Songs of Highest Praise

I feel so rediculously blessed this season of my life.

1. Today we found out that our sweeet friend's, the Lowe's are experiencing the joy of remission after their five year old son's difficult battle with Leukemia. I am so happy! This trial has really reminded me once again of what is truly important in life. Amy is one of my dearest friends and watching her nurture her family during this fight has been very inspiring. I feel very honored to call her my friend and have the privilage of watching her example. Her husband and children adore her (with good reason) and I cannot even imagine her joy tonight over the good news!

2. Daniel and I had a special Christmas this year together as always. He is just so great! I liked watching him pick out exactly the right toy shot gun and the perfect plane and big mac truck for Duke.

He got me something I have been wanting for several years: a new back door! But this one has blinds inside it so I don't ever have to dust it. It's pretty sweet. He also got me a photo book he made online of family pictures over the last year. I think/hope this is becoming a tradition; he has made me a picture book every year for the last 3 years---but don't tell him I said that because he hates to be predictable ;)

3. Daniel and I had so much fun on Christmas with Duke! This was our first year to really experience Santa's role--if you will. Daniel's aunt Becky came over to babysit Duke for us and we enjoyed going out to shop for all his presents. It was so fun! We got him a sit and spin, LOTS of CARS, a tow truck, a mr. potato head, a pair of jeans, his first shot gun, and a book about construction vehicles. We stuffed his stocking with car themed fruit snacks (you know, those "fruit snacks" with zero fruit?), cars stickers, more hotwheels cars and some tiny stuffed animals. He loved it all, and we had SO much fun Christmas morning watching his delight! Isn't being a parent the best?

Having parents is also great at Christmas though...
I have always said my dad is the most generous person I know, so everybody loves being his friend at Christmas. BUT he really surprised me this year with something extra special. I love his voice and his heart and he used them both this year to celebrate our little darling's life. He wrote a song for our baby girl. He intended to keep it a secret until we brought her home; he wanted to sing it when we got home and Daniel had her in his arms. He decided to go ahead and share it and I'm so glad he did! Amongst other reasons, I am a CRYER of a person if you have ever met one. I was pretty much face contorting and snorting through the whole thing, and if I had heard it with the added emotions and hormones of just delivering, no beach towel could have held the flood gates under my eyes. My favorite line is, "she won our hearts before her birth," because it's so true! I'm telling you what people, I am pretty sure when I lay eyes on this baby girl, whatever pieces of my heart I have left are gonna be gone!. I have included the lyrics below and also a link to the video Daniel recorded of it.

A a couple months ago my mom and I were in a specialty store and I went nuts over a pair of extrememly soft, nursing pj's, robe and matching baby pj's (just for the record, my nursing pj's with Duke were from Wal Mart. Daniel, bless his heart, got them for me when he had to scramble to get everything ready for Duke's homecoming. Here is the kicker: the ONLY ones they had were XXXL. Just in case I didn't feel self concious enough with a giant gash in my stomach, swollen face and post pregnancy body, I topped it off with an XXXL nursing gown). Anyway, when I saw this set I flipped! Next I checked the price tag and croaked. Whoa...nevermind; I'll wear my hag in a bag ones for the next three kids before I spend that. No way, too expensive. Well, my mom went back and got them and saved them for me for Christmas. That's right. She assured me they were on sale, but that didn't make me feel any less of a princess when I opened them. I can't believe she got them, they will look beautiful even with spit up down the sholder. Thanks mom!

My Granddad gave me a necklace that belonged to my sweet Grandma Sara. I am particularly excited about this because her death was timed so closely with our discovery of baby girl's sweet life. Forever more, I will have my Grandma's life and my daughter's life intertwined in my heart. How sweet of the Father to give me someone special right before He would take someone special from me. I will save this necklace for our darling and tell her how special she is, and how much her sweet life comforted me during the loss of my Grandma.

We went to Lingleville and celebrated with Daniel's mom and family and also with his Dad. Daniel's mom gave us a double bike trailer to take our little ones with us on our bike rides. I look forwared to lots of family rides! I was so honored that Daniel's dad wanted to get a picture of Duke and I for his office! He took one of the three of us, then told Daniel he wanted one of just me and Duke (said he already has one of Daniel, Emily (sister) and Andy (brother)). He gave us a nice Christmas nest egg too. On the way back to Abilene I told Daniel he got the best qualities of both his parents.

4. I have begun my eighth month of pregnancy and feel very well and healthy. It has been such a relief every time my blood pressure has been taken and read something like 114/76. YES! Thank you Lord!

5. Thank you to all of you who have prayed for and blessed us this year. We have such an awesome support group and have been so blessed by all the love and encouragement that we have recieved from you. We hope that everyone had a meaningful Christmas!



Here are the Lyrics to Baby cake's song and the link:
There's a new little girl in our house
Our family’s dreams have come true.
The wait seemed long, but now we're looking at you

There's a new little girl in our house
We'll keep her safe from all harms
She's already trusting in her Daddy's arms

To Chorus

There's a new little girl in our house
You'll never measure her worth
.She won our hearts...before her birth
There's a new little girl in our house
Her little sounds are like songs
. The sun got brighter when she came along

Chorus

A whole new world it begins today
Now what will it bring
First the dolls
Dressing up in lacy things
Will she love to watch picture shows
Stay awake until dawn
These are the things
Silly they seem (Last time only)
These are the things
I find myself thinking on

Bridge

And when she takes her first step
.And as you gently let go
..Your heart is gonna be reaching
Cause your love...it's just gotta show
You know I'd like to be there
To see her little face all aglow

To chorus

The Decker household is very, VERY excited about the coming of our newest baby. Duke loves planning the things he will do with "sister" when she gets here. He really does seem to comprehend that she is in my tummy for now, but will be out sooner or later. We have 2 baby dolls at our house (a stroller too! How is that for politically correct, eh?). They were mine and I just can't seem to part with them. Anyway, Duke had been playing with his stuffed animals (current favorites: Windsor, Joe and Carrots) and one of the babies. He took his three animals to nap time with him and left the baby out on the floor. So, when I went in to get him up from nap I grabbed baby to toss her back in his toy box. When I opened his door he looked at me in a sleepy, disoriented, stupor. Then, he jumped up with a shocked look on his face and said, "Mommy! Did that baby come out?!" Oh Duke, if only it were that easy on Mommy to have a baby. You would surely have 5 siblings by now! Yes, while you were napping, I delivered our baby, dressed her, maintained my hair, makeup and clothes and walked in to your room to get you after major surgery. Did you have a nice nap? Sweet boy!

Oh, come to think of it, we have 3 dolls at our house. I loved dolls SO much as a child that the day we found out our baby was a "sister" my mom ran over with a "baby's first baby" doll for her new granddaughter. Duke and I started referring to the baby as "sister." Later, that night in the car on the way to church I said again to Duke, (he had already heard me say this 209354592035935 times that day) "Duke! YOU are going to have a SISTER!" He responded with, "I know. I left her at home." Daniel and I laughed our heads off. I told him he better brace himself for a lot more drama than "baby's first baby" brought with her.

I know I am biased, but I just think our baby girl is the most fortunate thing in the world to have him for a big brother. He plans to get her a Hotwheels car and teach her how to play, he wants to push her in the stroller on walks and take her to the park. He even asked me if he can rock her when she gets here. For all his rough and tough, he sure does have a tender heart.

Speaking of his tender heart, lately he has had a weakness for "tiny" things. If he sees a miniature anything he scrunches his face up (like as if it's the most compassionate he has ever felt in his entire life) and says in the slowest, most emotional and passionate voice: "Ooooo------ooohhhh a ti-------ny one!" If he sees a miniature car he just about needs a tranquilizer. He loves cars so much. People comment all the time that they cannot believe how much he loves cars. Most little boys love cars, but Duke would lay his life down to keep his cars lined up in a straight line. When he is riding in the car and sees a wrecked or dented car, it is about all he can take. Flat tires sometimes merit the same reaction. He will choke out, "That. Car. Is. Broken. That makes me sad, Mama." He reminds me of his Daddy, a man's man with a big heart.