Miracle baby arrives!

Hi

I am thrilled to announce the birth of my daughter on 24th July 2008. (I haven't been able to post this earlier because I left my blogger password at work)

Mrs...being an older mother with a history of miscarriages ...went for a routine check the day before, and they found that the baby had wriggled out of position and was now 'in breech'. So they demanded that she come in for a caesarean the next day.

At 9lb 12oz (4.42kg), it was probably the best thing for her.

Mrs has given her a fantastic name - long and a bit of a mouthful, but with a deep meaning such that her very name is a gospel message wherever she goes, without being embarrasing. Shame this is an anonymous blog!

The first week was increasingly difficult, until we twigged that she wasn't getting enough milk and switched to formula. Instant new baby! She slept 9.5 hours last night. So much for 'breast is best'!

This birth is of the essence of this blog. It is quintessential. A normal life with God is an adventure that leads you to do things that you would not normally do without him. It is a NORMAL LIFE ADVENTURE.

For those that have not been following the story, we are an older couple in our 40s, with 6 other children. I had had a vasectomy owing to my wife's arthritis medicine being harmful to unborn babies. But the Lord called Mrs to have another child. After prayer for healing she was able to come off the drugs (though she still has rheumatoid arthritis), so we sought guidance about vasectomy reversal. My GP laughed his head off, and then told me 101 reasons why it was unlikely to work. I could not get it done on the National Health Service, but a private doctor was much more positive and had me dome within weeks. We got pregnant quickly, but miscarried at 7 weeks. After a longer wait, she became pregnant again but miscarried at 14 weeks. Then we had a long wait, and seriously doubted if we had heard the vision correctly. We had more prayer for pregnancy and healing. eventually, she did become pregnant agian, and this time has carried it to full term. Normally, rheumatoid arthritis flares up after a pregnancy and she has a hard time after the miscarriages, but so far she has been ok with this one (though it's too soon to say for sure). So, God has givin the vision and then he has fulfilled it. (see my post for 21 July 2006)

"I'm confidenent of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it". (Philippians 1:6)

baby due soon

Waiting (im)patiently now for our baby to be born. (click the 'pregnancy' label/tag to get the full history behind our MIRACLE baby - and as a PS to reinforce that today's BBC website has an article about the reduced chances of MEN of my age being fertile)

It’s due at the end of the month, but the midwives say it is a big baby, and given other health history issues they don’t want to let it go past the due date. So Mrs is seeing the specialist on Wednesday. Hopefully they will decide to induce it early rather than let it grow bigger.

But… for my birthday celebration I have organised a paintballing expedition this weekend. I have said that ideally, the baby would come afterwards, since I have already paid for it and invited guests etc.

Mrs thinks this is very selfish. But I did deliberately arrange the trip two weeks before the due date – surely that is enough! But many of my guests have been unable to come, and the substitutes have also had other previous engagements, so I still have 25% vacancies. She thinks this is divine guidance that my paintballing ‘aint gonna happen, because the baby will come first.

We will see who is right!

Vestments on trial

I returned briefly to my placement church last night for Sunday evensong.

Well, if I am more honest, I went to see if I could borrow a cassock and surplice for my licensing next week [since I will wear them too rarely to purchase].

Coming home, it dawned on me that none of my family had ever seen me in robes. I guessed that they might find it amusing and even have a bit of a laugh, and decided that I should get this over and done with by modelling them at home, rather than have them burst out laughing at their Dad as I process up the aisle on Saturday.

Well, it’s a good thing I did. Child 3 has only two modes: Adoration of what he sees as cool (eg shiny football boots), and extreme mockery of what he sees as rubbish (eg anything unrelated to football). So I had to endure shrieks of laughter and ridicule from him. Next was Child 4 – more laughter. Child 5 “Dad, you look like a girl. Shall I get a ribbon for your hair?” Child 6 – ditto. Child 2 – normally the most respectful – “Face up to it Dad, you look really stupid”. Child 1 was shut in his study revising for exams. I opened the door and he looked at me for a fraction of a second then let out a long high pitched scream.

I turned to my wife for comfort – mistake. She was very much on their side.

So, I was glad to have got it over and done with, but it was worse than I expected and quite disappointing as I expected at least my some of own family would be more supportive and encouraging.

Worse, earlier in the day I had dropped off tickets for the event at my brother’s house. We live in the same town but our paths rarely cross in the business of life and I haven’t actually seen him for two years. His first words “Good to see you”? No such luck … “My goodness, you’ve aged!”

Well so has he but I’m too polite to say.

So I moaned to my parents about this on the phone. And they agreed with him, saying I look older than he does (and he is 5 years my senior). They blamed my former vasectomy – though I actually started going grey when my daughter was in hospital and the doctor thought she was dieing.

So, shall I abandon my family and go and live in a monastery somewhere?