Storms and Babies

Oh my goodness. What a night. We were up well past midnight watching the storm unfold.  It touched down in Ractliff and Etna and we have a lot of family in those towns.  Thank God for protecting them, for keeping them safe. My cousin, Matt, and his wife heard it go over their house and felt the house shake. Once it passed, he went outside and couldn't see the neighbor's house. He went to look for them and bring them back to his house so they would have a place to stay. It touched down on my Uncle Evan's land and he lost a window on his house, half of the roof of their "school house" and his I think the back half of his shop is gone. A tree fell on my other cousin's house. I haven't heard yet if our church sustained any damage but the main thing is that everyone is alive and no one was hurt. That tornado came so close to our house. It's always sad to see destruction from weather like what happened in Joplin but when it's this close to home, affecting people that you know, it takes on a whole different level of scary.

On to brighter and better news...

My older sister, Rachel, had her third little boy last night right before midnight. Ryan Mark is his name. The Mark is after my dad. He was 8 lbs and something ounces. I haven't heard any other details yet but I am going to the hospital this afternoon and will find out the story. Bet that was fun, having a baby during tornado weather.

This is how we labor in the 21st century.

Miss Nora

We did it, we two.  It was excruciatingly painful and now I'm very sleepy, but we did it.

I'm too tired to type much so here are some stats:

Nora James
7lbs 11oz
19 inches long
Blondie
GREAT nurser
Loud squaller
Has her Daddy's nose
Needs to work on her burping skills

Birth:
Natural
Lasted about 6.5 hours
Would totally do it again if I had to but don't ever plan on it
Elaina was allowed to watch her sister be born. It was special. She did great.
Baby didn't breathe right away. They had to use the balloon pump to get her yelling. It was a little tense. Thank the Lord that she's fine and it wasn't more serious.

We love her. All of us. Even Pee Wee hasn't been jealous. Yet.

First glimpses

 Claire described her to her Bebe as a very tight blanket with a hat.