Blessed through Baptism

Ezekiel Forrester Hall

Our sleeping angel!

Zeke will be 5 months old in about a week!  It's hard to believe.  He is rolling over, attempting to scoot on his belly, making silly squealing noises, laughing, and generally loving life!  He eats well and is over 16 pounds now.  He's reaching for toys and will be mobile before we know it!

We were thrilled to welcome several family members to town the week of June 3rd.  My Uncle Lewis came all the way from NYC to celebrate our shared birthday, and to be here for Zeke's Baptism.  My Uncle Ken, Aunt Janie, and cousin Riley flew in from Lubbock, Texas for the festivities.  Gregg's brother, Jimmy, and his two girls (Krissy and Leah) drove from Wauchula, Florida to be here with us too.  Maria, Nick, and Gregory stayed home because Nick needed to prepare for his final exams.  It was humbling that they were all here with us during this special time. 

The Gregg Hall family

You may wonder what makes this such a special time?  You may ask why we had Zeke Baptized as an infant.  We understand that this was not his statement of faith (we pray that will come in time).  Our pastor, Randy Pope, likened it to a wedding engagement.  He said that we, as parents, will likely begin to pray for our child's future spouse.  As we do that, we understand that they will become engaged first.  When they are engaged, they are not committed to marriage yet.  Only they can make that true commitment before God to unite with their betrothed.  Only Zeke can take that initial "engagement" we made for Him through infant Baptism, and make the commitment to accept Christ as his Savior.  We, as Zeke's earthly parents, promise to raise him in a Christian home as a child of the Covenant we made with God.  We will teach him about our Lord so that one day he can make the decision for himself.

The Stargel/Hall group

Jimmy, Krissy, and Leah Hall

My sisters with Zeke!

The Baptism was held at Perimeter Church on June 6, 2010.  Todd and Teresa Lesher (along with Jared and Jami) are Zeke's godparents.  Because Todd is an elder at Perimeter, he was able to assist Randy in the Baptism.  That was really special for us.

My parents hosted a luncheon afterwards for our family and friends.  Zeke did great during the Baptism, but because it was during his morning nap, he fell asleep by the time we were ready to take pictures after lunch!

The rest of the weekend was filled with fun times with family.  We went up to Jared and Jami's house one evening for dinner.  We also celebrated Leah Hall's 7th birthday at our house because she and her family were driving home on her actual birthday (June 7th).  Overall, it was a wonderful time with family and friends, and we are thankful for all of the support.  Zeke is one blessed little boy!!!

Uncle "Woo" (Lewis)

 

Ken, Janie, and Riley Kennedy

Krissy and Leah Hall

Teething, talking, and tummy time...oh my!!!

The past month has been one of changes and growth.  On May 19, Zeke was 4 months old.  We spent that afternoon with Summer taking his 4 month photos (check out her blog: http://capturesbysummer.com/blog/?p=632).  My mom (Wynna) came with us to help and get to see the photo shoot.  We had a great time with Summer, although Zeke was enthralled with all that was around him, so we didn't get to see as many of those precious smiles as usual!  He cut his first tooth that day too, and now has both bottom center teeth. 

It seems like he has suddenly become a baby as opposed to a newborn.  He flipped over from his tummy to his back in the middle of the night and loves to roll around on his play time mat.  During his wake time, he constantly "talks" in squeals and mumbles.  He loves to "stand" on Daddy's lap.  He smiles, laughs, and talks to Daddy during their time together in the evenings.  It is too cute!

He has become a pro when it comes to eating off of the spoon.  He loves his "Dr. Denmark mush," which is composed of cereal, banana, other fruits, veggies, and protein.  I nurse 4 times/day, then give him mush after the last three meals.  He gained 4 pounds since our last pediatrician appointment in March, making him 15 1/2 pounds (63%) and 26 1/2 inches (93%)!  He's a big boy who is giving Mommy strong biceps from carrying that car seat!

We still don't venture out in public much since Dr. Denmark says his immunity is not strong enough until about 5 months of age.  He'll start getting some vaccines at that point.  He did get to attend Amanda and Ben Grindle's wedding (in a tux), a bridal shower for Molly Michaud, and will attend Mikey and Erin's wedding next week. 

Grindle wedding

We celebrated my first Mother's Day at my parents' house this year. I'm really enjoying this time at home with him, and can't believe how quickly it is going.  It is truly a gift to be able to stay at home full-time.  I thank Gregg for working so hard to allow that to happen.  We praise God for our healthy happy little boy and can't wait to continue to watch him grow!

Mother's Day 2010

Mini Milestones

Dear Zeke,

       It is hard to believe that you are 3 months old!  The month of April has been filled with "mini milestones" in which you have grown and changed every day.  We celebrated your first Easter, and you actually fit inisde your Easter basket!  (see photo below!)

Unfortunately, Daddy was sick, but you and I went over to Wynna and Granddaddy's house to have lunch with Uncle Jared, Aunt Jami, Kariss, Sopia, Uncle Toddles, and Auntie Tessa.  It was a beautiful day to celebrate our risen Lord. 

You and I have had such a good time together each day.  Daddy loves his time with you in the evenings and often sings to you.  You stop crying instantly when he starts singing...George Strait is one of your favorites! Wynna comes over to stay with you about once a week, in addition to some visits from Auntie Tessa.  You are a loved little man! 

You smile, laugh, coo, and talk all the time now, which is so much fun for Daddy and me.  You weigh 13 pounds, and continue to sleep well.  We just introduced brown rice cereal to you, and you did great with it.  You seemed a bit hesitant at first, but I think you like it now.  We will introduce fruits, vegetables, and protein next, so it will be fun to see how you do with those! 

We thank God for you and look forward to each new "mini milestone" that we celebrate with you.

Love,
Mommy

A visit from the "Greats!"

“For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.” (Psalm 100:5)


We have been blessed to have a weekend filled with family and friends. My Grandma (Zeke’s Geegee) and my Aunt Nancy (Zeke’s Great Nancy) came from Amarillo, Texas and Sugar Land, Texas (respectively) to visit and meet Zeke.

Our joyous visit started when they came to Acworth to our house and spent the afternoon with Zeke and me. Then, Gregg was able to see them at dinner that evening. Since Gregg already had a hunting trip planned, I decided to spend the rest of the weekend at my parents’ house in Alpharetta. It was a wonderful time spent with Grandma, Nancy, Mom, Jared, Jami, and their girls. We also had visits from Teresa (Auntie Tessa), Ellen Widener, Molly Michaud, Katie Cloninger, and Lindsey Torres.

I am, once again, reminded of how fortunate we are to have such wonderful family and friends. God has blessed us beyond measure.

Zeke turned two months old on March 19th (Friday during their visit). It’s hard to believe he has been with us for two months, but it’s also hard to imagine life without him. He is a part of us and is more precious than I even imagined.

He weighs about 11 pounds now, is sleeping 8 or 9 hours/night, and rolled over from his belly to his back at 6 weeks of age. He’s scooting around his crib and growing stronger every day. He smiles all the time and we think we heard his first laugh this weekend. I know the time will go by quickly, so I am trying to cherish each minute I have with our precious little boy. I think Stephen Curtis Chapman said it best when he said, “I can see the fingerprints of God, when I look at you.” As I look at Zeke’s perfect little body, I am amazed that God knit him together in my womb and humbled to be his mom. Gregg and I look forward to each stage and transition as we watch Zeke grow.

Valentine's Day

This Valentine's Day I have had the chance to reflect on the true meaning of the word love.  As our minister, Peyton, reminded us at our wedding, "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.  A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."  Gregg and I have focused on maintaining the cord of three strands (God with the two of us).  We are in a couples Bible study and last weeks lesson reminded us that we love because God first loved us.  His word tells us, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." (1 John 4:7-8)

So, as we have welcomed Zeke into our lives, it feels like we've been introduced to a whole other level of love.  God used us to create this perfect little being...how amazing!  He is 4 weeks old now and changing every day.  He smiles and holds his head up for extended periods of time.  He weighs 9 pounds, 11 ounces and is 22 1/2 inches long.  He sleeps about 7 hours at night (and could go longer if I didn't need to feed him)!  Gregg is back at work and Zeke and I have settled into a nice routine.  Gregg and I have come to learn that being parents is difficult, but absolutely worth it. 

When I look at what Christ did for us on the cross, I am even more amazed.  As a parent, I relate to the sacrifice God made in giving His son in a whole different way.  I believe I empathized with Him before and tried to imagine the pain God felt in sacrificing His son.  Now, in thinking about my own son, I almost feel physical pain in imagining the grief God must have experienced.  I am humbled and so incredibly thankful that Christ was willing to die for me.  His love is unconditional and unchanging.  I will strive to love my husband, child, and all people the way Christ taught me to love. 

Like I said, this Valentine's Day I have learned to love even deeper and I pray God would continue to work in the lives of Gregg, Zeke, and me as we grow as a family.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Dear Zeke,...welcome to our world!

Dear precious Zeke,
        I wanted to write you a letter to let you know how honored and blessed I am to be your mom.  You are 12 days old today, and I can hardly believe it!  We were able to bring you home from the hospital on January 21, 2010, two days after you were born.  Wynna came over that afternoon and stayed with us for about a week.  Daddy and I were a little bit nervous about bringing you home.  We didn't know if we would know how to care for you, but it has been wonderful.  Wynna helped us clean, cook, and care for you, which was a tremendous gift.  You have been eating well and gaining weight like you should.  We took you to the pediatrician and chiropractor.  You weighed 8 pounds, 9 ounces at our last appointment, and I think you are around 9 pounds now.  You are sleeping about 5 hours at night in the bassinet in our bathroom.  Tonight we are going to move you to your crib and pray that you will sleep through the night.  You are still sleeping a lot throughout the day, but when you are awake we love watching the faces you make and hearing your little noises.  You like to sleep on your tummy and on your side, not your back!  You do not like having a dirty diaper, which we hope will help when it comes time for potty training!  Browning, Abigail, and Sadie seem to be adjusting to you quite nicely!  Browning likes to lick your head, which I don't like very much!  Abigail likes to sit with us while I nurse you.  You fit into our family just perfectly!

Daddy and I look forward to watching you grow, change, and become the person God has designed you to be.  We pray that you will come to know the Lord and accept Him as your own personal Savior.  Well, you are waking up from your morning nap now, so I am going to go feed you. 

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift." 2 Corinthians 9:15
I love you with all of my heart,
Mommy

Zeke's Birth Story

It all began at 3:00 AM on January 19, 2010. I woke up with contractions that were more painful than I had ever felt. I'd been experiencing contractions for 3 weeks, but quickly realized they were minor, "warm up" contractions! I tried to continue to sleep, but the pain got worse, and they were closer together. I finally woke up Gregg and told him I thought it was time. We called my doctor and she said to go ahead and go to the hospital. We got there around 6:30am. After assessing me in triage for an hour, they decided to admit me. Although I had been unsure about whether to get an epidural, I decided early on that I wanted one as soon as possible!!!

It has always been difficult to get an IV in my arm, but Gregg took charge. He insisted that they put a heat pack on my arm, and the nurse was able to get it in one try. This was the start of a labor I could not have imagined. It was full of blessings! Next, I met our labor and delivery nurse, Page Boyd, who was wonderful. Then, we found out Kim Long was the midwife on call. We had been praying that she would be on call because she is a Christian. When I told her this, she offered to pray for us. Yes, our midwife prayed for Zeke's health, a safe delivery, and healing for my diabetes...it was amazing!

Let's just say, I am a huge fan of the epidural! After I received it, I could not get out of bed, but it was worth it. The pain was gone. My mom, Jami, Teresa, and our doula, Joy, came to be with us during the hours that followed. We visited, I rested, and we waited for Zeke to come. I was dilating nicely and labor was progressing. Kim came to check on me sometime after 5:00 PM. She took one look and said it was time!



We did one practice push, and she had me stop because Zeke's head was crowning. They set up for me to push. I pushed through three contractions and Zeke was born. It was 5:44 PM on Tuesday, January 19, 2010. I got to hold him on my bare chest, then they took him to clear the mucus from his lungs. Gregg went with him, and was wonderful. After Zeke was breathing well, they brought him back to me, and I was able to breastfeed him. He was a perfect little angel. He weighed 8 pounds, 12 ounces, was 20 and 3/4 inches long, and had a lot of dark brown hair. Gregg and I were overwhelmed by the love we felt for Zeke. We realized our lives had forever changed and God had blessed us beyond belief. We are humbled to be parents to our precious son, and can't wait to watch him grow.