SHE'S HERE!!!

We had a very special reason to give thanks this Thanksgiving...

~Lilian Ruth Ahlgren~

Born at home in the water, the day before Thanksgiving, at 7:11pm.

She weighed 8lbs and was 20in long.

The Lord blessed us with a WONDERFUL midwife Charlee Lacy! We are very thankful for her!

The Lord let the birth go very well and there were no complications! Praise God!!! Charlee said that the labor was about 8 1/2 hours and Lilian was right on time gestationally. Thank you, to everyone who has prayed for us!

David was SO perfect in everything he did to help; he always rubbed the right spot, held my hand just right and was the best physical, emotional, and spiritual support! I LOVE HIM SOOOOO MUCH! He's an awesome husband and he's now a phenominal dad and it is such a delightful priviledge to be his wife! We're all doing very well, a little sleep deprived, but it comes with a huge blessing that we are having so much fun with! Lilian is growing fast and has gained a lot of head control and leg strength! She has long fingers and toes like Daddy and a dimple in her cheek like Mommy.

Lilian Ruth has had many visitors since her birth! Grandpa and Grandma Barnes and Auntie Kris came out to see her a few hours after she was born. The Morris family came the morning after she was born (forgive us for not letting you come sooner!). Great Grandpa Barnes and Great Grandma Stewart (TuTu) came the day after she was born and her Great Grandpa and Grandma Stewart (Papa Jim and Momma Lue) got to see her a little over a week after her birth. Lilian Ruth is the first great grandchild on my side of the family and the sixth on David's side. Many friends have visited too; the Ledgers, the Wilsons, the Partains, our neighbors the McGuires, the Cochrans, random people looking at our house... and she's had several cards welcoming her! Thank you to everyone who has visited (we love the company!), to those who have welcomed her in other ways, and to those who have brought meals! We've been blessed with a very wonderful family and many many wonderful friends!

On Lilian Ruth's first Lord's Day we still weren't traveling yet and we had the special delight of having fellowship at our home!!! The Morris's and the Cochran's came and it was so wonderful to have so many voices praising the Lord together out here once again!!!

For the record, we did keep our word and added another picture to the post before this one.

Lilian: Lily- Flower(innocence and purity?) Ann-Grace = Flowering Grace. We didn't realize it when we picked it, but "Lillian" (double "L") is my great grandmother's name.

Ruth: Friend or Companion. This is David's mother's middle name, and is my great aunt's name, and it's a name we both really liked!

Incidentally Lilian's initials, for now, are the same as David's mother's, LRA. We didn't plan that, but are very pleased with it! :)

She's got big eyes like her Daddy!!!

We are so thankful to God for blessing us so richly with each other and now with our precious Lilian Ruth!

Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it:

Except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

It is vain for you to rise up early to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows:

For so He giveth His beloved sleep.

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD:

And the fruit of the womb is His reward.

As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. :)

Happy (Blessed) is the man that hath his quiver full of them:

They shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

Psalm 127

The LORD hath done great things for us;

whereof we are glad!

Psalm 126:3