Lullaby for Maggie

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The Gifting Giver

Here I am again, the beneficiary of the Gifting Giver. Just when another veneer is pulled back to show me again a little more of how I don’t deserve any of the goodness in my life, a new cry is heard, and a beautiful little girl floods into my life.

She sleeps. She looks around. She flails her arms awkwardly. She even smiles a bit. And we dream of the years ahead that we pray the Gifting Giver will allow. How can I respond to this joy? I cannot be one of the nine lepers who never returned to give thanks. A lifetime down on my face in gratitude would not be sufficient. Yet the gift is good, and it is to be enjoyed, to be lived.

Are these ideas in tension with each other? To enjoy the gift, do we need to stand and turn away, in some sense, from the Giver? If this is the right path, then this tension is likely a fabrication. There must be a posture of the heart that enjoys the gifts, to God. And this enjoyment is then the most perfect expression of gratitude to the Gifting Giver. How do I discover it? I don’t know, but there’s a whisper that hovers around the whole idea, suggesting that it is found indirectly. You see it best when you don’t look straight at it. Maybe the life that strives to glorify God will wake up some morning, having come upon this elusive synthesis, but never stopping to wonder when or from whence it came.

Two More Cute Photos

Because although baby clothes can be very cute, lack of baby clothes can be even cuter.

This one is just cute because of the hands (and everything else).

Happy 1 Week Birthday

This morning, at 8:28 AM, little Maggie turned 1 week old. She's been doing great, and has had quite a week. She went and saw her Dr. Jean Wong at the Packard Clinic on Wednesday, who gave her a full bill of health, and her weight was maintained from her hospital discharge. Way to go! We've had awesome meals from the Lelands, Wilkinsons, and Stracks, and we couldn't be more overwhelmed with hospitality lavished on us. Maggie's been sleeping better than we could have expected (not perfect, but still...), and yesterday, she got her 2nd bath, which was her first at home. Don't let the picture fool you. It wasn't all cute looks and cooing.

Our good friend Eunice came over yesterday to meet her, and she took this picture, our 2nd family portrait. Notice the absence of severe sleep deprivation eye rings on either parent.

And this morning, she got dressed up in an outift from her Grammy (Eric's mom), proclaiming to the world that she loves her daddy.

Jason (sans hockey mask) et al

A few weeks ago, a tree in our backyard began it's slow funeral descent - right onto a telephone line. Thus, it had to be dealt with. It took a while to locate a chainsaw. Having been in medical circles during my tenure in southeast Michigan, I've made a lot of great friends, but of the wrong sort if you're looking for a chainsaw. Finally, I happened to ask my friend Rusty Chavey, who lives in the woods and hails from Texas, and despite being a doctor, he had a chainsaw we could use.

So I called up Jason Fader and Dan Rocke, two individuals always up for some faux-masculine activity, and we set to work. I asked Jason how comfortable he was with a chainsaw. "Quite comfortable," he said, "more comfortable than Heather is with me using a chainsaw." And he proved his mettle. Between the three of us, one chainsaw, and a host of less powerful tools, the tree (and a few other branches that we decided were in the way, once we really got going) was dealt with speedily. And no one was injured (except the tree, R.I.P.). I'm now thinking of starting a medical therapeutics trial where men with low testosterone levels are treated by taking a chainsaw to a huge pile of logs.

A Day in the Life of Maggie

This morning I awoke to a strange new world, filled with sounds, tastes, and sights. It's pretty scary, but I'm getting used to it.
I like this eating business, much tastier than the ole' umbilical cord.

Then my mommy and daddy took me on a walk, and I've decided I like this whole outside-sunshine thing.

But then I definitely needed a nap.

Later my parents took me to Washtenaw Dairy, where it was decisively proven that my head is larger than a single scoop (though likely not a double scoop).

My mommy read me my first Dr. Seuss story, which I really liked.

But all this really wore me out, so I'll tell you more later.

Maggie Elizabeth McLaughlin

Our precious little daughter was born, healthy as a chunker with an impressive set of lungs but still a capacity for sleep, this morning at 8:28 a.m. Rachel did phenomenal, and can now identify with her future Kenyan patients, who also endure long labors with no anesthesia. Maggie is bigger than either of us expected, at 8lb, 11oz, so she's doomed to obesity like her parents. Healthy all the way through, the significance of what has occurred today in our lives intermittently is lost on me, and then causes me to stagger with the weight of joy and grace God has given us. Maggie, welcome to this world that God our Father has made. And welcome to our family.

"Nobody tells you when you get born here, how much you'll come to love it and how you'll never belong here." - Rich Mullins (1955-1997)

The End of Pregnancy

Here at the end of the nine months, there are a couple of lovely last experiences that must be mentioned. First, a brief visit from our good friends Adam and Kelly Rogers this past week, where Kelly and Rachel got to pose for their co-preggers photo. Adam and Kelly, all the best until you meet your little Andrew.

Second, one of the parts of parenting that I'm incredibly impatient to indulge is that of childrens' stories. Thanks to all of you who were part of our book mail shower. Special thanks to the Sisters McLaughlin for hosting. And yes, the stuffed chick in the photo is, in fact, a book.

Waiting Game

Just an update for all of you who are waiting in eager anticipation....no baby yet. I might be the first OB-GYN resident in the history of OB-GYN residencies to actually go post dates. We'll see. Two more days until the due date (April 29). Fortunately, aside from worrying about the rapidly increasing size of our (hopefully still petite) daughter, I feel fine. No worries, we'll keep you updated.

Cross-blogging

I found a couple of illuminating maps which were posted on our other blog, and liked it so much, that I'm double-posting it. The first is a world population map, and the second is a physician density map.

Worldmapper and Strange Maps are the origins of these images, for any cartography love among you.

Conversation Stoppers for Overeducated Evangelicals

There is an irony (somewhere, I'm sure) in my posting this, since I only understand about 7 of the 11 jokes below. But the ones I do understand are funny enough for me to believe that those of you that understand the remaining 4 will enjoy them. Thanks to Peter Bast.

Conversation Stoppers for Overeducated Evangelicals
Sunday, March 22, 2009

1. Yeah, I never really got that into the Narnia series.
2. Flannery O'Connor is overrated.
3. I was actually hoping global warming would hasten the eschaton.
4. Of course we should free Mumia - with the gospel.
5. But weren't the Crusades a response to Islamic aggression?
6. Christendom? Count me in!
7. I'm not sure Anglicanism is working for me.
8. Sure you can filch patristic milk for a while, but you should buy the cow eventually.
9. Did you ever get the sense that more of us should have become pastors or missionaries?
10. Hello! [contains too much hell]
11. While it's the early Kinkade that most moves me, I'm convinced the best is yet to come.

Grammy and Grandpa Tim Come to Town

A little over a week ago, we had the pleasure again of hosting my parents for a weekend. I'm not sure how many trips to Ann Arbor they've made in the almost 7 years in which I've lived here, but it's enough that there are not a lot of things left to show them.

Nevertheless, there were a few. After a couple years now of Rachel hearing from me how great Chelsea's Common Grill is, we all went out to experience this gem together (thanks, in part, to Deb and Corey Mantel). Yummy warm chocolate fallen cake was had, and a nice tour of the village of Chelsea ensued. We also got to introduce my parents to Mochi ice cream and an obligatory trip to bubble tea was also enjoyed.

We also took a trip to the hospital, so that Rachel could show off our baby girl to my parents (who have been officially christened Grammy and Grandpa Tim in their grandparent roles), via her mad ultrasound skills. A good chunk of the rest of the weekend was absorbed in the dishwasher adventure already chronicled, but overall it was a wonderful trip. Thanks for making the drive. =)

The Final Appliance

When one moves into a new house, one expects to eventually replace a few things in said house (which usually isn’t brand new). Over the course of the past 34 months in which we’ve lived in this house, we have replaced every appliance except for one. First went the washer and dryer (the washer didn’t technically break, but it did take about 30 minutes to fill up with water before the load could start). Then we decided to replace the stove, which was filthy and looked like it was from the 70s. We actually found tons of peanut shells under the top of the stove when moving it out of the house. Next came the hot water heater and sump pump, which broke when we were in Bangladesh. The biggest blow was struck this fall when our boiler kicked the bucket the first week we turned it on. Big bucks to replace that one.

We were hopeful that the boiler would be the last major house purchase. Sadly, several weeks ago, the dishwasher died. Sigh. So close to moving out….so hopeful it would last just a few more months. We hand-washed dishes for awhile and tried to employ various friends and family members to help fix the problem, to no avail. So this weekend when Eric’s parents were in town, we found a dishwasher on Craig’s list for $50. Score! Our cheapest fix yet. Eric and his dad picked it up from some guy living in a trailer park who had just lost his job and was selling off his possessions to pay for his tobacco habit (I guess he and his son were rolling cigarettes when Eric showed up). The dishwasher was still attached to all its electrical and water attachments, and there were still dishes in it. A strange experience.

So, back it came to our house, where Eric and Tim removed the old dishwasher. It was almost worth it to have the dishwasher break on us when we discovered, amongst the dirt and an old roach hotel, $1.21 and a golf ball. That brings the cost of our new dishwasher down to at least $47.79 (if you figure the golf ball was about a buck). What’s left in our house to replace, you ask? Only the refrigerator remains. Our fingers are crossed. Just think how whoever buys our home is going to get such a great set of new appliances...

Holy Week

Well, it's April, and there's 3 inches of fresh snow on the ground, so that could only mean one thing: Holy Week has arrived. Here's a link to last year's daily readings.

T minus 4 weeks

In all likelihood, I will still be pregnant 4 weeks from today, but my due date was 4 weeks from yesterday, and despite the fact that I know the odds I still hold out hope that I won't go past my due date. So here we come to the end at last. Eric and I were excited to see the month of March come to a close, our last really difficult month of residency. After 12 years of post-high school education the end of formal training is in sight. Literally less than three month until graduation. And then April began yesterday, a month where we came home and spent an hour having lunch together, which is a rare enough event on the weekends. I can't remember the last work weekday we had lunch together. As we sat over our chicken salad sandwiches marvelling over our daughter's rambunctious movements, the revelation hit us both that this month (probably), we become parents. Wow. You'd think this would have hit us by now, but the whole concept is still a little surreal. It's funny to think of the anticipation of the arrival of a human being that is actually only centimeters from my fingers right at this very second, but in some ways still so far away. It's amazing to know that she has all the capacity to survive outside of me, with maybe a little help from her parents. :)

People like to ask us if we're ready. That term "ready" could mean anything. Do we have a car seat and clothes and some diapers? Yes. So we're ready in that sense. Are we mentally prepared to take over the care of a vulnerable newborn infant? Um, maybe. Am I sick and tired of this pregnancy and just want it over with? No, so maybe I'm not "ready" for her to come yet, until the end of the month and the end of the majority of my commitments. Who knows? Hopefully we'll be ready when she's ready. Or at least as much as we can be. Hopefully the worst is NOT yet to come, but instead the best. Hopefully all the labor complications that I worry about won't really come to pass. And hopefully I will actually GO INTO labor at some point, too.

Just a few more musings from that neurotic pregnant obstetrician. :)