Newness of Life

Last week my great niece was born!!!  She was a surprise until delivery.  My niece and her husband did not want to know the sex beforehand.  The anticipation built for the entire nine months! She is a beautiful baby at 7.11 pounds and 20 inches.  She was born November 26, 2010.  She is the tiniest looking bundle and has  found her thumb.  But when she was still in the womb I was able to see an ultrasound and even then she had already found her thumb!  When you hold her, she just seems to mold into your arms.  This makes me a great aunt for the third time.  I have four nephews and two of them had their firstborns within the last two years.  One was a boy and the other a girl.  They are all adorable and I feel so proud to see their families growing. 

The miracle of life is amazing. It's funny how you don't think of a little newborn as a person yet.  Of course they are,  but you view them as a precious gift of life and stand in awe sometimes just thinking how perfectly formed they came out and the fact that they are unharmed by life, without any cares in the world yet.  During my niece's pregnancy we all followed a calendar that showed how the baby was being formed during the days and weeks and it was eye-opening and wonderful to read and see how planned and intricate we are formed from the very beginning until delivery.  As an example :  at day 22, the baby's

heart begins to beat with it's own blood, often a different type from the mothers.  At week 3,  the backbone and spinal column begin to form and the kidneys, liver and intestines take shape.  At week 17, the baby can have a dream. At 20 weeks, it is recognizing it's mothers voice.  At months 7 through 9, it opens and shuts it's eyes and  the skin is beginning to thicken.  It also comes to know the mood of the mother. 

    How creative is all this??  

 I dare anyone to tell me we came from a monkey.   

If anyone is interested in the development of a baby....just plug in fetal calendar in your search bar.  But I came across this one and it was very informational: 

http://tharpworld.com/Baby_watch/fetal_dev_cal.htm

The Sun Will Shine Again

The Sun.  It lights the entire world.  If it's a gloomy, dark day in the space that you occupy, it may not be that way a few miles down the road.  It's a constant light that never fails to rise up in the morning and shine it's revealing light upon us all.  It drives away the darkness and burns through the fog.  It warms up everything it touches and in it's path everything is brought to life.  It's required for plants, humans and animals to thrive.  When you observe it in the early morning hours rising up over the ocean you stand in awe and marvel at the beauty of it.  The show starts with just a hint of light and within only a few minutes of time, it becomes so bright you can't stand to gaze at it.  The instant the sun touches your skin, you feel the warmth.  To think that it brightens and warms the entire earth..how amazing is that?   Something only God can give us.  When you make yourself get up early, strap on your camera and take a hurried walk down to the ocean, you can be sure you will never be disappointed.  It's especially nice to realize you are one of just a few people up that early in the morning and walking along that large expanse of water enjoying the start of a brand new day.  

It just feels right.