Mrs. Kroeger: Oh my goodness!! I went away for over a month and we moved and had a baby!

I'm sure the post title will justify my absence from the blogosphere. Like I've said before, writing is a lot like working out for me, I feel amazing afterward but it's all together draining. I haven't had the time or energy to really sit down and hammer out everything God is doing in my heart. Rest assured it is quite a bit. Having a baby will do that to you, and I'm talking about way more than the hormone crash.

Here's a quick update on Kroeger life:

Husband and I have spent the past two months renovating our new residence in order to get it done in time for our son's arrival, and it did get done(ish) JUST in time, thanks to the amazing help of our family.

I wouldn't recommend moving the first week after having a baby, but sometimes life runs ahead of you and you have to hold onto Jesus and ask for overdoses of His grace.

Now to the fun part! Z (as he will be known from now on) was born a week and one day ago. I want to share the birth story on our blog, but I'll have to edit it down because it's quite long and in the, "I've been through pregnancy & birth so these words don't scare me," version.

We did go through with a natural (read: unmedicated) birth. Z was nine pounds, one ounce and twenty-two inches long. I had a few people ask me the same day if I would do it again, and I told them to get back to me in a month. I can testify that the whole, "You forget the pain!" is a little bit true. After only a week it's harder for me to remember how difficult the labor was and easier for me to sit in awe of how intense and amazing the experience of bringing Z into the world was.

So it might be a bucket list cross off, and it might be something Kyle and I choose for future babies. Either way, birth is beautiful and messy and sacred and something of this earth yet also something even more of the eternal.

Now to the part you've all been waiting for - here's some photos!