Maverick arrives!

Monday, May 25, 2020

Memorial Day

So I thought yesterday was quite a day?  Well let me tell you about TODAY!  To get straight to the main point - at 1:53 pm on Monday, May 25, 2020 (Memorial Day), Maverick Earl Mann was born.  He was 7 pounds 15 ounces and 21 inches long.  Complete perfection.  :)  Memorial Day seemed a fitting birth day for a little guy whose middle name honors his Grandpa Marvin (Earl) and his Great Grandpa Earl, both of whom served in the military.

Shonda took this photo at 5:39 am the morning of the day Maverick would be born.  

I took this photo at 8:43 am the morning of the day Maverick would be born. 

We were receiving updates throughout the night about Brianna (and Maverick's) progress.  Labor was going well but slowly.  Brianna was feeling pretty good and enjoying her epidural.  Jackson was feeling the lack of sleep & food and the stress of a very long process.  We, at home, were sure ancy!  We decided to go on our walk, as usual.  This time there were four of us... me, Daddy, Marvin, and Julie.  

After the walk Marvin and I got ready to go to Jeremy and Shonda's house.  We were SO thrilled that we would be able to be together on this momentous day.  Jeremy and Shonda had gone into quarantine in order to spend time with Jackson, Brianna, and Maverick.  They finished their 14 days the day before!  It was quite emotional just to see Shonda and be together again after such a long time apart.  We took this happy photo together when we received a text from Jackson saying, "She is basically complete now."

We ate lunch and then tried to figure out what to do with our nervous energy!  We all decided to go for a walk outside and see all the projects that Jeremy and Shonda had completed during their 2 weeks of quarantine. They had been busy!  :)  We were all basically wrecks after receiving a text from Jackson at 1:11 that Brianna was pushing!

new fence

beautiful garden

Shonda and I had gone back in the house and were just sitting down to look at Brianna's baby book when THE text came in.  It said simply, "He's out."  We screamed and ran for the door to call Jeremy and Marvin.  "He's out!!  He's out!!"  We took this photo to commemorate the moment.  :D 

We had to wait until 2:17 to read these words, but they were worth waiting for.  "Mama and baby are good."  Hallelujah!  Thank you, Jesus!  So much!  We sent this photo to the new Mann family of 3.  Four very happy and excited grandparents!

I ran outside and took this photo... marking the place we were when we heard of Maverick's safe arrival.  Beautiful!

We were looking through Brianna's baby book while waiting for a promised zoom call with Jackson, Brianna, and Maverick.  This photo really stuck out to us.  It is of Shonda's grandpa wearing a shirt much like Jeremy's this day.  That photo shows him meeting baby Brianna.  And Jeremy was wearing, on this day, a belt buckle that says 'Grandpa' passed down from this same man.  I just loved that.  

At 2:33 pm Jackson texted to ask if we were all still together.  Yes!!! And we were so ready for a zoom call!  Incredible!  Miraculous!!  Indescribable joy!!

This was hands down the most exciting zoom call we ever had (or will have!!)

Look at that face!!

A beautiful family portrait.  My heart is so full.  And that is actually a three generation photo if you look at the happy grandparents up in the right corner!!  :D 

sweet, sweet family

Another storm was getting ready to move in and it was time for us to head out.  Shonda and I needed one more photo together... reminiscent of the photo of us after Jackson and Brianna's wedding.  I think we might need to put them in a double frame.  :)

Later, Lora S shared this with us - she had made it for us to commemorate the time.

At 6:30 pm we got the chance to zoom with them again.  Oh my word!  How could he get cuter every hour?  (but he could!)  :)

look at those baby feet!!

We had gotten home as more storms were blowing in and I had to take one more photo of the sky.  Maverick, you came in the midst of tempests raging... but you are the center of our world now.  We love you so much.  I can't believe the honor it is/will be to watch you grow.  What a gift from God.

And finally, this is absolutely perfect.  Dear Zac took this photo on the evening of the day that Maverick was born.  It shows another (almost) double rainbow - and this time it goes right over their house!  This feels like the perfect bookend.  We had the double rainbow yesterday when Brianna first went into labor, and then finish with this today.  Absolutely perfect.  God's promise.  Thank you, Lord.