Just Dropping In

We've had four children.  They have been delivered in three different states (Minnesota, Virginia, and Maryland), by four different groups of doctors/midwives and in four different hospitals.  One of the great advantages to giving birth in this hospital (Shady Grove Adventist Hospital), besides the great care we received, was that it was near many of our friends.  This gave us a chance to enjoy some very special visitors while we were still in the hospital.  Below is a chronicle of their visits.

First up to bat was our good friend, Julie.  She made and brought that beautiful blanket that is in my lap and that you'll see in lots of Joey pictures.  She actually made two blankets, a pink and a blue, since we didn't know which we were having.  Is she not the best?

Joey really enjoyed her visit.

While she was visiting another good friend, Lauren popped through with some Panera bread bagels (always a welcome treat) and other goodies.  Joey enjoyed her visit in the same manner he enjoyed Julie's visit.

Funny thing about that IV in my hand.  They went to all the trouble of digging for the vein and complaining at how small my veins were the whole time, and then never even used it.  That's another story for another post.

Joe (the dad, not the baby) slept through most of Julie and Lauren's visit, but woke up just about the time Panera bagels were being mentioned.

Joey gave him the same treatment.

Julie's husband, Jon, dropped by later in the evening with some much appreciated Chipotle for dinner.  He remembered the days in the hospital and the food and wanted to rescue us from another cafeteria dinner.  I think he was secretly jealous of Julie getting to hold the baby before him.

On Sunday, my good friend, Seager (she's got six kiddos and is as cool as a cucumber) stopped by for a visit.  She never misses a chance to hold a baby, she's had lots of practice with her own kids.  She's good at it.

There was actually a better picture than this, but I think the fact that the baby is hiding in her hair is hilarious.

Our final weekend visitors were Beth (our mother's helper whom my girls would love to have move in to our house) and her mom Nancy. 

We had one other visitor, our friend Heather, and I forgot to snap her picture.   Pictures or not, near or far, we're grateful for the gift of so many with which to celebrate another precious life.