Has certainly captured my attention.

And everyone else’s too.

Much to the dismay of this girl.

Don’t hate the player Millie – hate the game.

but I have to write a bit.

A firestorm erupted yesterday on a website I started called movethatbus.org. I found out about an article in the local newspaper right after the birth of my little girl, and before long I had hundreds of comments in my inbox.

Most of them were just absurd, and given the day I was having it just made me laugh.

Later in the day a local T.V. station was interviewing the neighbors, and sure enough 5:30 there was my website!

It was surreal and added to the wonder of the entire day.

It has actually been kind of fun, and the pack of wolves from yesterday have moved on to those lousy cheating Chinese! :)

Onto more pressing issues, I am simply lovesick over this little thing. She was much more alert tonight and we got to stare into each others eyes and experience a burp together.

It was an important moment.

Baby girl found out that daddy makes things better.

Mom is doing better, although in quite a bit of pain from the section. She is an amazing woman, and I miss her terribly as well.

Should be Friday before things are back to normal and my family is whole again.

It is all I can do to not go wake the teenagers and pile them back in the car and make the 30 minute drive back to the hospital just to hold my wife and look at that baby.

Can you blame me?

Emily Joy arrived to our side of the world at 8:10 this morning in Virginia Beach.

She weighed in at 7.1 pounds and 19.5″ long.

She is a keeper!

Brother and sister agree.

Mom and baby did great and are getting to know each other mamorilly.

I don’t think that is a word.

Dad could not be prouder or more humbled by the gift he has been given.

One day to go.  I thought I had better post pictures of the nursery before I go tomorrow!  We have been so blessed.  Almost everything in the nursery has been given to us–with the exception of the crib, which we bought, and the changing table, which David made.  And it is pretty cool, because everything matches!

This is the bassinet–we are keeping this in the living room.  It is handy because it has wheels on it, so we can roll it wherever we want to.

Here is a view from the doorway.  There is the dresser, crib and rocking chair.

Going counter-clockwise around the room.

Continuing Counter-clockwise, the changing table that David made, and a little shelf.

Another view of the changing table and shelf.

And a close-up of the crib with the Classic Pooh bedding.

That is about it.  Tomorrow we go in for the c-section.  I know David will be sending pictures, but I don’t know if I will post any on my blog–that might take awhile!  Hope you enjoyed the pictures!

Hard to believe that tomorrow, a little after 11:30 AM, we get to see the little crumb cruncher we have been impatiently anticipating for the very first time. Even though she has been with us for nine months, sharing everything we have been doing, tomorrow everything for her and us will be brand new.

She will lose the confines of the womb and breathe air for the first time, see light in all its amazing glory, hear once muffled voices clearly, see faces of those that love her, smell and taste so many new things, stretch and move and experience the wonder of this earth her Father has created for her.

He crafted her for this time, created her for our family, sent her here to experience the world as seen through the eyes of 2008. She is a time traveler, an emissary from another realm, stepping from the kingdom of heaven to the kingdom of earth and decades later after her work has been done, returns back to that kingdom and to her Lord.

She is a daughter of heaven, a child of the King, a daughter of man.

She will laugh and love and bring unspeakable joy to those around her. She will radiate the heart of her Father and will reflect His heart of love and mercy to the world. She will be full of life and be a physical example to those around her of the promise that God is good.

For God is good.

This one thing, this one lesson I have learned, no matter what falls around me, no matter how I stumble, God is good. Though my perspective may warp as experiences shift my boat under the winds of change. Though grief and pain cloud the course laid before me, nothing can alter the truth that God is love and a loving God is worthy to be praised. And praise Him I will, with all that is within will I praise Him, for He alone has anchored this soul.

One more day.

We wait in expectation, we covet your prayers, we proclaim a safe surgery, a safe delivery, easy transition for baby, no complications for mom, and wonderful doctors and nurses well rested and at their best for all.

We anticipate a beautifully healthy baby girl with no defects or lack that is fully formed and fully ready to work with her mother to nurse.

We push aside fear, doubt, and dread for the higher knowledge that God only gives good things and Emily Joy is a very, very good thing.

One more day.

What an honor and privilege it will be to live it.