When Grace was placed in my arms for the first time a shocking joy instantly overwhelmed me. There was nothing in my life that came close to this pressing feeling of responsiblity and hope for the future. Karis' arrival was different in so many ways and the emotions were same but the experience of them was less instantaneous. At first I was getting past the shocking pain of a natural and very rapid labor. The pain was quickly overtaken by shock because she was a girl and not a boy. I had prepared for months to have a baby boy. We absolutely love little girls so this was a very happy shock but a shock none the less.
