tired. This time to recover while Bob is home has been great. What a blessing.

I keep thinking of the song that says "every blessing you pour out I'll turn back to praise." That's my only option, praise to God. He has been so, so good to us during this time and what could have been a difficult transition has been a peaceful one.

Deuteronomy 10:21
He is your praise, and He is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things which your eyes have seen.