Welcome Baby K!

Mar 9, 2010 | Baby Photos

She’s here! After an induction that began at 8:00 am the day before, some complications and a caesarian…Baby K has finally arrived! I knew it was a girl! She’s a 7 lb 6 oz, 17 inch long sweetheart of a girl! Now Dodi & Andy just have to figure out what they want to name her!  I am overjoyed and looking forward to meeting my one and only niece! I’m an aunt! I hope I get to meet her soon!

Here she is!

Baby K

What a blessing and gift from the Lord. Congratulations Dodi & Andy!!! Well done on hanging in there, sister! I’m so proud of you!

xoxoCC

To send congrats their way: Here’s Dodi’s blog. And here’s Andy’s. (But don’t forget Dodi did most of the work. 😉 )

For Dodi, at the birth of Baby K

Mar 8, 2010 | Prayers in Poetry & Prose

I haven’t heard any news of the arrival yet, but my sister was induced a few hours ago! I’m so excited! I wrote this poem for her at this special time and I thought I would share it with you!

For Dodi, at the birth of Baby K

My sister, dear sister,
I’m thrilled, overjoyed
at the journey that’s starting for you.

At the memories to come,
all the things to be done,
and the start of so many things new.

I’m glad that we’ve stepped
out of spaces so rough
where we struggled to be side by side

Thanks for patience and grace,
I’m so glad to say
now in His blood and ours we are tied.

And in this sweet space
before, in between
at the bridge of three out of two

There’s a moment to look
at how far life has come,
at the glorious journey of you.

There are things that perhaps
you may soon forget:
flying solo, or being just two

How it felt to do just
what you wanted each day
or to spend time alone in the loo.

In exchange for the joys of
organized tupperware drawers
and much time to decide what to wear

I can’t wait to rejoice
at first smiles and first laughs
and a (finally) first cut of hair.

I can’t wait to sing praise
for the goodness of God
in this blessed little life within you

Coming out to change things
speak and rearrange things,
to become and to be and to do.

To my niece or my nephew,
little one, I must say,
God’s chosen great parents for you.

May they teach you His ways,
And may all of your days
be filled with His presence and truth.

My sister, dear sister,
I pray nights ahead
will be peaceful, sweet-tempered and good.

May you savour the grace
that you find for those days
when things don’t work as you hoped they would.

I can’t wait to celebrate
triumphs great and small,
like when diapers and braces are done.

The tough and good talks
the steps and the walks,
the days when the Pirates have won!

As the page turns over
and this new life begins,
after this last thought I’ll be through:

The road that we take
is the journey of a lifetime
and I’m so glad to share it with you.

With so much love, hno, Cecil

Gym Buddy

Apr 18, 2009 | Stories, The Good Word

While I was last back in the States, my sister and I had a good time working out together. She played the part of Jillian the trainer, from America’s Biggest Loser show, and I played the part of one of the chubby folks trying to drop some poundage. Lots of fun. When I got back to Scotland, I was blessed with beginning to work out with my sweet friend Sarah. We’ve been having a blast taking turns making up workouts for ourselves, and working really hard.

So…sad news…Sarah is on a mission trip in Nepal right now. And I have to go work hard at the gym by myself.  We were doing lots of random moderate to high intensity stuff, mixing up cardio and strength, walking on the treadles while doing arm workouts with a medicine ball, etc. etc. And I have now discovered that that was lots of fun while there was another silly American for me to look goofy with, but now that I’m by myself, I feel like a cotton-headed ninnymuggins.

What is it about having two people that makes doing something goofy seem totally okay?  The day before yesterday I was doing pull-ups underneath the treadmill (thanks Jillian — I mean Dodi) and then doing “total body burners” (extended push-ups) off the end of the treadmill.  By the time I got to the last couple, I was sweating and even grunting a little to get through them. A personal trainer was right there stretching out one of his clients, and I could just feel the piercing stare. I was just thinking “I need my gym buddy! I’m not a ninnymuggins, really!”

The sermon in a nutshell: There’s definitely a reason Jesus sent the disciples out in twos.

xCC