Dietrich Lewis Johannsen!

Dietrich Lewis Johannsen was born Thursday afternoon at 3:12 pm. He weighed 7 lbs. 11 oz. He came out crying. (Atticus was born around 10 at night, weighed 6 lbs. 3 oz. and came out calm as could be.) He looks almost exactly like Atticus did but has so much more hair -- dark red. Blue eyes. This labor was so much better than Atticus' -- It was "smoother", constant and I went ahead and decided to get an epidural halfway into it. I felt so much more "involved" and was deeply grateful for the calmness and "orderliness" of the process. Our nurse, Kathy, was the same nurse that had assessed us with the false alarm visit the morning before. She was with us the entire delivery and was wonderful in so many ways. I'd like to thank my cousin Lisa, too, who felt she needed to pray for me all morning without even knowing I was in labor. I felt God holding me through this.


Brad began getting sick Wednesday and became progressively worse until he was barely able to make it through the delivery. I sent him home after we moved into the regular hospital room. The next day he went into his doctor -- confirmed flu -- the first case of the flu at their office this year. We're so proud. Anyway, I ended up getting a flu shot at the hospital before I was discharged. Thankfully Atticus had his flu shots a month ago. My mom is getting sick too but is "holding together" well.



We're home now. My mom has been fantastically helpful in every way. I am doing very very well -- no stitches, no headache, very little fatigue (so far). Atticus adores his brother and is being funny and entertaining and affectionate -- all the things we've come to love about him. My dad, brother Jonathan, sister-in-law Robyn and sister Bekah all come Sunday for three days of Christmas celebration. And then my wonderful in-laws, Tom & Nancy, come for three days. We are swimming in a lovely, rich, deep Incarnational Gladness. Merry Christmas to you all!