Big Sister finally gets a chance

We've had colds and sickness but Audra finally got a chance to hold her youngest brother. Feels like it was such a short time ago that I held Audra like this....now she's almost eight!

Christmas Eve...

He really is a love... thought I could show a picture with his eyes open!!!! We can't really tell if he looks like any of the other three?

Merry Christmas to all and to all...

and to all.... a good night's sleep!!!!!!!!!!

And his name shall be called...

DANE EMMANUEL CARLSON

Baby Boy Carlson...

For unto us a child is born...
December 18, 2008, 11:54pm, 8 lb, 6 oz, 20 inches...
Name decided by tomorrow (I PROMISE!!!)

A litte like Mary...

There have been a lot of references to me relating to Mary this last month. I have dismissed most of them for many reasons. For starters I thought this baby would have been home with us about two weeks ago. I hate to admit it but I really thought I would go two weeks early and so he wasn't going to be a "Christmas baby". I dismissed them because really....she road a donkey, at 13, with her unwed betrothed, for a census, and gave birth in a barn to the KING of KINGS!! I on the other hand; live in a subdivision, with my husband of 14 years and our three other children. I can turn the heat on and take a warm bath every night to ease my weary bones. But this last week I have wondered more and more how Mary must have felt. Today, I thought....I think it might be me and the cows who get to witness this birth.
IN a matter of two days this is what has happened:

My in-laws who are coming for Christmas and to help (whom I have been very excited for their arrival) are in West Texas in a hotel waiting on a part for their car to be delivered...instead of their planned arrival which was today.

My sister in law who both comes to the hospital and is back up for my children to go to...has a child with throw up, 101 fever and is sick w/ a cold herself

My other friend who has been back up in case the Carlsons aren't here yet has a child with a fever and ear infection

Amanda who is basically my doula, has been in every delivery room of mine, has a child with pink eye

Gunnar came home with a note from school today saying....please watch your children...we have had a case of lice and scabies in his classroom!!!! Scabies? ....WHAT ARE SCABIES????

As I sat dumbfounded this evening wondering what it would be like to give birth alone, I thought of Mary. Her cries of pain in the cold night air, her husband no doubt wondering how to help or comfort her, the animal smell, maybe even some Scabies themselves!!!!! She had no idea what it would be like to be a mother but like mothers before her and mothers to come, she succumbed to the pain, gave birth to her son and took it one moment at a time.

I guess that's what we'll do...take it one moment at a time.

Living near NASA

One of the fun things living near NASA is the extras that happen on an ordinary day. Today the Shuttle flew home from it's latest mission and here it is just above our neighborhood landing in a matter of minutes. I was in the car with Anders and said...."Look! It's the Shuttle coming home!!"