Ten Days of Owen and Gratitude

Josh and I are so happy to announce that Owen Joshua Stahley made a grand debut last Monday, September 17, 2012, at 8:02 am.  He weighed 8 lbs. 7 oz. and was 20.5" long.

His arrival was amazing and crazy.  I'm still processing it all (with lots of help from Josh, as there are many details that I don't remember).  I'll give you all the gory details at some point. (I know, I know!  I still haven't even finished telling you our adventures in infertility.  It's coming.  Promise!)

What I do remember is that for the first several days, Josh and I kept saying to each other "I'm just so grateful {for ____, that _____ didn't happen, for how _____ worked out}!"  We both see the Lord's sovereignty in the major and seemingly-minor details surrounding Owen's birth.

We are elated and blessed (and tired)!  But we also know that hard days and sleepless nights are ahead, as well as a few behind.  I want to remember the overwhelming gratitude I feel now.  I want to remember how good the Lord has been, even in the sometimes mundane and small blessings of life.

So I've decided to keep a daily log of the things for which I'm grateful.  So far it's just been a log on my phone, which has been great to reflect over during 3:00 am feedings.  But I wanted to make the log public for several reasons, mainly that I need the accountability to remember to keep a grateful heart during difficult seasons.

So here's my goal:  Each day I'll share at least one thing for which I am grateful, even if some days are more "silver lining" kind of days.  Sometimes it may be short and sweet, and I'll just post it to Facebook.  Other days may require more explanation, so I'll post it here and link to the blog via Facebook.  Some will be vague; others will likely be specific.  And, as my blogging consistency indicates, there will surely be days that I forget or don't have a chance to post anything, and I'll have to play catch-up (as I'm about to do below).

Owen is ten days old today! So, without further adieu, here are the first ten things that have caused my heart to burst with gratitude:

Day One: Owen is finally here!  He is happy and healthy, and by the grace of God (truly!), I was able to have the birth experience I wanted.  Labor progressed (quickly!) without any of the major interventions we had hoped to avoid, while still utilizing the interventions we had decided were prudent in ensuring mine and Owen's safety.

Day Two: I feel so great!  Honestly, everything about pregnancy was harder than I thought it would be, including getting pregnant, carrying a baby, and labor and delivery.  But, recovery?  Now that has been a walk in the park in comparison.  I'm so grateful that I feel well enough to thoroughly enjoy having my sweet baby home with us.

Day Three: I'm grateful for Facebook.  {Silly, I know.}  It's such an easy and effective way to keep our friends and family updated with information and pictures, as well as seek advice from other parents, and keep up with the lives of our loved ones.

Day Four: When Owen was four days old, we took him to our pediatrician, where we learned that he had already regained his birth weight (which usually takes 10-14 days).  I'm grateful for such a healthy eater, especially after concerns in the hospital about his diaper production (a problem that has undoubtedly been resolved!).  

And speaking of birth weight....

Day Five:  I'm grateful that the last ultrasound I had a few days before Owen was born was WRONG. He was predicted to be "over nine pounds" (the technician) or "at least high eights" (the doctor).  While 8.7 lbs certainly wasn't a breeze, I'm really grateful that it was JUST 8.7 lbs.

Day Six:  My mom is here!  She arrived Friday and has been a tremendous help!  It's her first visit to NYC, but she is sacrificially spending most her time inside our apartment (or, more accurately, in our laundry room!).  Owen loves spending time with his Neanie, and I have a feeling she's pretty fond of him too.

Day Seven: Owen attended his first church service.  The Lord is working in the hearts of many people in our church, and we were blessed to celebrate baptism this past Sunday.  It was very exciting day for All Soul's Christian Church!  I'm grateful that the Lord is at work at All Soul's, and I'm grateful that Owen slept through most of it.

(on the front steps of the church building)

Day Eight:  In addition to gratitude that the Lord is calling people to repentance, I'm also incredibly grateful for the friendships we have formed with the body of All Soul's.  Our friends, the Gahagans, brought us a delicious meal Monday night.  In fact, we ate on the leftover for two more days!  We're very grateful for people who love us in practical ways!

Day Nine:  (So, this is more of a silver lining kind of day....)  In spite of my efforts to deny the validity of the thermometer screen, I ran a low-grade fever all weekend.  By Tuesday, we decided a trip to the doctor was in order.  Prior to our recent move, traveling to my doctor's office wasn't terribly inconvenient.  But now our options are: an hour and fifteen minute subway ride... each way... when it was just me going for appointments; or drive, which involves traffic, a toll bridge, and a major parking headache at our apartment.  (Another option would be a cab, which I tried at my last prenatal appointment, without success.)  All four of us headed out to the doctor's office, I endured a highly unpleasant exam, and we left without any definite answers.  The entire escapade lasted 5 hours.

Alright, time for the silver lining:  Owen was a champ!  He loves his stroller and the subway.  Nearly all the subway stations we used were stroller friendly.  But thankfully, my studly husband has no trouble lifting that Joovy Caboose (with our precious cargo soundly sleeping inside) and toting it up and down the subway steps.  And my fever is gone, and I'm still feeling great!

Day Ten:  I just clipped my own toenails.  Sometimes it really is the little things that can bring great joy.