Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Wednesday ~ The Day My Heart Got A Little Bit Bigger

Sometimes the best days aren't the days that are full of extraordinary adventures, but instead, are the ones that fill your heart to overflowing with the joys and tears of ordinary life.

And yesterday was one of those days. An ordinary day that, at it's heart, held the height up triumph. Because after nine months of waiting, I finally got to meet Baby Joshua, my nephew, who threw wide the door to the inner circle of my heart and made his little home there.

Can you see that? That's auntie-pride oozing out of this post. :)


My day started at 5:33am with a phone call from my brother-in-law Mark asking if I could come over and stay with a sleeping Bethany and David while he and Kristine headed to the hospital. I was out of bed and in my car within probably three minutes. And it's a good thing I live so close, because Baby Josh was born a whole twelve minutes after they got to the hospital! That's only 45 minutes between me waking up to the come-over phone call and the actual birth! Baby Josh's a fast one. :)


Left: David's face as he sees his little brother for the first time.
Right: Bethany holding Joshua for the first time. The first of many times. :)


It's easy to see that Bethany is in love. She was glued to Josh's side, hugging, petting and lovingly caressing his little head almost non-stop.



Left: Davo was excited about the baby...but I think it's also safe to say that this momma-lovin' boy was actually more excited to see his mommy. :)
Right: baby Josh.


David being handed his little brother.


A family of five!


Baby lovin'.



Mark's parents arrived at the same time that me and the kids got there. The room was fairly bursting with excitement!



And then Auntie Kellie got a turn. Or three. ;)


Left: Grandpa and his grand-kids.
Right: holding baby Josh also now consistently involves having Bethany draped across your arm or lap. She loves her little brother!


I took the day off work, just because that's the kind of Auntie that I am...or maybe it's just because I CAN'T STAND not being a part of the birth-days of my nieces and nephews!

As I drove Bethany and David to the hospital yesterday evening, I was truly just marveling at the blessings of the day, big and small. The blessing of Josh himself. The blessing of a quick, "easy" delivery. The fact that I'd moved closer to my sister just a month ago which enabled me to get over there fast (otherwise, it might just have been a road-side delivery by daddy!). The blessing of getting to spend this life-changing day with my niece and nephew. The fact that my boss is just so awesome that she gives me these kinds of days off! 

And then, my favorite part - the immense privilege and overwhelming joy of being the one to take Bethany and David to the hospital to meet their little brother for the very first time.

I'm a proud auntie of six.
With one more due later this year.

I'm blessed, ya'll!

Baby Josh, I love you already!

40 comments:

  1. Oh yay! I'm so happy for you and your family! And you got some GREAT pictures. That first one is my personal favorite, I believe :) Love this post, such a great witness of God's tender love and mercies.

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    1. That ones one of my favorites, too! Mostly because of the lighting! The lighting was so weird in that room - one half of the room had phenomenal lighting...the other half was not so much. But as long as I could get those moments immortalized, I really don't care!

      What does make me happy, though, is the captured expressions on Bethie and Davo's faces! I had actually prayed prior to taking them in that the Lord would just allow me to "grab" the moment, and I think He answered that. :)

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  2. Such great pictures! I can only imagine how happy and excited all of you are! :D

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    1. Thanks Hayden! We are all pretty excited! Babies are a big deal around here. :)

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  3. Looks like it is YOUR day to be a proud "new" Auntie! BEST DAYS EVER! ;) Cuteness!

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    1. Absolutely, Madison! Isn't being an auntie the BEST? I don't know how I lived before the scepter of auntie-ship was given to me four years ago. :)

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  4. AW! This is precious, Kellie! You have a right to be oozing with pride. :) It's a special moment - and in close-knit families, these moments are when memories are made. :)

    CONGRATS to your sister and her family.

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    1. And these birth-day memories are some of my favorites! I love being close and living close to my family, I can't imagine not being around for all the family moments! :)

      Thanks for the congrats, we're a happy, excited family today! :)

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  5. Awwwwwwwwww...so sweet. Happy for you girl!

    Iris♥

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  6. What a sweet moment!!! I cannot wait to be an auntie! I kind of am one already to one of my cousin's kids...and 2 more on the way to cousins, but it will be different when my sister has a baby. I can't wait!

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    1. Cousin-aunties are so great, too!! Any kind of auntie-ship is such an honor. And joy. :)

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  7. Aw- congrats! How exciting. :) I absolutely can't wait until I'm an aunt later this year.

    ~Kristin

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    1. Kristin, you are going to LOVE it! There's just something about holding and playing with kids that share your blood. :)

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  8. Congratulations Kellie, baby Josh is adorable. Hope you've got room in that big heart for another 2nd cousin...or is it cousin once removed? This November. ;)
    Love, your cousin from the PNW Katie (Kade)

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    1. Kade!! Of course I have room for another one!! I'm so excited!! Yay!! I hadn't heard the news yet! Congratulations! There's babies everywhere and that's totally okay with me. Love you and miss you!

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  9. The sweetness & love & cuteness & happiness for this happy, happy day BURST out of your every word!
    Congratulations, Aunt Kellie!!!!! What a beautiful family--I can scarcely believe how fast little Josh came! He is positively precious! As are his siblings--I see a little mamma comin' out in his big sister there!
    Congratulations again, my gorgeous auntie-friend--& all the best & blessings on this latest addition to your sister & her gorgeous family!

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    1. Thanks, wonderful-friendie!! They are a beautiful family, aren't they? I also couldn't help noticing how they all sorta just happened to be wearing bright primary colors...which made for a nice photo contrast, eh? :)

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  10. Awwww! Congratulations, Kellie! I can't WAIT to be an aunt someday. All of my little cousins fill in pretty well in the meantime, but I'm sure there's nothing like being an official aunt. :D Enjoy all the sweet baby squishes!

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    1. Baby squishes...that's a good one!! :)

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    2. I agree with Madison - "baby squishes" are exactly what I love to do! Being an official aunt is so wonderful, I never thought it could possibly be so fulfilling. :)

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  11. I love being an Aunt, yeah for adorable nieces and nephews!
    Looks like that precious little babe is going to be loved on round the clock, like any new baby should be! ;-)

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    1. Definitely, KatySue! He's a little keeper. :)

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  12. aw, yay! such beautiful photos! congratulations on the auntie status ;). And after seeing more and more of your photos it seems that perhaps I should purchase the Canon 40d instead of the t2i! haha. But seriously though. Have a lovely rest of your evening, Kellie!

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    1. Thanks for the compliments, Jessica! That is so very encouraging to me!! With either camera, you really can't go wrong through! :)

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  13. Lovely pictures, Kellie! He's such a beautiful little baby! I love all of that dark hair he's got! Congratulations on being an auntie again!

    ~Vicki
    Decked Out in Ruffles

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    1. Yes! He has lots of dark (and long!) hair! According to his due date, he was a week "early," but after he was born, they suspect the due date was wrong, because he was the biggest of the three kids yet plus his hair is already so long, so they think he was definitely done in there and ready to come out. Which is fine by me. :)

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  14. Yay and hooray for another nephew! He's adorable (as are your other nieces and nephews!) and I am in love with your photos. So much gorgeous natural light there and so many precious moments that you captured. :)

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    1. Ah, thanks, Kiki! You'd love my nieces and nephews - they have SO much character and are definitely the kids who's be saying the hilarious stuff in your class. They keep us laughing all the time!

      I really give God the credit on the success of these photos! I went into it praying that He'd help me, since there was only a matter of seconds to be able to capture those "first look" faces and there wasn't time to be figuring out camera settings! :D

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  15. Oh my goodness, he is precious!! All of you are! You all seem like such a sweet family.

    My best friend had her first baby boy just a couple of weeks ago, so though I'm not an "official" auntie, I feel like one now. Babies are just...the best. Congratulations, Kellie!

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    1. Congratulations to YOU, too, "Auntie" Laurie! Along with my 6 (soon to be seven) nieces and nephews, I'm also "honorary" auntie to one of my best friend's little boy, too! :)

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  16. Aaaawwww. Congrats auntie! That's so wonderful. And I'm so thankful he's here safe and sound and all are doing well. God is good! :)

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    1. He, is, Kara, He really is!! I believe they came home from the hospital yesterday and are doing great!! :)

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    2. And I replied to your email, too. ;)

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  17. Okay, so I just found your blog from Jessica who nominated you for the Liebster award and I already am following! Love the idea of just a pictures and thoughts blog that is purposed in glorifying Jesus! So cool! And these pictures…so precious…for real! Such sweet little babies all three of them. You are blessed. One of my best High School friends just had their second little girl and I can't wait to see her, this makes me jealous and makes me want to be an aunt soon!(0:
    Love and Blessings,
    Lacy

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    1. Lacy, thanks for visiting and following! And yes, I am very blessed! Being an aunt is so amazing. :)

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  18. Hey, that baby looks JUST LIKE MY NEPHEW! Amazing!!!

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  19. CONGRATULATIONS!!!! I just got "nephew-ed" again recently and HIS name was Joshua! haha

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    1. Really? How awesome (and a funny coincidence!)! And thanks for stopping by and commenting, Sharon!

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Oooh, you're about to comment! How exciting! Know that you are SO MUCH MORE than just a name and a comment to me - you're a person I'd like to get to know! Make sure you check back, as I reply to each comment. I love getting to talk/correspond with each of you!