Baby Aliza Turns Our Family Upside Down! What Fun!

Blogging has been light the past few days and will be light for the next few days. Sleep has been scarce and I have laid down for a nap the past two afternoons when Issac has been sleeping. (That is normally when I have time to read, blog, etc.)

Bonnie and I are spending a few weeks in Alberta with our daughter Beth and her husband Chris helping with their 22 month old Isaac as they welcome their new baby into the breathing world.

Aliza Emmanuelle was born at 10:16 pm (Alberta time) on July 12. She was 7 lb., 7 oz. and 20 inches long. She is beautiful and perfectly healthy. At the top is her is her first picture taken in the delivery room 12 minutes after she was born.

What a joy and privilege it is to be a grandparent! We are thrilled to be here and to help, but more than that to be a part of an extended family that depends on each other. Bonnie and Chris were in the delivery room and took part in the whole process while I stayed home and took care of Isaac.

Issac is an active, bright and extremely happy little boy and it takes a large amount of energy to keep up with him, let alone help him learn and grow. He is fascinated by Dr. Seuss books right now and is starting to learn his ABC's and numbers. He already knows his colors and shapes and helps me read many of his books. He also likes playing soccer in the huge living/family room here and having tickling matches. His favorite Bible stories are Daniel in the lion's den and Zacchaeus. He already loves to hold his baby sister and can pronounce her name perfectly. He is learning to be gentle and how to be a good big brother.

Today's families are too often fragmented, but the Divine plan for families is for them to be an inter-generational institution for the forming of Christian disciples. It is our privilege to participate in our family long after our children have grown into adulthood. Thank God for placing us in families.