We had all of 30 minutes to spare between when we arrived in the rain at the birth center and when Matilda Grace waltzed into the world of light and sound and made her first little cry. Her 21 inches seem tiny and her 7 pounds 14 oz weigh nothing as she lays on my chest, so totally vulnerable and trusting. She is decisive, making her appearance only two hours after the first indication that she might be interested in being born. But God chose to answer countless of y’all’s prayers with a safe, healthy, uneventful, natural delivery at 0516 Sunday morning.
Grandma has thoroughly enjoyed holding her newest grandchild. Zoe is amazing gentle and loving, sharing her toys and carefully kissing Matti’s head. Chili, too, welcomed Matti with tender sniffs and wags.
Matilda “Matti” Grace is named after Donna’s grandmother, treasured for her love of her family. (For more about Grandma, see the next blog post, A tale of two Grandmas.) “Grace” reminds us of God’s free gift to us – in this case, His free gift of love. And again we are amazed at the love He has freely lavished on the two of us…we sure don’t deserve two amazingly beautiful little girls!
Thank you again to all who were praying. And thank You to the God who answers!
Here are the pictures of Matti’s early days. And here are more pictures of our summer.
Matti at about 29 hours old, with Mommy, Daddy and sisters Zoe and Chili
Cleverly Disguised 
Donna,
You have a beautiful family. I have been following you very sporadically for a number of years-I think it was just before your wedding that I found your site. Have been delighted by your love story (God IS good and what He does is good) and very interested in your missionary work and ministry. I had mentioned this to your father via a note a couple of Christmases ago, but this post about Aunt Tilly has nudged me to contact you personally. Congratulations on the birth of Matilda Grace. I have a granddaughter who’s almost four named Zoey. She and her sister Trinity, almost two, live with their parents a very long way from Virginia in Bellingham, WA. I notice that it is fairly close to Ginni’s business. I also have a granddaughter, Ella Grace who is nine months. She and her mother Alyce live here with Helmut, my mother (your great Aunt Hazel), who is Matilda’s baby sister, and me. So, we have four generations in our Little House on the Four Lane. In the case of both Mother after her strokes, as well as Alyce and baby, what began as ‘doing the next right thing’ as Elizabeth Elliot used to say, God has blessed with unexpected joy.
I write to say that Matilda Grace is a lovely name and Alyce named Ella Grace ‘grace’ for the same reason you did as she felt Gracie (that’s what we call her) was a gift of God’s grace to her. However Matilda Grace fits both for that reason and because Aunt Tilly was such a gracious woman whose home always exuded peace and acceptance. I was almost 30 when I became a believer and during one visit there as an immature, wobbly believer, God used her to show me what it looked like to show love and respect to your husband. I don’t remember her exact words. It was more tone of voice and gentle touch as she put her hands on Uncle John’s shoulders and praised him for taking such good care of her that stood out for me. It was as natural to her as could be. I’m 61, have been married to Helmut for 31 years and am still working on living out Ephesians 5 and although I’ve seen many examples since then in my walk with Jesus, Aunt Tilly was the first to demonstrate this to me in a very practical way.
I wish it were so that I could share your post with Mother, and I may; but she get’s very confused and I’m not sure she would follow it. By the way, we have a sit-to-stand lift, which I use to mover mother from bed to potty to wheelchair and back. We named it Matilda because mother said Tilly was always so helpful to her.
I will subscribe to your blog so that I can be sure to stay up to date with your lives. Give my love to your Mom and Dad.
Janet Loeser
By: Janet Loeser on Monday May 21, 2012
at 11:29 pm