Kara’s Korner

After enduring one of the longest flights ever, Kara’s grandparents and uncle Tim came straight from the airport to meet her about 22 hours after she was born.

Grandparents

Thinking back over Kara’s birth, I am overwhelmed - it was indeed one of the most profound experiences of my life!  As promised by many experienced moms, just hours later, no matter how hard I tried, I could not remember what the pain felt like.  Rather the lasting memories and impressions are of the people there supporting me through the labor and each contraction, of their voices during her delivery - Anna counting for me and holding my hand even when I’m sure I was almost breaking it - she will make a wonderful PA, Aunt Janet reminding me to breathe and keeping an experienced eye on things (the rest of us were all rookies), Alissa, Megan and Kristin stopping in to check on things, walking the halls with me,  and keeping me laughing between contractions (not to mention transferring all my "luggage" to my room after Kara was born, and Kara’s grandma and grandpa calling from London through their night, and along with Aunt Kate, praying for us through the entire labor, and of course Ashish standing behind me reminding me that I could do this, and in fact was, each time doubts and pain overwhelmed me.  God was so gracious in putting together a wonderful "support team" to help and share this experience.  Kara and I are very blessed to have so many people surrounding us with love and support during her birth!

Karuna is a hindi/sanskrit word that means compassion/mercy. She will be called Karuna not only because God was compassionate and merciful to Natalie for a quick labor and giving her the ability to bear the pain of childbirth naturally, but God has been merciful to us through our entire lives.

She will go by Kara for the most part. And we pray that Kara will someday come to recognize the "Karuna" of God in her own life.

For the complete timeline of events from that seemingly insignificant doctors visit at 10:30 am on Tuesday until Kara’s arrival at 9:11pm that night, in pictures, simply click on the rather rotund picture of Kara "pre-birth" below.

Timeline