this sweet girl, Caroline Kay Truman, who I snapped some brand new hospital photos of!  This is one of them!

Going to do her real newborn shoot this week!

So excited to see her again, and her sweet parents, Jordan and Amy!

I just want you to soak this in.
This is the kind of story you want to listen to. Because it is just a beautiful picture of God’s goodness. Let me start by saying that eventually my friend Kathryn will write about this story. And she will tell it beautifully! I cannot wait to hear this. But for now, I have to share the story that I have experienced and witnessed. Because let me tell you, it has blessed my heart to watch and share in the journey.

Let’s start with this.

{REBECCA did not know she was pregnant with Noah}.

Not until she was in labor.

close to 10 cm into labor.

And to top it off….she birthed Noah as the first baby born in our city in the new year.

Talk about new beginnings. New life. WOW.

Now you want to know more, don’t you? Well this story is so beautiful. so I’m glad you’re reading.

And I’m not kidding. And neither was she.  Believe me when I say that this girl has INTEGRITY. She has CHARACTER. She was not lying. Her family was not lying.  But guess what was lying? Her body!  We all saw her. Days before she delivered. At Christmas. And there was no apparent baby in there.  But yes, little Noah, he was there all right. Hiding.  In the secret place of the womb. And for whatever reason (tons of reasons), Rebecca never knew.

Rebecca is single. The way God did this was not a miracle, like Mary, but it surely was not something that was expected.  Let’s put it this way: this baby was truly a work of God…not an accident.  Rebecca has never claimed to be perfect, sinless…as none of us have. She has lived a life that is honoring to God.  She pursues him. She encourages others in the Lord. She is an incredible person.  She has been VERY busy this year.  She has been finishing nursing school. Teaching a ZUMBA growth group at our church. Doing tornado relief. Running 5ks. Pursuing friendships.  Helping her family, as they all continue to walk through transition.  You see, not long ago, (I think it’s been about a year and a couple months) the Means had a major family issue.  Their brother Jeremiah got a routine vaccination with the Air Force and it suddenly turned very life changing.  We won’t get into that now, but it has been something that has caused their family to look inward, count their blessings, and then turn back to the Lord and put all the honor, glory and praise on him for all the things their family DOES have.  They have been an example about how to walk through a tough time authentically.  They won’t say it wasn’t hard, or isn’t still hard some days, but they trust the Lord. Plain and simple.  They are dealing with Noah no differently.

Back to the story.  Rebecca had been feeling a little yucky in the weeks before birth.  Looking back, she remembers back pains (to the point that she was sleeping on the couch), sharp pains at night, her feet hurt, she was tired, etc. All this was chalked up to a possible kidney stone, and stress with finishing nursing school.  If you saw her (she looked 0% pregnant), and you knew her history with kidney stones, and with the unique place her placenta was located, she simply couldn’t feel the baby kicking, had no reason to expect a pregnancy because she was getting a cycle, etc. I know what you’re thinking.  It’s just like the TV show “I didn’t know I was pregnant”.  You are correct. Just like that.

On new year’s eve, Rebecca was hanging out with her mom, hoping to pass this painful kidney stone.  The pain was getting worse and worse and she wasn’t sure what to do. Eventually, the pain got so unbearable she asked her mom to take her to the hospital.  They went to St.Francis, a hospital in our town that doesn’t deliver babies!  There, the proceeded to check her out, scan her, etc.  She told them that date of her last cycle and they gave her pain meds.  Then, on a routine check, the doctor discovered she was in labor.  And just like that, her life changed. BOOM.  Rushed over to a hospital that DOES deliver babies. In just a matter of hours Noah was born. He had no name. Because he was not planned. His aunt Kathryn got to help choose the name, the Lord was gracious even in that, in the smallest details.  He is so faithful.  We all know this sweet boy is NO ACCIDENT.  He is certainly  here for a purpose. That can’t be denied by anyone.

Being with this family (my dear friends) just days after bringing Noah home from the hospital, I was amazed to see more baby clothing and shoes than Finn and Eli have put together! A nursery that as one friend exclaimed, “is more put together than my son’s is at one year”.  Their family  has just rallied to support and love Rebecca and sweet Noah.  His life is CHERISHED. I cannot imagine a better family to live among.  Sweet Noah, you sure are blessed. We sure feel lucky you are here.  I feel so blessed to have met you and captured some of your first days on this earth.  Glad your grandma snuck in a couple photos too. She sure loves you.