Sonlight Garden

Quiet Down Cobwebs

Quiet down cobwebs,

Dust go to sleep...

I'm rocking my baby 

And babies don't keep.

I am talking to the cobwebs and dust but they are not listening! For that matter neither is the laundry. I have been feeling so behind in the housework department. But, I am cutting myself a break. I have been making lists this past week and it has been helping me to stay somewhat focused. Life has been super busy, but good. I am almost done with Christmas shopping. I want to get most of it done so we can enjoy Advent without all of the running around. There will be enough running around with all of the extra curricular activities. And little Henry doesn't really enjoy running around in the van. This little guy is going to make this Advent a quiet one. So thankful for that!

Do you believe tomorrow is the first day of Advent?! I have our Advent wreath out and I purchased candles this week along with extra sets. That alone is making me feel super on top of it, even if it is just an illusion. 

How was your Thanksgiving? Ours was wonderful. We were invited to a friends house, so I didn't have to cook. It was so nice. Now that Thanksgiving has past the girls are itching to decorate for Christmas. I am trying to hold them off until December 1!

I am hoping to be back here soon with some birthday posts and drama pictures and a more thorough post.

Have a blessed, restful weekend!

 

Henry Ambrose~ a baptism story

"You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother's womb. I praise you, so wonderfully you made me; wonderful are your works!"

-Psalm 139:13-14

 

Henry was Baptized. It was a quiet Baptism on a chilly Saturday morning. It was just us and Terry's Mom and my Dad. They stood in for Henry's Godparents, Uncle Pat and Aunt Sussie who are in Florida (miss you!). There were two other little ones being baptized that day as well.

Henry Ambrose. How did we decide on his name? When we found out our little guy was a little guy, we started throwing out names. Henry was one that Terry and I both liked. When I looked up St. Henry and found out his feast day was July 13 the same day as my Grandmothers birthday I knew that was it. Ambrose is a family name of sorts. Terry's mom was the youngest of eight girls and one boy. That boy was named Michael and he was the oldest child. Uncle Mike joined the priesthood and became Father Ambrose. I love Henry's name and the story behind it.

 

If you notice in the picture the Baptismal gown is draped over Henry. It was just to chilly out to change Henry out of his nice warm clothes and into a light organza baptismal gown. If I had been thinking ahead I would have looked for a white long sleeved onesie. I never really needed to think about cold weather with my Florida babies.

But you know a baptism is not about the gown or the guests and the cake (or lack thereof). It is about the grace poured out and received and truly belonging to God and his family. Henry belongs to God.

Julia was the photographer of the day. She took some really great photos. Some came out blurry but are treasured just the same.

I love this Baptismal font. It is so old. Our church was built in the late 1800's. I wonder how many souls have been baptized in it.

This is the gown. It was made from my mother-in-law's bridal gown. All seven of her babies wore it, and her 17 grand children. It is so beautiful and delicate. I just love it.

 

There is a story behind that bonnet also. I met Terry when I was 18 and he was 19. We dated for a few months. One of those months was December. His mom had given me a beautiful Irish linen handkerchief for Christmas. My Grandmother was visiting that Christmas and took the hankie back to Pennsylvania with her. She had said she could make a bonnet out of it. Well, about a month later Terry and I had gone our separate ways. My Grandmother held on to that hankie turned bonnet. I had long forgotten about it. Six years later, when Terry and I got back in touch with one another and were engaged to one another, my Grammy presented a box to me. I opened the box and wrapped in tissue paper was the beautiful white bonnet. Who would have thought? Isn't that a great story? 

(not sure what is happening with the font!) 

Who would have thought that we would have been blessed with these beautiful souls. I never thought back then that I would.  And the old saying "If it is meant to be it will be" is so true.

You just never know what God has in store for you.

I'm back

Well hello everyone! I feel like I haven't been to this little space in a long time. We have been enjoying our baby-moon and I have been recovering from the c-section. I feel great and we are starting to get back into the swing of things. My Dad is here helping me out as taxi driver, and Terry's mom was here and did mountains and mountains of laundry. I am so grateful for their help.

Henry is just as sweet as can be. actually that is what I call him. Sweet Henry. Isn't his hair great? He was Baptized this Saturday. I have some pictures and will try and post them this week. My Dad and Terry's Mom stood in proxy for Henry's Godparents. It was nice to have family here. 

I can't believe October is gone. It was a big giant blur and went by so fast. It was Mary Jane's birthday, Henry's birthday and hospital stay, Terry and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary, we finished up the football season, and without taking a breath started basketball. Oh, and there was Halloween.

Here are a few more random pictures until I get back here to post more. Sorry this is so short and sweet but I have a baby to cuddle!

All is well

and is just as it should be. Henry is home and being loved and held every single second of the day. His brothers and sisters love him so much. They are making up for lost time also. We are all tucked and all together. We are complete.

This is the day he came home from the hospital.

 

Pictures of Henry

This is from last Sunday. He was still on Oxygen and his feeding tube and his IV. They are not the clearest snapshots but we didn't want to turn on the flash.

This was the day that I walked in the nicu and his Nasal Cannula and NG tube were removed. I could see his little face!! His poor little cheeks are all red from all of the tape.

And this is today. One week old. It has gone by so fast and yet, has gone by so painfully slow.

Sweet baby.

Update

First, thank you all so much for your prayers. They mean so much to us right now. Yesterday afternoon after seeing no improvement in his clinical condition and some bad blood work that measures how effectively Henry is breathing, the neonatologist thought it best to put Henry on a ventilator. They think the culprit is a pneumonia. The poor little guy is really working to breath. They started him on antibiotics and we are praying for improvement. The dr. Is hopeful that they can get him off the vent tomorrow and back on a nasal canula. They also are starting him on some tube feedings to get his little tummy going. It is all in Henry's time. So right now we just wait and trust and pray. I will keep you all updated.

Prayers Please!!

Today is the day!! It seems our little one is going to make his appearance today!! We would so appreciate your prayers! God bless you!

This was taken on Sunday just before Joe's football game. (Belly shot for Grandpa and Aunt Sussie!!)

Amazing

I had a 29 week ultrasound today. They were able to get an amazing 3D video. What a treasure!!! 

 

(excuse the quality, I used my iphone to video the computer screen. We played the segment a couple of times because the video is so short.)

 

When chatting with the ultrasound tech and her assistant the subject came up of how many children we have. When we told them this was number 8 they were flabbergasted.

"Oh wow!" they exclaimed. "Don't tell me you homeschool also?"

"Well, yes we do."

Then came all of the questions about how we do that. Inquiring if we sit them all down at the table at the same time, and if the big kids ever help teach the younger ones. And then all of the questions about how do we cook for all of them and on and on.

I expressed that in a big family everybody just kind of helps out. We are a team. That is how big families do it.

The ultrasound assistant said, "Well, your girls will be a big help with the new baby, and just think of all the experience they will have for when they are mothers themselves." 

The ultrasound sound tech said,  "Yeah, or it will be a great form of birth control when they see how much trouble they are."

Really? You are going to say these things while I am staring at my sweet baby in my womb,  whom God blessed us with, this sweet baby whom we prayed for? This sweet baby who has already changed our family in ways I could never express in words. This sweet baby whose brothers and sisters can't wait to get their hands on?

My response-

Birth control? Why no. Children are a huge blessing! We TEACH our children THAT also!!!!

The subject was then closed. :0)

Deep down inside though I feel bad for that ultrasound tech. How sad.

 

a new year, a new haircut

before

 

after

 

 
 

 

Four Months