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babies

Blog, Faith, Marriage, Parenting, prayer

Catching up: Baby Piper, a wedding, a funeral, & War Room

So much going on right now, it’s hard to know where to start. I’m editing my previous eBook, 3 P’s in a Pod: Prayer, Purpose, and Passion, and having another eBook formatted for Kindle at Amazon, a close family friend’s husband and her sister passed away the same week (my husband Ray is officiating at the funeral), Ray is teaching an EMT class at work and our daughter Leah is taking the class to learn the skills, Ray and I went to see War Room yesterday (the movie on prayer-powerful), and I just spoke at Women’s Aglow in Grandview, MO, on Cinderella and her unique glass slipper (about walking in your purpose).

But I think the best news is that we have a beautiful, new addition to our family! Thank you, Jesus!

Our middle daughter Eden was pregnant with her second child and she had her baby girl, Piper Elizabeth Raine Gooch. Piper was 7 pounds 5 ounces, has brown-blonde, curly hair with red in it, and is a healthy girl! Isn’t she beautiful and precious?!

Piper Elizabeth Raine Gooch

Piper Elizabeth Raine Gooch

Below is a picture of Eden at the hospital in labor. She had the most remarkable, nearly pain-free labor I’ve ever heard of or seen, with the medicine they gave her (Nubain) and the epidural. While she did feel pressure, there was no crying or screaming. I was so amazed!

Our middle daughter Eden in labor

Our middle daughter Eden in labor

Here is Eden sleeping at the hospital during labor. Craig had worked before coming to the hospital, so he dozed a little, too. 

Eden sleeping during labor

Eden sleeping during labor

 

Eden had to be at the hospital with Craig at 5:30 a.m. and Ray, Leah, Heather and I arrived at the hospital about 8 a.m. She didn’t have Piper until about 10:30 p.m. that night, so it made for a long day for all of us! Cups of coffee helped pass the time!

coffee

coffee

Here’s Ray on his phone and Leah and Heather chatting. Heather had to go back to work around noon, then she came back later to help Craig coach Eden during delivery, an amazing (first time) experience for Heather. She said they all cried when beautiful Piper was born!

Ray on phone, Leah & Heather chatting

Ray on phone, Leah & Heather chatting

Right before delivery, Heather and I busted out laughing because Eden had been talking all day long while in labor and was talking even more than usual right before delivery, because she was nervous. She put on her makeup right before labor, too, which was funny to me….but I understand, because I don’t go anywhere without my eyeliner! Her friends and family were in the room with her to spend a few minutes with Eden before she had Piper. Below is a picture of Eden on the phone in the labor room, lol.

Eden on phone during labor

Eden on phone during labor

One of the happiest times during labor was when the nurse brought Eden a banana popsicle. She actually had two of them (the other was cherry flavored). She’d only been allowed to eat ice chips up to that point and she was hungry!

Eden eating popsicle during labor

Eden eating popsicle during labor

Below are Eden and Craig, eagerly anticipating holding their baby girl in their arms.

Eden & Craig at hospital

Eden & Craig at hospital

By the time supper rolled around, Ray, Leah and I felt starved (we’d had just snacks for lunch). Our oldest daughter Heather brought us a pizza and we quickly devoured it in the waiting area (to not tempt Eden with food). Heather is such a good, thoughtful daughter!

pizza

pizza

Heather in waiting area

Heather in waiting area

Our family in the waiting area

Our family in the waiting area

Leah and her older sister Eden before Piper was born

Leah and her older sister Eden before Piper was born

Eden and Craig were so happy when Piper was born. She is just perfect and such a joy to us all!

Piper, Eden, and Craig

Piper, Eden, and Craig

Eden, Piper & Craig

Eden, Piper & Craig

Heather had never been in a labor room before, but Eden wanted her in there with Craig, her and the hospital staff. She said it was incredible witnessing the birth and when Piper was born, they all cried. Heather is a proud aunt!

Heather and Piper

Heather and Piper

As Eden handed Piper to Ray for him to hold her for the first time after delivery, tears streamed down her face and she said, “Isn’t she beautiful, daddy? I’m so happy!” Naturally he was smitten with Piper!

The grandkids (four now!) call Ray “Papa” and me “Nana.” 

Ray and Piper

Ray and Piper

Piper and Ray

Piper and Ray

Craig and Eden greatly honored me by naming Piper’s middle name after my formal name, Elizabeth. I’ve never had a namesake before, and this really blessed me! Below I am holding PIper right after she was born for the first time. 

Ray, me and Piper

Ray, me and Piper

Here I am holding Piper when we came to visit Eden at the hospital 2 days later. I actually did a scope (Periscope) with Piper while there, lol. (I got Eden’s and Craig’s permission first to do it.) I joked that she’s now a social media star. You can follow me on Periscope @bethmjones. 

Piper and me

Piper and me

Here is Eden’s sister Leah with Piper. She was afraid to hold her, because she didn’t want to drop her. She did great, though, and is a proud aunt, too! 

Leah and Piper

Leah and Piper

Here’s Leah holding her again when we went to visit Eden later. I think she’s a natural at this!

Piper and Leah

Piper and Leah

Eden was concerned her son Jacob wasn’t going to “like” Piper. He wanted a baby brother instead of a girl, but he immediately loved her. His response after he looked at her was, “Mom, I’m glad she’s pretty.” Isn’t Jacob adorable? He’s ALL BOY! (Ray is so thankful to finally have a boy in the family!)

Jacob and his baby sister Piper

Jacob and his baby sister Piper

Jacob, Eden, and Piper

Jacob, Eden, and Piper

Heather’s girls Annabelle and Violet also immediately loved Piper. Violet wanted to “play” with her, lol. I had to explain she can’t sit up yet or crawl. Annabelle wanted to know if she could at least “army crawl.” Not yet!

Heather, Annabelle holding Piper, Violet

Heather, Annabelle holding her cousin Piper, Violet

Violet holding her cousin Piper

Violet holding her cousin Piper

We’re so thankful that Eden had a smooth, relatively pain-free labor and delivery (she only pushed 25 minutes!), and for a healthy baby girl. God is good and worthy to be praised! Thank you to all of you who prayed for her and Piper! We are very excited and happy that she is here! Mom and baby are doing good. 

Piper Elizabeth

Piper Elizabeth

“Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp! Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! Praise Him with loud cymbals! Praise Him with clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!”–Psalm 150:3-6

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Birthdays, babies, and books, oh my!

My husband Ray and me on his 50th birthday

My husband Ray and me on his 50th birthday

There’s a lot going on in our family right now. Birthdays, babies, and books, oh my!

My husband Ray had his milestone 50th birthday this week. In the picture above, you see him wearing the “Champ” t-shirt I bought him.

I also made him breakfast (yes, this is quite a feat for me as I hate to cook!), baked him a home-made lime pie (he loves limes), and bought him the t-shirt and work socks. I’m also hosting a birthday bbq for him in August with his friends.

Our daughter Heather bought Ray a new grill and a set of grill tools- an amazing gift! Of course we had to immediately try it out, so last night our kids and grandkids (except for our grandson Jacob, who was in AR) came over for his birthday bbq. Ray grilled his infamous Cajun chicken and corn on the cob.

Heather & Ray with his new grill for his birthday

Heather & Ray with his new grill and grill tools for his birthday

For the birthday bbq, Heather and Eden made home-made, orange-cranberry cupcakes with orange-cranberry frosting and I served Ray’s lime pie. Here’s Eden frosting the cupcakes with her cool baking frosting tool.

Eden looked so pretty in her purple sundress. She’s now about 34 weeks pregnant with her little girl, Piper. We’re all excited about meeting Piper soon!

Eden frosting Ray's cupcakes

Eden frosting Ray’s cupcakes

Aren’t the cupcakes beautiful? Leah said I need to invest in this tool, because mine do NOT turn out this pretty! Eden would like to have her own bakery business one day. Eden added an orange candy slice on top and a moustache as a joke, because I don’t like Ray with moustaches or beards. 

orange-cranberry cupcakes

orange-cranberry cupcakes

Here is Ray about to try one out. He gave his stamp of approval!

Ray and his cupcake with an orange slice and a moustache

Ray and his cupcake with an orange slice and a moustache

The grill works just great. The chicken and grilled corn on the cob turned out delicious! Everyone loved it and had fun.

Ray's Cajun grilled chicken

Ray’s Cajun grilled chicken

grilled corn on the cob

grilled corn on the cob

Everyone digging in! Left to right: Leah, Heather, Heather's boyfriend Matt, Ray, & part of Eden

Everyone digging in!
Left to right:
Leah, Heather, Heather’s boyfriend Matt, Ray, & part of Eden

Our granddaughters (Heather’s girls) Violet and Annabelle and I sat at the kitchen island to eat due to table space in the dining room (above). Annabelle (pictured on the right) is a picky eater, but she loves her papa’s grilled chicken!

Violet and Annabelle at Ray's birthday family bbq

Violet and Annabelle at Ray’s birthday family bbq

Here is a great family picture of us after we ate. I love it!

Our family, Ray's 50th bday Left to right: Heather, Eden, Ray, Leah & me

Our family, Ray’s 50th bday
Left to right:
Heather, Eden, Ray, Leah & me

Eden is eager to have Piper, but Piper doesn’t need to come yet! Eden is supposed to be 34 weeks pregnant, but she and I both think she is further along than that. Eden has already dropped and is dilated 1 cm. Of course, you can be at 1 cm for weeks!

I’m having a baby shower for Eden in late July, but Eden and I have both had dreams that she had Piper early and we don’t think she’s going to make it to her due date in August. Eden has an “owl” theme for Piper’s crib. 

owl theme for Piper's room

owl theme for Piper’s room

owl theme

owl theme

Finally, I’m about to “birth” my new, first ever fiction book, Storm Tossed. It is launching Monday, July 13, 2015, at Amazon.

Storm Tossed

I’m so excited about this. Ray and our youngest daughter Leah have been encouraging me for YEARS to write a fiction book! I had all kind of excuses WHY I couldn’t do this: I’d never written a fiction book before, I’d never taken fiction writing classes, what does plot mean, etc.

I had to tell myself what I’ve told my writer coaching students: “Just do it! No excuses! Write!”

To my surprise, my beta reader reviewers have liked (even LOVED) the eBook, and have given me very positive feedback!

I’m having a Facebook Virtual Book Launch Celebration on July 13, 2015. You can see my video about it by clicking here

Like I said, lots going on with our family right now. Very exciting! What is new with you? Leave your comments below.