Letters to George Fossen // Volume 6

Darling George,

I have tried to write this letter to you at least a dozen times...and every time my eyes well up with happy tears and I can hardly make it through to the next sentence! You are HERE! It was you all along!

I can't even begin to tell you how much your Dad and I love you. My parents used to say that all the time...You'll understand when you're a parent...I get it now. I really do! It's an all-encompassing, crazy, joy-filled, heart-breaking, intense kind of love! You made your Dad and I parents! That's still weird. And fun! We stare at you all the time. Your smiles, your laughs, your little fists, your long arms and legs...we are just crazy about you!

It has been the sweetest summer with you, precious George. You made your arrival one day after our second wedding anniversary and the days and weeks since then have been one big happy blur. We've mostly camped out at home, but we've made it to church and your grandparents' homes many times. We even celebrated your Uncle Stephen and Aunt Elinor's engagement and vacationed with my family in Williamsburg! We've enjoyed lots of walks around the neighborhood, too. I hope I get around to recording your birth story--it is one of my favorite stories! I loved giving birth to you!

We had SO many visitors in the first few days after you were born. It was a revolving door around here of happy grandparents and aunts and uncles and family friends. And the gifts! SO many gifts! Every day packages were arriving from Florida and California and New York and Hawaii...the FedEx truck was a welcome sight. :) And the cards! Some of them would come addressed to "Master George Fossen" and my heart would feel so full.

My friend Jenna graciously offered to organize meals for us after your arrival...and George, boy did we enjoy some good eatin'! We had friends bringing us meals every week for the first two months of your life! I've yet to go to the grocery store once since your birth--we have been spoiled! But, not spoiled rotten (I hope) because I feel so, so grateful for our community of friends and family. Oh sweet George...when I was pregnant with you I stressed about the nursery coming together and whether your layette was complete and if I had the right diaper cream and what your going home outfit should be. Those things were important, yes. But the most important thing we needed for your arrival was something we already had...our community. Oh, you need people. And my goodness did we ever rely on our community in those early postpartum days and weeks. I feel so incredibly grateful for the outpouring of love and support we received. And still receive! God was and is so good to us.

George, you are fearfully and wonderfully made. We included verses from Psalm 139 on your birth announcement, and those verses resonate with us now more than ever:

For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. 

Psalm 139: 13-14a (ESV)

You are a precious gift from God, sweet George. Your Dad and I pray every day that you will grow into a man who knows and loves God. We pray that your masculinity will be deeply rooted in your Creator. You have energy and strength already...and we pray that you would use that energy and strength to fulfill God's good purposes in your life. We feel so honored and humbled and privileged to be your parents. We are learning, too! Bear with us. We have already made mistakes and I'm sure there will be many to come. But, we love you so, dear George!

We thank God for you--our precious, precious son!

All our love,

Mom & Dad

Two days old with your wonderful Dad!

Your Uncle Isaac sent us flowers that arrived the morning after you were born...

...and your Aunt Courtney brought over a beautiful bouquet when she visited later that evening!

Hand-delivered cookies from Nani's dear friend Brenda!

Our wonderful neighbor Denise (who was also at your birth! more on that later...) tied a few blue ribbons to our front door to announce the news of your birth to the neighborhood

Admiral Byrd...still not sure what to make of all this baby crying. ;)

Just shy of two weeks old!

First bath! (Dad is wearing shorts hah!)

Aloha! Wearing the onesie from your Hawaiian-living Uncle Isaac

Celebrating at your Uncle Stephen and Aunt Elinor's engagement party (and wearing your first Swedish outfit)!

Our wonderful Beatrice!

The newly engaged couple!

Meeting one of your great grandmothers for the first time!

Where would we be without our Nani?! She has helped me adjust to motherhood all summer long...I am so grateful for her!