The baby story......

Greetings! This is Naomi! This is Naomi just a few short hours after giving birth to her second son, Jordan Levi. We have been praying for this little one for a long time. The doctors were concerned that he wasn't growing properly in the womb and with Naomi and her family leaving for the Philippines in June, little Jordan REALLY needed to grow.

After many weeks of prayer and advice from her midwife, Naomi was finally give the 'okay' to birth at home.

So this past Tuesday, I got a call early in the day from Naomi saying...."I think today's the day!" I'm having minor contractions, but I'll call as things progress. By 4:45 pm, she was in full labor! Contractions were coming faster and more intense.

I headed over there as well as her doula, midwives, photographer, videographer, husband, and friend. It was a full house! We frosted Jordan's birthday cake, made granola, prepared the birthing pool, laid our fresh towels, took care of her little one, Noah, who was watching "Buzz Lightyear" upstairs, and all the while, Naomi labored......pacing the house.....moaning and smiling....then crying and giggling....she was great.

Then things started REALLY happening.... she got into her bathtub and then got out for a break only to have her bag of waters break and spew across the bathroom.....it really did! It was time to get the party started! With all of us in and out tending to whatever was needed, the excitement was getting intense. I went and got Noah from upstairs to cheer on his mommy as she pushed Jordan out.

Then she wanted to head to the pool in the living room....yes...a POOL IN THE LIVING ROOM! Talk about luxury! It might've been a blow-up kiddie pool, but it was still a POOL IN THE LIVING ROOM!

Then her hubby joined in the pool party and got in position to catch his son from his laboring wife.....no sooner did I get Noah in the room that Jordan Levi, at 6:05 pm, shot out into his father's arms! We were all in tears and with cameras clicking and shouts of joy, Jordan entered Naomi's arms and was wrapped in a warm towel. Ahhh. His eyes were wide and his cry was a beautiful sound. Even Noah was mesmerized by the sight of his fragile new brother.

Jordan was able to get a good latch for nursing and his daddy cut his umbilical cord. The midwives began to stitch Naomi up and nine months of growing pains and heavy loads came to a close. With her homeopathic remedies and a warm blanket, Naomi rested on the couch sipping licorice tea and basking in the joy of her new son. What a blessing.

Then it was time to cut the birthday cake, clean up the crazy mess, eat some soup and make phone calls! What a great day. Even the weather was full of joy....sunny, warm and clear. A good day for a birthday. Just in time for Easter, too! What a joy to celebrate new life on the most powerful week of new life in Christ Jesus! There's a message in there....Great pains to great life in eternity....Mmmm.

With the birth of Jordan now in the past, their packing for their journey to the Philippines begins and that means our packing starts, too. Heavy. Be blessed!