Jacob Joseph Dawson

Short story short: Started labor in the middle of the night on Friday (22nd) and by 12:30 we were at the hospital for me to receive my antibiotic for Group B strep (if you know what that is, then you know why that's important; if not, then it's not that important). I was 6cm upon arrival- Praise God!! 3:31pm, out he came. It happened so fast that we were unable to inform our family/friends of the progress until it was all over. I will also say that he was born naturally, and I will spare you any further details in that.

We are so grateful that Jacob was born on the FIRST feast of Blessed Pope John Paul II since his beatification back in May. This man, though he is John Paul's namesake, is a beloved, beatified, and holy man whom our family loves and asks intercession from quite often.

Our prayers for you were fervent and we are honored to have been able to intercede for you- our family and friends. Thank you for your prayers as well. He is beautiful and healthy and we are so happy to have him join our family. Just before I delivered Jacob, David (in an effort to help me refocus for a contraction, he told me that Andrew was praying for us - Andrew is the baby that we lost last November- and I wept. Looking back, I am a bit surprised that even in the of the pain of delivering the child coming because Andrew was NOT coming, I wept at his loss. He was with us through all of this, and he is our family's little Saint.

Here are a few of the pictures with our camera (whose batteries went dead right after Jacob's birth). When more come from the other cameras I will post. For now enjoy- drum roll......... JACOB JOSEPH DAWSON






(Our precious friends Carrie Chaumont and Fr. Nathan Long are Jacob's Godparents)

We're home! We're healthy! The Dawson's are a family of five!! I will post pictures as soon as possible.

Jacob was born at 3:31pm on Saturday October 22- the feast day of our beloved Blessed John Paul II. Jacob was 7lbs 12 oz, 20 3/4" long. Great set of lungs. John Paul and Therese are doing well with him so far... Therese is very interested in this nursing thing. More on that to come.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers, we were praying for you as well. Praise God for a healthy deliver and a healthy new son.

I should also point out that David Dawson is the best husband and labor coach and post-partum companion ON THE PLANET.

Cute Kids!

A few shots of the kids before they greet their newest addition.


Therese went on a bike ride with Daddy for the first time- mostly because we had to wait for the helmet to fit.



John Paul at this birthday party- I love this little man!


D-Day (Due day) in T - 16 days.

St. Therese

Happy Feast day of St. Therese - we love her so much and are so grateful for God's work through her little way. As I think of what I appreciate in St. Therese, I realize it is all wrapped up in HUMILITY. In light of this thought, I wanted to post a litany that helps us all to receive the humility to brought her to sainthood:

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being loved...
From the desire of being extolled ...
From the desire of being honored ...
From the desire of being praised ...
From the desire of being preferred to others...
From the desire of being consulted ...
From the desire of being approved ...
From the fear of being humiliated ...
From the fear of being despised...
From the fear of suffering rebukes ...
From the fear of being calumniated ...
From the fear of being forgotten ...
From the fear of being ridiculed ...
From the fear of being wronged ...
From the fear of being suspected ...

That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be esteemed more than I ...
That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may decrease ...
That others may be chosen and I set aside ...
That others may be praised and I unnoticed ...
That others may be preferred to me in everything...
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should…