Happy Birthday Ethan!

It seems hard to believe that Ethan is already four years old. I still remember being at Duke in 2005, waiting in a birthing suite, watching the heart monitor as his heart rate kept going down. I remember the fear as Lynell was wheeled off to be prepped for a close-as-you-can-get-to-emergency C-section (she now claims it wasn't emergent, but I think that's just the effects of the epidural talking). But, I also felt calm knowing that it was in the Lord's hands. Less than an hour later, Ethan was born. Lynell asked me, "Is he blue?", since the doctor thought the umbilical cord was compressed and he was not getting enough oxygen. I looked at his blueish-grey skin as they delivered him and did what any good husband would do in that situation. "Nope," I said. "He's pink as can be." Call it momentary color blindness.

I don't know why we have been blessed with three wonderful kids. Sure, they can be challenging at times (like last night at bathtime), but they are good kids. The Lord knows what we need in our lives and what we can handle because He knows us. As individuals.

Anyway, I'll post some pictures of the birthday boy this weekend. And the cake Lynell's mom is creating. It will be much prettier than this, I'm sure.