Our blog has been pretty quiet, but we are entering in again with the most exciting news! Our oldest granddaughter, Abigail, and her husband Addison, just welcomed their precious baby daughter, Lily Noel, into the world and into their arms, about a week ago!
You can imagine their great, overflowing joy and excitement! And also, imagine how very thankful and excited we are to enter into a new season as great-grandparents ("grams" and "gramps")!!
Lily Noel was born on January 5, at 9:36 am (9 lbs. 3 oz.), in Tokyo, Japan! Addison and Abigail started their new life as long-term missionaries in Japan with World Venture the beginning of March 2020. They made it into Japan just two short weeks before the pandemic struck and closed the doors into Japan for a long while. And now, after their two years of intense study of the language and half a year of full-time ministry, they have welcomed their precious baby girl into their lives.
Our hearts were very involved here on the other side of the globe, as they awaited her birth, and also as Abigail (with Addison's love and encouragement) labored through 10 long hours to give birth. How thankful we are to God for Lily Noel's safe arrival, and for good health for both mother and baby! Also, they are so thankful that they could find a hospital about half an hour from their home, which allowed for the father to be present during a good portion of the labor, and also for the delivery.
We received the news of her birth the evening of Jan. 4, just two hours after she was born. Though her official date of birth is Jan. 5 (Japan time!), we had the great joy of hearing of her birth on Jan. 4th (our time)! And photos followed not long afterwards. Every photo, and also a FaceTime call, give us so much joy!
We are thanking God for many blessings surrounding baby Lily's birth, all evidences of His loving care. Our daughter, Cristy ("Granny"), on the left in photo above, was able to fly over to Japan to be with her daughter and brand new grandbaby for the first half of January. Cristy arrived just in time, on Jan. 3rd, for Lily's late arrival (11 days after her due date). And though the Japanese hospitals have a policy of requiring mother and baby to stay in the hospital for 5 days after birth, Abigail and baby were released on Jan. 7, just two days after the birth!! Cristy's loving presence there in Japan and her great care, together with Addison's support and encouragement, helped make that possible!
Who would ever have imagined that our oldest granddaughter (and her husband) would be living long-term in Japan someday? And that our first great-grandbaby would be born in Japan? As many of you know, I (Cherry) spent my childhood years in Japan ... from the age of 1 1/2 to the time I graduated from high school. Lily's Noel's birth there, in the land where I grew up, fills me with much joy.
My joy was also overflowing as I crocheted a baby blanket for our great-grandbaby in the month and a half before her birth. In the photo above, you can see the beautiful cuddly striped blanket that Abigail made for her precious daughter, and also the blush pink & white blanket that I made for our first precious great-grandbaby. So many memories to treasure ...
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