Blessings.

Since I last posted it seems like I've got a totally different life, like I'm some other person taking over this blog. First, Chase and I moved into our new apartment. We love it here! It's a two bedroom one bath, simple, but much better than we are used to. We were very blessed to be able to move here.

Secondly, we've had our baby! Saturday afternoon I began having contractions and by the time Chase got home from work at four I was ready to go to the hospital. To our discouragement, after being at the hospital for two hours we were sent home because although I was feeling painful, regular, strong contractions and I was 90% effaced, I wasn't dilating fast enough to be in active labor. So we went home, had dinner (frito pie) and I decided to take a bath. By the time I got out my contractions were to painful to talk through and they were even stronger and closer together. So we went back, this time for good. We were admitted to the hospital around 11:30, began active labor around midnight and started pushing around 5:30 a.m. Once I had my epidural I didn't feel a thing. When the doctor told me it was time to start pushing I was shocked. I thought I'd be feeling some pain. I wasn't even sure I was pushing at all. Calen Mckay Wilkins was born at 6:13 a.m. Nov 14th. He was 7lbs 12oz, 18 1/2 in.

This was me holding him just after they got him cleaned up

Here's the proud papa after staying up all night with baby Calen

Our third blessing deserves an explaination. Chase and I have been having a lot of car troubles. Our entire married life thus far we've been blessed to have a little ford ranger truck that just fit the two of us. The past few months it has been giving us diffiulties however, one thing after another has been going wrong with it and everything we tried to do to fix it just seemed to make matters worse. So here we are a month before our baby comes and we've been getting around in whatever vehicle our friends or loved ones have been so generous to let us borrow for the time. We had spent more than we had planned for trying to fix the truck and therefore had nothing left to go towards another vehicle. In all reality we didn't know if or when we'd be able to work out our car situation. We were just very grateful for those who were willing to help. Well, Calens birthday rolls around and there we are surrounded by our family in the hospital enjoying our beautiful new son. When Chase turns to me and starts telling me about this car that someone had offered to him. He was asking me how much I thought we could afford. He was even showing me pictures on our camera of this car. (I have to admit here that I was sort of frustrated that he would try to talk about our car situation with me while I was enjoying my new little boy and we were surrounded by family). But I realized finally that he was trying to tell me that we were the recipients of a very special blessing. That this vehicle was ours. Once I realized what he was saying all I could do was cry. We have been truly blessed and I don't feel I could ever express enough gratitude for all that Heavenly Father so mercifully gives us.

As the blessings continue to come I can only pray that I can somehow learn to show as much of Heavenly Fathers love to others as they have shown to me. I'm so thankful for this time of year that reminds us to show our gratitude. Happy Thanksgiving! And may each of us find a way to bless the life of another.