Welcome baby Rowan!!

I figured I ought to go ahead and write my post about the arrival 

of Rachael & Matt's sweet baby girl....

Rowan McKinley Clark (ah-dorable name)

6lbs 11oz (of perfection!!)

born July 1st 20120 (an awesome date if you ask me!)

I'm totally smitten...

I mean, holy moly this kid is freakin' cute...

not that we had any doubts, but working in a NICU

gives me the opportunity to see  A LOT of newborns

so my standard of 'cuteness' is pretty high...

and Ms. Rowan is just beautiful!!

Rachael started pre-laboring Saturday morning 

(much to my overjoyed-ness) 

and by Saturday night when I talked to her,

 her contractions were becoming fairly painful and weren't 

allowing her to get any sleep..

(hence the reason she called the only other night-owl she

knew would be awake!)

I woke up at about 10am on Sunday morning to a text message

I had received at around 5am saying that labor was in full

swing and they were headed to the hospital. 

I literally squealed and then FLEW 

out of bed and started running around my house getting dressed.

A million thoughts were racing through my head!

This is where I got taught a serious lesson in patience!!

I knew that Rachael and Matt didn't want anyone at the hospital while 

they labored, and I wasn't about to try and text for updates so I started the

painful waiting process.... 

I sat,

and I paced, 

I called my mom,

I called our friend Alicia,

and I sat, 

and I paced 

and tried to do anything I could think of to distract myself!

Finally, around 1:00pm I got a long awaited text that read 'She's here"

Well now I was just about to lose it and I had to use every bit of

self control I had, not to jump in the car and go flying up to the hosptial...

but Rachael and Matt both have big families so I knew that there would

be no shortage of visitors and that I'd have to wait my turn!

An eternity later (well 3 hours felt like an eternity...) I finally 

got a text announcing a name and weight and I told Rachael I

was going to lose my mind if I didn't get my butt up there ASAP!

And then I met her. 

And she's perfect.

Rachael and Matt are such an amazing couple and they're

going to give Rowan such an amazing life.

I'm so happy for my friend.

This is all still just so surreal.

I've never gone through this experience with someone

who I'm so close with...so it's been very much the

'vicarious' experience for me...

I know that in some ways our friendship will change, 

but I'm just so excited to get to know this sweet little

life that God has blessed us all with!

So many people love you little Rowan!!

Our refinance is complete...HOORAY!!

Well after roughly 3 months and lots of anxious waiting,

we closed on our refinance today!

I'm so happy and feeling super-blessed because we had pretty

much given up hope that this was going to happen.

Our first appraisal came in $18,000 lower
than what we needed...YIKES!

That was a tough pill to swallow...
but we didn't feel there was much that we could do about it.

But our super-awesome mortgage consultant at Wells Fargo
really went above and beyond for us
and was able to get the first appraisal thrown out

(which I've heard is quite a feat)
and got us a second appraisal that went so much better!!  

Thank you, God.

I  know there were several people praying for us
 through this entire process, and I credit their prayers
and our mortgage guys hard work for making this happen.

If you live in KC and you're needing a referral,
 I have a name for you!

So the bottom line is...we lowered our mortgage payment

by $210 a month (yippee!!)
and got rid of our PMI, which will save

us a great deal of money over the course of our loan.

I'm SO very thankful.

This date has special meaning for me this year and

I was really needing something to lift my spirits...

God delivered, and I'm knowing in my heart

that it was no coincidence our closure was on this date.

I have no pertaining picture for this post...

but I feel the overwhelming need to post one anyways...

So here's a photo that will stand testament to

why you don't let your husband do your little girls hair

on school picture day...
Rachael take note:

Nice work Pops...the signature side-pony.

And my sweetheart neckline...

I love it :)