Here are some more pictures in PowerPoint Style! Enjoy! (Warning: A Large File)
Angela Erkezhan Handy has arrived!!!
I am aware that some of you may not be able to view the pictures in your browser, I have added links to the pictures so if you click on them, all but the last, you should be able to see the full picture in a new browser window. I’m sorry for the trouble.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008, at 5:23 AM, Angela Erkezhan Handy experienced her first breath of air. After 7 hrs of intense labor, Zhanara gave birth to our third child. The doctor wasn’t even in the room. The nurse was suprised that Zhanara went from 6 cm to 10cm in a matter of seconds. I was reminded of our nurse when Isaiah was born who joyfully quipped “Never question a mother when she says she’s ready to push.” Unfortunately, our nurse today hadn’t been to the same school as our previous nurse. Soon after saying, “I don’t think you’re ready to push, you have a while to go,” out popped Angela’s head, and Zhanara wasn’t even pushing.
This morning has been a morning of answered prayers. When we first came to the hospital, Zhanara was only 2 cm dialated after 3 straight hours of consitent 5-min interval contractions. They were going to send her home when they realized her blood pressure was dangerously high. Providentially, they kept her. Zhanara, though, was worried. So we began to pray. Thanks to the modern technology, Zhanara and I were able to contact her sister overseas via Skype to ask her to pray (while in the delivery room). Soon thereafter, Zhanara’s blood pressure went down without any medications and during labor (even as it intensifies). Praise God! But at that point, Zhanara’s contractions suddenly became irratic. She needed to start having consistent contractions else they would have to induce, which greatly increases the intensity and frequency of contractions. So we prayed. Within minutes, her contractions naturally started to regulate. But it would be after about an hour of painful contractions that Zhanara expressed feelings of exhaustion. The only relief for her at this point would be delivery. So we prayed. Within minutes, Zhanara was ready to push and we return to the situation with the nurse mentioned above. God answered our prayers. Praise His name!
So we named her Angela Erkezhan Handy. Odelia picked the name Angela. We liked its meaning–a messenger, an angel. We hesitated to pick this name because Angels are big, awesome creatures who carry out the will of God. The word in Greek is also masculine. But we hope that Angela will serve the Lord in obedience and be a messenger of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Erkezhan is the name Zhanara’s dad, Amantur, chose. We wanted to honor him by going with his name. It means in Kazak “beloved, special or treasured soul”. There are connotations with this name of being spoiled or being the last born, but we have been reassured by Zhanara’s mother that the primary meaning is beloved. So may she be a obedient servant of the gospel. And may she always know that not only is she beloved and treasured in our sight, but ultimately, she is beloved and treasured by God!
Welcome Dear Daughter!!!
Hello world!
Today I was inspired to start my blog, where I could share the life of our family. God is so good to us. When Wesley and I were on our first date, God has given us a psalm 127, through which God continued to speak to our family till now. It says: “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it….” God has shown to us that He is the initiator of our covenant and of our marriage, and it is not up to us. Then in the next verses it says: “Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. ” As soon as we got married God has blessed us with a beautiful daughter Odelia Suluzhan. Odelia from Hebrew means “the one who sings praises to the Lord.” She was born in June 25th, 2003. What a blessing she is to us and everyone else.
