Zane's Birth Story

We welcomed a little boy into our family a few weeks ago!! He is absolute perfection. The pregnancy was fairly easy and uneventful, with some pre-eclampsia starting up towards the end that had us delivering at 37 weeks to make sure that it did not progress and that baby boy arrived healthy. Baby boy was born May 3 at 12:38.

Big sister was so very excited for her brother to get here.

Shelly is a very special nurse to us. She was our nurse when Hank was born, then she made special arrangements to be our nurse when Lorabelle was born as well. When she heard we were expecting again, she said she'd be honored to be our nurse again. Truly the honor was all ours. Shelly was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and after treatment and a lot prayers, was in remission. Remission didn't last long though, She recently started treatments for a recurrence of her cancer.

Shelly is a remarkably strong, brave, selfless Christian woman and nurse. The day before Zane was born, she had surgery to have a port placed for chemo. She sent me a message that day and told me she was feeling pretty rough after surgery, and wasn't sure that she could make it to be our nurse when Zane was born the next day. But, not long before they rolled me back to surgery, look who showed up; tired and sore, and knowing the next day she had to have chemo, she chose to serve my family. Shelly is such an example of Christ's love lived out.  She came back to surgery with me, held me and prayed over me while they put in my spinal, and then prayed prayers of thanksgiving when it was successful and we knew I would get to be awake for Zane's birth. (That was one of my biggest worries, since I had been put to sleep for both Hank and Lorabelle's birth.)

My nurse anesthetist was wonderful. He kept me so comfortable and warned me every time they were about to do any pushing or tugging on me. It really wasn't nearly as bad as I anticipated, just a couple of hard pushes on my belly as they were pulling him out.

It wasn't very long after that got started before they were pulling out my baby boy.

Oh what joy to hear his cry......

And to see his little face come over that curtain, straight out of my belly....... Makes my heart quicken just to remember seeing him and falling instantly even more in love with him than I already was. Oh. my. goodness. That little balled up gorgeous baby.  I'm so thankful to be able to have seen him come into this world, and so thankful for that image of his little balled up body, not even pink yet, and his little chubby cheeks to be forever in my mind.

I can't even.... that squishy baby makes my heart flutter....

I love the look of JOY on Dr. Ogdee's face, so apparent even behind his mask. You can see his smile in his eyes.

Sweet boy looks just like his Daddy, and so much like Hank looked.

And Shelly, bless her, made sure that we got to do a little skin to skin right there in the OR. That's hard to come by at the hospital I delivered at.

That look on my girl's face...... oh so precious!

And seeing Nathan with our son..... like falling in love all over again.

Sister fell in love at first sight. Also, they tried to tell me I had to wear that thing in my nose for 24 hours because of the type of spinal anesthesia I had..... nuh-uh. I didn't make it an hour before I told them that was not happening. It itched, I couldn't kiss either of my babies or drink or anything.

Baby girl loves her some Dr. Ogdee. He always had  suckers for her when she went to my appointments with me.

I love those sweet smiles!

Be still my heart....

A picture of Shelly with all my babies she helped bring into the world : ). I just love her, and the way she ministered to my broken heart throughout the deliveries of my last two babies. Though time makes the pain so much less raw, my heart will always hurt for my first born.

My mom and sister meeting my boy...

And my Dad with his grandson....

Baby boy didn't have a name for his first day of life. It wasn't until the morning after he was born that we decided he would be Zane Ray Smith.

Thank you Lord for blessing our family so richly! We are so undeserving. Thank you for entrusting us to take care of these precious gifts, Your children who we will return to You one day. Help us to teach them Your ways, to imprint Your words on their hearts and in their minds, that You will be the One they seek with all their hearts.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.


Thank you Jenn from Portraits by Jenn for the wonderful photos!