|| he's here ||

Our little champ is here!!  One week ago at this time, he was born on a Sunday morning.  

So many blessings surround his birth.  We were on the road to the hospital at 2:30 am.  Arrived at the hospital at 4 am.  He was born at 6 am.  Discharged at 12:30 pm.  Home on the farm at 3:30 that afternoon.   Whew!!

We probably should have stayed in the hospital for one night, or at the very least stayed at my SIL's house, but I really just wanted to come home.  I had said to Leon, My dream birth experience would be to drive through in the middle of the night, deliver the baby, and then come back to the farm that same day.  I wasn't specifically praying that would happen.  I knew the Lord would have His hand upon whichever scenario occurred.  But how neat that it happened exactly that way.  

His name Jules is from his paternal grandfather who passed away years ago.  But from the legacy he leaves behind, even those of us who have never known him are touched by his memory.  He sounds like an incredible man.  He was a strong man full of love and kindness, hardworking and caring for others.  That is exactly how we wish to raise our little guy.  

And that big sister up there ^^^ is absolutely making her parent's hearts burst in the past week with her adoration of her little brother.  It is seriously the cutest thing ever.  She is absolutely smitten with him!!  Even though she will only have one brother, I hope that their relationship is as sweet growing up as mine was with my two brothers growing up together. 

|| freedom ||

It is a bit of a funny feeling being over here and celebrating the 4th of July.  First of all, Monday was freezing cold -- overcast and cold -- which is quite the opposite to how most of you experienced the 4th.  Secondly, I am an American not married to an American so we don't quite celebrate the same way as if we were both Americans living on another continent.  But anyways, the 4th is all good fun.  And it is quite cute how my in-laws get excited about the holiday.  

Our pastor and his wife always have a crew over to celebrate and it feels as 4th-ish as it could possibly feel -- a cookout, volleyball, and shooting.  AND, I even managed to find blue jello this year so I made the quintessential kids' dessert of jello cups.

Which leads me to the point of my post.  I am so thankful as an American who is a Christian first and foremost, to be raising my kids over here.  

I cannot tell you how grateful I am to raise my child in freedom.  Sure, there's plenty of drawbacks.  But, when I really stop to think about it, there's far more advantages than disadvantages, especially as a Christian.

I follow a few news outlets on my Facebook feed but rarely click through to read the actual news story. The headlines give me enough information about what is going on back home.  I am absolutely horrifed at some of the things I read!!  Has America fallen that much in three years?  Or am I getting more sensitive to the craziness because of living in a semi-conservative culture?  I think it is a combination of both aspects.

Sure, there's plenty of sinful things that happen here which is an entirely different conversation.  But, to have the freedom to raise my child in a Christian manner without ANY fear of repercussion is invaluable in today's society.  People (white people) actually look down upon you for letting your child misbehave. You are expected to raise your child in a decent manner.  

It is so refreshing in today's world to have this freedom and I am so, so, so very thankful.