Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Let Me Do It Myself

A few weeks ago I started to realize just how much I'd slipped. :)
When the big boys were little, they were in the kitchen with me from the time they were born practically. I have pictures of Micha in the front pack at a few months old while I was baking. Terran, at the age of two was taking the measuring cup with me to dump into the bowl and counting with me, one, two, three...
At the age of four, he was baking cookies, brownies, etc with me just telling him step by step what to do.
By six, he was reading the recipes on his own and making those things.
And by 8 or so, he was making anything he wanted.
And he was so good in the kitchen, that somehow I failed to train any of his siblings to come after him! How did that happen?

So, I pulled Terran aside one day and asked for his help to start training. I was so blessed to have him bring me these pictures later in the day. He'd taken 4 year old Amanda under his wing, read the directions on a brownie mix box to her and let her do almost *everything* by herself. (I think he might have helped a little with the eggs, but I'm not sure.)



Amanda stirring up the brownies -



Spreading it into the pan that she'd greased - (we didn't have a square pan the right size.) Obviously she'd been licking the bowl already. :)


Ready to go into the oven -



Terran helps Amanda put the brownies into the oven -



The timer is set and the brownies baking. (This was when our oven was out of commission for a while, hence the toaster oven.) The house smells divinely of chocolate!



Amanda is so proud of herself! The brownies look wonderful!


Squeezing out the packet of frosting -


Spreading out the frosting -


So yummy! And she did it (almost) all by herself!






Friday, March 27, 2009

Spring Came to Play

They say March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Here in Wisconsin it's more like March comes in like a lion and then it has multiple personality disorder, switching constantly back and forth from lion to lamb to lion... and it's anyone's guess as to which one it will go out like. LOL

Yesterday afternoon was gorgeous, sunny and 50 degree weather. The children so enjoyed getting outside and enjoying the day!

One of my friends recently made the comment that spring looks like a slightly paler version of fall at this point in the year.

It certainly looked like fall, with the boys raking leaves yesterday. :)






Micha, Terran, and Jeremi all actually let me take their pictures!!


Their raking uncovered beautiful signs of spring!!! I love seeing the green things starting to come up!

The girls enjoyed getting to go out and play too.

Lissa, giving her doll, Rosemary a ride in the swing. :)



Juli and Emi talking on the front porch step. (Emilie's photogrey glasses get SO dark in the sunlight!)

Abigail in a tree. Hmm, seems similar to another picture I have posted of her recently, now that I think about it. :)

Amanda blowing bubbles...

... and Julihannah catching them!
We're supposed to get another 5 inches of snow this weekend but I've been hearing a pretty little cardinal singing it's gorgeous little song right outside my window most every morning for the last couple of weeks. So real spring is coming soon!
Thank God for glimpses of what's to come!








Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Recorded Savannah's Song - updated

Draft number 2 is done with much improvement. :)
(make sure you pause the music on the blog at the right before opening the link. They don't go well together LOL)
http://www.daddys-little-princess.com/throughgodseyes2.mp3


At least a decent first draft. :)
click here to listen, if you like:
http://www.daddys-little-princess.com/throughgodseyes.mp3

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Watching for the Morning


I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. Ps. 130:5-6


While I was in labor with Savannah, I shared with my friend, Jewels that I was remembering another labor.


When I had my Emilie, I labored all night long. She was not in a good position for birth so I had problems with uneven dilation and double and triple peak contractions. And it just kept on going. and going. Until the early hours of the morning, when suddenly she was here!


As I lay in the bed with her after she'd taken her first breath and snuggled in to nurse like a champion, the verse came to mind,


"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning"! (Ps. 30:5)
I told Jewels that I knew the morning *would* come this time too, but that I thought it would take a lot longer.
Am I still waiting for the morning? Yes, and no.
I've seen so many glimpses of God's sunlight, felt so much joy in my heart, I can't really say that I haven't seen the morning.
Yet at the same time, I've felt such deep sorrow, cried out in such pain, how could this not still be the night?
Are the glimpses of the sun mere mirages?
No, I think that in this life, it is as it is in this natural world. Day follows night follows day. There will be times of joy and times of sorrow times of smiles and times of tears. I guess it's no different than what Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes - there is a time for everything.
I live my life trusting that the day will come again - both the day here in this life and the DAY of eternity.
Yet, it's not just the hope of a better tomorrow that keeps me going, it is knowing that even in the darkness, God is here - loving me - holding me - letting me cry - and then exchanging my thoughts for His. I suppose I could hang onto the pain and let it turn into bitterness, and for a moment - less than a moment - I think about living in a place that cries "Why me?" "Where is God?" And the darkness is more than I can bear. I *must* take those thoughts captive. I *must* say thankyou to my dear Heavenly Daddy for allowing even this. And then He once again takes my hand, leads me a little further down the path, and points me to the dawn.
One of the passages that God has made so dear to me recently is Psalm 42:7-8
Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me. The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime; And His song will be with me in the night, A prayer to the God of my life.
I love that! All YOUR breakers and YOUR waves - none of this is a surprise to God. They are His breakers and waves, allowed in my life for His wonderful purpose!
The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime - His mercies truly are new every morning!
And His song will be with me in the night - But even in the night, when the sorrow rolls over me - once again, He is here - singing His lullabye of love - over His dear child!
God gave me a new song yesterday that fits this so well:
I Am Here
When my heart is overwhelmed, and I've never felt such fear,
Never seen such darkness, never cried so many tears -
When I cannot feel Your hand and my heart cries, "Where is God?"
Then I hear Your still, small voice say,
"I am here."
And in the night, Your song sings over me -
Quietly - Gently -
Your love surrounding me,
And peace, like gentle rain, soaks into my soul.
My soul waits for the morning.
I trust there will be a morning,
But even in the night, Your song sings,
"I am here."
When the path on which You've led me is anything but clear -
So infused with danger, so devoid of cheer -
When I look at what's around me, and my heart cries, "Lord, why me?"
Then I hear your still, small voice say,
"I am here."
And in the night, Your song sings over me -
Quietly - Gently -
Your love surrounding me,
And peace, like gentle rain, soaks into my soul.
My soul waits for the morning.
I trust there will be a morning,
But even in the night, Your song sings, "I am here."
For now I see dimly, as in a poor mirror
But one day, Your truth I will view.
In faith, I will listen to Your voice, so dear
And trust You whatever You do.
For even in the night, Your song sings over me -
Quietly - Gently -
Your love surrounding me,
And peace, like gentle rain, soaks into my soul.
My soul waits for the morning.
I trust there will be a morning,
But even in the night, Your song sings, "I am here."

Monday, March 16, 2009

When God Closes a Door...


When God closes a door, He opens a window. Or so goes the saying.


I'd say rather, when He says "no", it's because He has something even better in mind!
When my milk came in a few days after Savannah's birth, I thought I'd like to donate milk to the local milk bank, if there was one.
I checked the internet, and made some phone calls, and waited for someone to call me back. It turned out there was a milk "depot" in Madison, about an hour away. ( A drop off point for the actual milk "bank" which was in Ohio.)
So, the lady from Ohio eventually called me back and seemed very interested - until she started asking the screening questions. Everything went well until, "Have you ever lived outside the United States?"
Um, yes. My husband was in the Navy and we spent four years stationed in Sicily. Unfortunately it was during a certain period of time that made my milk unacceptable.
Apparently it's because of mad cow disease.
I researched it, and it turns out that although there is NO evidence that CJD (the human version of mad cow disease) is transmissable from mother to child through her milk - or any other way, there is a *theoretical* risk.
So because we lived in Europe during a time when I *might* have been exposed to mad cow disease,
even though I certainly don't have the disease
and even though I've had SIX babies since then who have thrived on my milk,
they couldn't accept it.
I cried. I'll admit it. :)
But then, my midwife "happened" to call
and she just "happened" to mention
that she just "happened" to be leaving the house of a dear lady
who just "happened" to have a 6 week old baby
and just "happened" to have recently found out that she (the mother) has breast cancer.
God said no to the milk bank, but said yes to something far better.
An opportunity to not only share my milk with someone in need but to get to know a dear, sweet lady -
shared faith -
mutual encouragement -
I've been praying for lots of milk for baby Gretta and God is providing.
This is my second week pumping. The first week, I got four little jars - two of them half full.
This week, it's 11 jars - one of them double size!!
God is so good!

Sunday, March 15, 2009

I'll See a Wonderland of White


Last Sunday afternoon - into night we had a big snow storm.


As I watched the snow come down, once again, that song God gave me a few weeks ago sang over and over in my head.



Let the storm rage all around, I'll see the snow fall gently down,



I'll see a wonderland of white



A place of beauty, shining bright




and I'll trust - and I'll praise -




and I'll choose to see my life, through God's eyes...
This incredibly beautiful picture is what I awoke to find the next morning - truly a wonderland of white and a place of beauty, shining bright!
What an awesome thing to be able to see what God is making through the storm both around me and within me ...





Thursday, March 12, 2009

Enchanted Tea Party

There is an enchanted garden in our house. It isn't usually there.
But once in a great while, when you least expect it,
the "fairies" magically make the garden appear
just for a little while
and then just as magically, it's gone. :)

It is only there when the "fairy heart" is on the door
and even then, you dare not go in without an invitation,
or they will make it disappear again and maybe not come back for a long time. :)


going up the magical mountain where the roses grow upside-down ;)


the fairy heart is on the door! and we have our invitations!

surprise!


flowers all around and a tea party laid out for us!
The girls are so excited!



biscuits and jam for lunch - yum!
(ok, so it's not that healthy, but after all, it's not every day you're invited to a fairy tea party!)





prettiest dresses and best behaviour. :) And peanut butter cookies for dessert.
It was a lovely party. Thankyou, fairies, for inviting us.
Then, time for nap.
And the enchanted garden has disappeared again.
Until next time...

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Savannah's Story - part 4 (the end for now)

To start with part one of Savannah's Story, go here: http://habakkuk3.blogspot.com/2009/03/savannahs-story-part-1.html


page 23
Certificate from the hospital:
In Memory of Savannah Rose Kaether
the 28th day of February, 2009
at 12:40 o'clock pm.
Our wonderful nurse, Mary signed it - and Mike signed as the "attending physician"
(after all, he did "catch" LOL)

My favorite picture of Savannah :) She was so beautiful!


page 24
In faith that she did hear and believe God's Word, we baptized Savannah and committed her spirit to God's loving care.


Savannah Rose Kaether - I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

The hospital gave us a certificate of blessing. It says: Almighty and eternal God, we commend this child to Your loving care. Bless the parents and comfort them now and always. Amen



page 25
God kept showing us His hand and His love in all the little details along the way...

~ Mike had to work and stay overnight in Oshkosh Thursday night the 26th. So when we had the choice as to whether to go to a hospital 30 minutes south or to one 40 minutes north-east, the one 40 minutes north-east was closer in Mike's direction. That turned out to be the hospital where Chris (my midwife) knew the nursing staff and knew it would be a good place, a safe place.

~ We had just decided to cancel our health insurance because of UW Health's plans to start a new clinic offering late term abortions. (Our Unity health insurance is owned by UW Health.) Because of the timing of when we put in our request, we still had health insurance through the end of February. Savannah Rose was born February 28th.

~ Over and over in the last weeks of my pregnancy, the date February 25th kept coming up. My best friend mentioned that her birthday was February 25th. I had thought at that point how neat it would be if my baby was born on her birthday, especially if it turned out to be a girl because her oldest daughter was named Anna Rose and I had thought I would call Savannah 'AnnaRose for short. Soon after that, Mike mentioned that his brother, Bob's birthday was February 25th. A few days later I was talking to my sister-in-law, Rachael, and she suggested that her birthday would be a good day to have our baby. Her birthday was February 25th. When talking to one of my Hearthkeeper friends, she suggested that I might not have that long to wait. Her mother's due date had been March 1st, just like mine, but she had been born February 25th.

February 25th was the last day I know I felt my baby move.

~ Savannah Rose kept turning breech and sideways during the last weeks. When we went into the hospital, we were pretty sure she was still breech (we were thankfully wrong) and so I expected I'd need a c-section. I "just happened" to not eat breakfast that day. I simply hadn't been hungry. So there was no concern about the possibility of surgery.

~ God led us in miraculous ways to buy this house and land this year. I have never seen Him move and open doors so quickly and so wide. Because He did, we have a place that is our own, where we can bury Savannah on our own land.

~ In one of the dreams I had while I was pregnant, I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. My mom was there. In the dream, there was a chart with all of the children's names, birth dates, weights, etc. Down the lefthand side, they were labled with letters rather than numbers, A,B,C, etc. I noticed when we wrote down Savannah Rose's name that the letter in front of her name was an S. I was confused as half-awake, I told Mike my dream and said, it must not be *this* baby. It must be in the future. But S was quite a ways off! Could I really even have that many children? It wasn't until the next day, when I thought back on the dream and counted out what number corresponded with the letter S, that I realized why my mom was in the dream. It was *her* chart. S is the 19th letter of the alphabet. And Savannah would have been my mom's 19th grandchild. We were so sure that the baby was going to be Sean Wilmer. Even the ultrasound tech thought she saw a boy! But God knew and showed me ahead of time that our baby was a girl - our Savannah Rose!


page 26
MORE of God's hand!

~ Saturday, a week before Savannah was born, I sat down at the piano and God gave me a song. I called Cheri and she helped me work out the first verse to go with the chorus I’d already written. It was so much fun collaborating. When I wrote about God’s comfort, I thought it was for things like plumbing problems, the washing machine dying, the oven dying, financial worries, etc. I had no idea that God had a much deeper meaning in mind and that that song would sustain me through labor and birth and in the days to come.

~ The hospital experience was so much better than any hospital experience in my lifetime. During my other hospital births, I found myself surrounded by people who had no place for God. *They* had to be in control, to be able to cover themselves in this day of litigation. Labor had to follow a normal timeline or there would be extreme pressure to augment my labor with medications to hurry things up. This time was incredibly different. Every single one of the nursing staff shared our faith and talked openly about God. It really was a safe place.

~ The only exception to the good hospital experience was the doctor himself. He was very annoying, making comments about how we had good “coping mechanisms”, suggesting that if we were to ever get pregnant again that we could have testing done early enough to have “options”. And that we knew what “he would do” but he felt that we were “mature enough to make our own decisions about that.” He just didn’t get it. But God was kind and kept him *out* almost completely. We saw him at the very beginning for a bit, he stopped in for just a moment in the middle, and then he came back for just a short time after everything was all over. He was not there when Savannah was born, praise the Lord. It was just Mike and me and the nurse, Pam. And *Mike* was the one who delivered Savannah Rose!

~ On Sunday morning, the day after Savannah’s birth, our home church service was absolutely incredible. Every single verse was perfectly suited and full of comfort and the reminder that God was in control and loved us so much!

~ My friend Tamara suggested that I should go back and read my One Year Bible for the day that Savannah was born. God knows that the most important comfort I need in this time is the absolute knowledge that my little one is in heaven. The New Testament reading included one of the verses that was so dear to me, proving that little ones *can* have saving faith. Mark 9:42 “And if anyone causes one of these little one who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck.” These Little Ones Who BELIEVE In Me.. And since babies in utero can hear, and the Bible says that “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God”, and I know that Savannah heard God’s Word - I have faith that Savannah did have saving faith in her Lord, Jesus Christ and I WILL see her in heaven again one day.




page 27
One of my favorite pictures - Savannah's tiny little hand. So incredibly precious!

I printed out the lyrics of Mercy Me's song, Bring the Rain

I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that I've gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You

Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It's never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I pray

Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain

I am Yours regardless of
The dark clouds that may loom above
Because You are much greater than my pain
You who made a way for me
By suffering Your destiny
So tell me what's a little rain
So I pray

Holy, holy, holy
Is the Lord God Almighty





page 28
I used a piece of black construction paper for the background and included a photo that the nurse took of Mike, me, and Savannah. Mike put a charcoal drawing effect on it, which I love.
I also took a picture of candles lit in a dark room.


You know, this road is one that I had thought about and never thought I'd be able to walk. Yet, God has me here and by His grace I'm walking. And it's not the place of utter darkness that I'd imagined. It's more like the darkness of a deep forest where the light comes filtering in every once in a while, illuminating one little patch of incredible beauty.


I’ve always believed that the best way to evangelize is to simply live our faith out loud in front of the people around us, until one day, they come to a point where they say, “I want what you have” and then we are ready with an answer for the hope that we have. I think maybe that’s why God brings times of deepest darkness into our lives - so that the light that is in us will shine all the more brightly. No one is quick to notice when a candle is lit in the daytime, but when it shines out in the night, they can’t help but notice.



page 29
Another beautiful picture of the three of us together.
Savannah's obituary which was in the paper.


Savannah Rose Kaether
Savannah Rose Kaether, beloved daughter of Mike and Heidi Kaether, was born still at 12:40 pm on Saturday, February 28, 2009 at Berlin Memorial Hospital in Berlin, Wisconsin.
Memorial services will be held on (Saturday, March 7, 2009) at the Kaether’s home in Westfield, Wisconsin. A visitation / open house will be held from (1-3 p.m.) with a private graveside service for the immediate family to follow at (4 p.m.) with Rev. Christopher Cook officiating. The Steinhaus-Holly Funeral Home in Westfield is assisting the family.
Savannah is loved and missed by her parents; Mike and Heidi, her brothers and sisters; Michael, Terran, Jeremiah, Elisabeth, Julihannah, Abigail, Amanda, and Emilie, Grandparents; Lynn and Becky Gartman, Tacoma, WA and Karen and Kasey Fiske, Sauk City, WI, Great Grandparents; Bob Johnson, (?), and Ruth Rosenow, Puyallup, WA, as well as many aunts, uncles, great aunts, great uncles, cousins, and many many friends.
We are blessed to know that Savannah’s life and death have touched hundreds and thousands of people all over the world and drawn precious hearts to the Lord. We live in the hope that we will meet again one day at Jesus feet. Psalm 22:10 “From my mother’s womb, You have been my God.”


page 30 (last page - although I may add more later)

picture of Savannah's empty bed with the gorgeous Project Linus quilt we were given at the hospital.

And although we miss Savannah ...

We know that she is in heaven

Standing in the light of God's glory

Waiting for us to come home...

(The picture is yet another story. Mike and I found it at the furniture store where we went to buy a cedar chest to keep baby things in. I had imagined Savannah Rose with light brown hair, even before she was born, and the picture just seemed so exactly *her*, that we bought it. It's hanging in our upstairs hallway. Then, talk about neat! - Mike and his brother, Bob re-created the heart shaped wreath that is hanging on the door in that picture for us to hang on our door!)


So - that's Savannah's story - although there will surely be more to write along the way as God continues to lead us along the path that He has laid out for us...

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Savannah's Story - Part 3

To start with part one of Savannah's Story, go here:
http://habakkuk3.blogspot.com/2009/03/savannahs-story-part-1.html


page 15
Hundreds and thousands of people all around the world were lifting us before the throne.

I printed out some of the messages of love and prayers and pasted them into the book


page 16
Yet another page of messages from loving wonderful people. It would take the whole book to include all the notes I received. So caring. So kind.

Hundreds of messages of love and prayer at my Habakkuk 3 blog, Jewels' Eyes of Wonder blog, on Hearthkeepers, on Facebook, through MOMYS, and by email were such a blessing - assuring me that we were not alone...



page 17
After laboring through the night and four doses of cytotec, baby seemed to really be taking his time still.

I decided to move on to pitocin.

I printed out the update that Jewels posted on her Eyes of Wonder blog.




page 18
Two of my favorite hymns, both of which I've taught my children to sing in three or four part harmony over the years.

Abide with me, fast falls the eventide.
The darkness deepens, Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day.
Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away.
Change and decay in all around I see.
Oh, Thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who but Thyself my guide and stay can be?
In cloud and sunshine, oh, abide with me?

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes.
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven's morning breaks and earth's vain shadows flee.
In life, in death, oh Lord, abide with me!




I am Jesus' little lamb.
Ever glad at heart I am.
For my Shepherd gently guides me,
Knows my needs and well provides me,
Loves me every day the same.
Even calls me by my name.

Day by day at home, away
Jesus is my staff and stay.
When I hunger, Jesus feeds me,
Into pleasant pastures leads me.
When I thirst, He bids me go
Where the quiet waters flow.

Who so happy as I am,
Even now the Shepherd's lamb.
And when my short life is ended,
By His angel hosts attended,
He shall fold me to His breast
Safely in His arms to rest.



God's peace has been with us so much in this time. Often it's a peace that can be felt, but sometimes it's not. Sometimes it is a peace that is only known. I KNOW God is in control, I KNOW that He loves me and has a beautiful purpose and plan that He is working out in all this. I KNOW that He is here holding us in the palm of His hand. And sometimes when I don't FEEL it, the just knowing has to be enough.





page 19
A beautiful Anne Geddes picture I found on the internet. I've always loved her photography of babies. :)

Over and over as I labored, God reminded me that we were in His hands. And because of His sovereignty and His love, we were right where we belonged...

He has bound his own hands in order that He might be glorified through His people

God gave me a song a week before Savannah was born.

It was so much fun collaborating with Cheri (my sister) over the phone to write the verse to go with the chorus that I had.

I had no idea, when I wrote that song, just how fitting it would be - how the words would echo again and again through my brain sustaining and comforting...







Page 20
The words of that song. (someday soon, I'll record it so that I can share the music too.)

Through God's Eyes (Savannah's Song)

Lord, I'm here. Right where I belong.
Where my Daddy holds me tight
And He wipes away my tears
And tells me that I'm precious in His sight.
Let the storm rage all around,
I'll see the snow fall gently down.
I'll see a wonderland of white,
A place of beauty shining bright.
And I'll trust -
And I'll praise -
And I'll choose to see my life through God's eyes.

Looking around, I could say nothing's going my way.
But I can't let my heart go to those dark places.
I will direct my eyes to the beauty that You're making.
So much higher are Your ways!
I will lift my hands and praise!

That's when I know I'm here - right where I belong.
Where my Daddy holds me tight
And He wipes away my tears
And tells me that I'm precious in His sight.
Let the storm rage all around.
I'll see the snow fall gently down.
I'll see a wonderland of white,
A place of beauty shining bright.
And I'll trust -
And I'll praise -
And I'll choose to see my life through God's eyes.

Every moment of every day, You're teaching me Your ways.
And You work all things for my good in every situation.
Give my doubting heart the faith
To see the picture that You're painting.
Give me eyes to truly see.
Put Your song of praise in me!

For that's when I know I'm here - right where I belong.
Where my Daddy holds me tight.
And He wipes away my tears
And tells me that I'm precious in His sight.
Let the storm rage all around,
I'll see the snow fall gently down.
I'll see a wonderland of white,
A place of beauty shining bright.

And I'll trust -
And I'll praise -
For I love watching You work out Your ways.
I know that You love me.

And I'll choose to see my life
Through God's eyes!






page 21
Finally - finally -
The contractions became stronger.

I began to be fearful how much longer I could bear it.

When the nurse checked and said I was 6 cm, I was sure we had a LONG way to go.

I usually stay at 6 for a long, long time.

So when she suggested calling the doctor, I said no.




God was SO good to me!

In the next contraction my water broke,

And in the next contraction, I birthed into Mike's own hands

not the Sean Wilmer we'd expected

but our sweet

Savannah Rose




One of the pictures Mike took of Savannah Rose in the Christening gown that each of our children has worn. She was so very tiny - just 4 lbs 15 oz. There was no obvious reason except perhaps the fact that her placenta, too was very small. Perhaps it just wasn't able to sustain her. Only God knows.

The quote at the top is part of a song that Mike mentioned whenever we talked about what we'd name this baby if it were a girl. It's from that old movie, Savannah Smiles

"When Savannah smiles, I hear someone saying, 'hey, loser, you just won.' When Savannah smiles those grey clouds start to prayin', 'bring on the sun'. Music, sweet music, lifts my soul, sets it free. Everything is fine every single time Savannah smiles at me. Oh smile, Savannah, just one more time for me."


Oh, how I look forward to the day when I will see Savannah's sweet smile. I know she is smiling now. :)


Tiny footprints and a lock of hair - light brown, like my Julihannah's.

Go on to part four of Savannah's Story: http://habakkuk3.blogspot.com/2009/03/page-23-certificate-from-hospital-in.html