Luke Stevens Rice

On August 26, 2011, at 9:31 am, our precious son was born.

Luke Stevens Rice

7 pounds, 9 ounces, 21 and 1/2 inches long—such a precious creation. Adam and I are parents! AH!

On Christmas eve of 2010, I sat in the bathroom of my parents’ house, staring at a positive pregnancy test in absolute shock. I was so thrilled, but I never imagined the love I would feel for this child when he entered the world. Even as my pregnancy progressed, I truly had no idea. I labored for about 26 hours before Luke joined us. 12 of these hours were completely pain free thanks to the epidural—a true gift from God. I was blessed with a relatively easy pregnancy, labor, and delivery… and a healthy baby boy!

It’s hard to believe Luke has already been with us a week, and it would be a lie to say that the week hasn’t been filled with adjustments, exhaustion, and some tears. There is so much to figure out, so much to learn. Our lives have truly been changed forever. It would also be a lie to say that our hearts have not been filled with awe, joy, and deep, deep love for this little blessing that God has given us.

I am quickly learning that motherhood is a lot of work and requires self-sacrifice. But, oh, how it brings such a deep sense of joy and satisfaction! I am truly enjoying caring for our little Luke. I am loving getting to know him and trying to figure out his little personality. I love looking into his sweet little blue eyes and knowing that he is totally dependent on me right now. So far, he seems to be a pretty laid-back baby. He’s not really fussy right now (knock on wood), and he’s doing pretty well with his eating and sleeping. He loves being held and is quite the cuddle bug! I prayed that our baby would inherit his Daddy’s easy-going nature, and I’m hoping this is truly the case. It will be fun to see how his personality develops as he passes through the newborn phase.

We are thanking the Lord for this miracle, this gift to us. Furthermore, we are seeking to remember that Luke belongs to God, not us. He has been given to us for a time to love, care for, and raise in the admonition of the Lord. I pray that we would be faithful in this task both in times of joy and in times of trial…in whatever future the Lord has ordained for our little family. Pray with us!

Welcome to this world, Baby Luke!