Oh my! 'Baby Jack' has arrived and is already six weeks old. What a glorious gift; a son. Shane and I shed tears of joy as our little bundle emerged, crying and a little bit bothered from a somewhat traumatic birthing experiencing, resulting in alternate means of exiting his mother's womb. I am grateful for modern medicine (oh man, why didn't I get an epidural for the first two??!!) and to be safely on this side of my third pregnancy, and even more grateful that now I am a mother to a son and he is a darling little thing, sweet Hudson.
The past few months have been very blessed, watching our little boy begin to put on weight (he started life a healthy 9lb2oz) and adjust physically, mentally, emotionally post cesarean, as well as getting used to this whole 'family of five' thing. We defied physics in getting three, secure seats for our children in the back of our Daihatsu Pyzar. It really is a big little car, I think we prove that. Bit tough on our poor visitors who are now relegated to the boot...You think I'm joking? (sorry for the indignities Linc and Di!) The girls have taken to their little brother beautifully, constantly begging for holds and peppering him kisses whenever they can get close enough! Esther is the responsible big sister, very helpful fetching nappies and towels for whenever he 'spills his milk'. Charlotte is equally doting, and only her insatiable desire to play at being a baby gives any indication that there might be a teeny bit of sibling jealousy. It must be tough to lose your place as the baby in the family, but they have both done amazing.
We got the final word the day Hudson was born that we would need to be vacating our current house by the end of July. Sigh. This was not welcome news. Our home at the present time meets our needs quite well, being 100m from Shane's work, it makes having 1 car very doable. Its a three bedroom place with a large living area that accomodates our bible study quite nicely on a Monday night. Plus, we are leaving the NT at the end of the year, possibly for good. We only have 4 months or so left and it seems kinda pointless and frustrating to have to move house only to move again in such a short time. Sigh.
Praise God! He works ALL things to the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Rom 8:28). Shane and I qualify for the fulfillment of this promise and its so wonderful to watch how God looks after us and meets all our needs. As it turns out, a work mate of Shane's is unexpectedly leaving the state as her husband is being transferred. They are breaking their lease, and we were able to get in and take it over from them. Win win. It's a bit further from school for Shane, but it is 4 houses away from what is now Esther's preschool.
(Mmhm, my baby girl has started preschool!! But that is another blog...) Being in walking distance to a good preschool was top of my wish list for a new home and this place exceeds expectations! Also the house really is lovely with a FANTASTIC kitchen! Yay! Get ready for more cooking blogs as my new location will be a great source of inspiration in itself. Being ground level with a great outdoor area is another big plus in my books. So, as inconvenient as this whole move was initially its turning out to be a blessing in disguise and I think we will really enjoy our new home as we finish up our time in Darwin. (Did I mention I LOVE the kitchen?! YAY!)
The Rayner family really has had a big year of transition and change and a few bumpy bits on the road this year (e.g. Shane's shoulder operation = 8 weeks off work), but it really has been a rich year of growth spiritually as we call out to God for help and watch him respond to his children in need, a with love and generosity that we don't deserve. I must take this opportunity to also express my thanks to God and our family for their support over the last few months. Having mum and dad here for the last few weeks of pregnancy prevented me from going INSANE! And, having Di, my lovely mother-in-law here for two weeks was also a god-send in getting the house prepped for moving, having a garage sale and generally being a helpful and loving Mum and Grandma. Her presence made life sooo much less stressful for me as I adjust to juggling all three, with Shane back to work.
God knows our needs and meets them. His love never fails. We have such a loving and generous heavenly Father. Rejoice when circumstances don't go as planned, it is an opportunity to experience the providence of our Daddy in heaven. Thank You!
"He did not spare his own Son but surrendered him for us all; and with this gift how can he fail to lavish upon us all he has to give?" Romans 8:32
