I’ll give you three guesses where I am.

NO, not at the zoo. I only go to the zoo when it is cool outside.

No, unfortunately not at Anthropologie with a stash of birthday cash. That won’t happen until December.

Seriously? At church? It’s a Thursday. We don’t live there, you know.

Okay, I’ll tell you, although if you follow me on facebook (which you really SHOULD – that’s where most of the fun happens!) you already know…

I’m at the hospital.

Finally.

And although my back is kind of tight and sore from the epidural site and my stomach is kinda crampy and my eyes are oh so sleepy, I am one happy Mama, for several reasons…

1. I just ate my traditional celebratory post-labor McDonald’s Sausage McGriddle, and since this is my 4th time to give birth, my husband bought me a super-special bonus prize of Cinnamon Melts. The food of the heavens, I am sure.

2. I am so relaxed, sitting with my feet up in a very quiet and peaceful hospital room with Mr. Gore. This is as close to a private vacation as we’ve gotten since the Southern Baptist Convention in 2010! I’m clean, I’m groomed, I have a bag of Redvines close at hand, and people keep bringing me food and pills and giving me free band-aids and stuff. I will gladly stay as long as they let me.

3. It no longer feels like there is a sizeable human camping out in my mid-section. Because there’s not!

4. I’m hearing all kinds of accolades about how I was “made” for having babies…which I know really means that I am a hoss with great birthing hips. But I’m cool with that.

5. I only look 5 months pregnant now! Woot woot!

6. Oh! And this little guy might have a little something to do with this morning’s joy…

Our entire family is rejoicing at the birth of our new baby, Shepherd Sullivan. Especially Gideon and Granddaddy, who whooped and hollered when they walked into the room and found it was a BOY!

Baby Shepherd is a 9 lb. 8 oz. (that’s right…NINE pounds, EIGHT ounces) red-haired lad with long, monkey toes and a barrel chest, and though we’ve only been together (in the flesh) for less than a day, he already seems quite fond of us. And we are certainly fond of him!

I have so many stories to tell, so many pictures to share, and then a series on Small Elephant’s 4th pregnancy experience that is sure to entertain you, but for now, I’ll leave you with this… God is so good. We praise Him for babies, for new life, for family, for His faithful and steadfast love, for modern medicine, for epidurals, for brand-new chapters and seasons, for strapping infant boys, for quiet moments of rest…

and definitely for Sausage McGriddles.

~

A special thanks to all of you who have been so sweet and supportive during this pregnancy, and who have covered the Gore family with your prayers. It meant the world to me!