Feeling grateful this morning

So I know a lot of people have read or heard about the blog about Audrey Caroline. If you haven't just google her and you will find it. It is a blog written by a mother who knew from 20 weeks gestation that her daughter was not going to survive. I haven't read the whole thing but I know that she does not abort the baby; she let's God do as he will. The story is a tear jerker from the first few words especially for anyone who has lost a baby. As most of you know, Frank and I lost our first baby. We named it Sam, short for Samuel, the one that Hannah prayed for in the Old Testament. For me, that baby was the one for whom I prayed. Losing a baby is just plain hard. I can't imagine a worse feeling as a woman. So you may be thinking, "Why is Michelle feeling grateful this morning?" Well I am sitting here staring at Caroline with the realization that if we had not lost our first child, Caroline would not be with us. It is a strange feeling. I wouldn't trade either of my children for anything, but God chose for me which one I would care for. I am so grateful for the gift that God gave us in Caroline. Her middle name, Jeanette, means God is Gracious. He certainly is that, and I am so grateful for the blessings he has bestowed on us.

So I am tired

I have loved being a new mom these past few weeks. Caroline will be 3 weeks old on Saturday. Crazy. She is a great baby and has settled into somewhat of a routine. Even though I feel totally blessed to have such an easy baby, I am still tired. It is all worth it though. Frank has been the best dad ever. He has become an expert diaper changer, and he is always willing to help me in whatever way that he can. I love getting to see this side of him. We will be posting new pictures soon. Hope everyone is doing well.

Introducing Our Daughter

This is Caroline at 1 week
This is Caroline's first trip to church
This is Caroline's first bath

Caroline Jeanette Grafius was born on June 7, 2008 at 11:43pm. She weighed in at 7 pounds, 8 ounces and was 20 inches long. We are totally smitten. She is a beautiful baby, and we are in awe of how much we love this child that we have only known a short while. We feel so blessed that the Lord would give us this wonderful gift. She has been a joy.

Happy Baby Day!!!

This is Frank...

It's 6:20 a.m. and Michelle and I are about to walk out the door to go to the hospital! I can't believe this day is finally here! 6-7-8! I am so excited to welcome our daughter into the world! I don't have time to write much now... we're going to have a baby!!!

Havin' Us a Baby

I just wanted to give everyone a quick update. Baby Caroline is set to arrive tomorrow. We are going to be induced at 7am. Please keep us in your prayers. We can't wait to introduce her to everyone.

Moved In

Well Frank and I are in Austin this week, and I am slowly getting our new home put in order. We will be back and forth between here and San Antonio over the next two months. We have decided to keep our doctor in SA and deliver Caroline there. We are excited about having our baby in a place where we know so many wonderful people. Soon I will be posting pictures of our new house.

New Beginnings

Ok, so I have never done anything like a blog before which I am sure is what most people say when they post something for the first time. I am excited that we now have a forum to share our lives with the people we love. I am sure in time I will become more adept at posting pictures and other such interesting things, but for now, my words are all that I have.

Something I will share now is that I am so excited about becoming a parent. Being pregnant has been a whirlwind of emotions for me. As most people know, Frank and I lost our first baby, so getting pregnant again was something that brought about a lot of ambivalence. Even though we are sad to have lost a child, we are thrilled to now be eagerly anticipating Caroline's arrival. She is due to arrive on June 18th, and I can't wait to see what she looks like. Since this pregnancy was considered high risk in the beginning we have had the privilege of seeing Caroline 6 times on an ultrasound. At this point, she is absolutely beautiful.

Along with the excitement of being pregnant, Frank and I are also excited about our recent move to the Austin area. I grew up in San Antonio, so leaving my home town has been extremely difficult, but I know that God has something in store for us that will be to his glory. Frank has become a partner in his family's business, and I am starting my new role as a stay at home wife. I must admit that I am apprehensive about this new job of mine because I am one of the least domestic types I know. I know God can still use me in spite of my lack of wifely qualities. However, I will hopefully be starting my graduate work again this next year. As nerdy as it sounds, I can't wait to go back to school. Teaching for two years has made me realize that I enjoy being a student more than I enjoy being a teacher.

Ok, well that is all I have for now.