Weekend Visit

Grandma Becky & Grandpa Dave and Great Aunt Carol And Uncle Mike came for a too short visit this weekend. They graciously offered to look after Evangeline while we went out for sushi. I think it was a good deal all the way around. Thank you! We hope they can come and stay longer one of these days.

Sleeping Baby

She sleeps. A lot. Good thing she's cute while doing it.

One Month

One Month

Evangeline is one month old. Well, one month and three days. A lot has happened in this month. Here's my try at remembering a month's worth of highlights (a bulleted list at that) through my surgery-foggy and new-mom-hazed condition :

• In the hospital, Grandma Becky and Grandpa Dave came to visit. So did Joel and Pam, and Pastor and Cheryl Thompson.
• We walked home from the hospital on a cold January 4 with Evangeline bundled up warm.
• Evangeline spent some time under the lights both in the hospital and at home because of her bilirubin levels. She got rid of the bilirubin fast and finally we got to hold her in our arms all the time.
• Evangeline was baptized!The best day of her life. Her Godparents are Amy and Ryan Moeckly, Ellee's cousin and husband. They live in Portland Oregon, so they couldn't be there, but members of the congregation stood in for them. Grandma Lucy (Schell) made the baptism gown for Kyle and Jessica. As you can see, It is beautiful.
• Grandma Carol and Grandpop Rand came for a visit. They dutifully sacrificed themselves to hold Evangeline all the time, any time.

• Grandma and Grandpa Becky and Dave and Aunt Jessica and Kyle came for a visit. Even they weren't too tired from their marathon running to hold Evangeline enough.
• Evangeline had a little snag gaining weight, but made it up a week later.
• Aunt Beth and Uncle Jim sent her enough of the cutest clothing ever to safely make it through her first year.
  
• Grandma and Grandpop Carol and Rand left...leaving us to fend for ourselves.
• Evangeline got a cold. She slept in her carseat for a week, and we all got familiar with the bulb syringe. Not fun. Thanks be to God and the bulb syringe, she's feeling better and it turns out the whole affair was a bit harder on her mom than her.
• Evangeline went to church, visited the nursing home where Dr. Nagel is, went to a basketball game (Preachers won), to chapel, visited with our friends Ryan and Anne and their son Sam, had some friends over here, enjoyed the spoils of meals cooked by good friends brought to the house.
• Had her one month check up and everything is fine.
• Evangeline is starting to coo and smile, look and (we think) wonder. She's growing fast and we're loving every minute (yes, even the tearful, worry-filled, uncertain ones) of it.

It has been a long, short month. We're getting the hang of -or at least trying- things, and life is as different as is possible in the best way. Our days are spent eating (or figuring out how and when to--all three of us), sleeping (or figuring out how and when to, at least two of us), scrambling for diapers, staring at each other, crying (at least two of us), and being exceedingly thankful for this blessed baby that God has entrusted us with.

Thanks to everyone for your prayers and presents and presence and much needed words of encouragement. We are ever thankful and in need.

First Post

Evangeline Meimi Schell Mietzner

Born

January 1, 2010

Baptized

January 10, 2010

Her name came about as follows:
Evangeline is an approximate transliteration of Εὐαγγέλιον, which is Greek for "Gospel" or "good news".
Meimi is Ellee's maternal grandmother's first name.
Schell is Kyle's maternal grandparents' last name.
Mietzner is well, our last name.