HE'S HERE! HE'S HERE! HE'S HERE!

Matthew Boniface Lu- was born last night at 6:42 PM, tipping the scales at 8 pounds, 7 ounces and measuring 21 inches long (this will probably be the last time in his life that he's one of the taller kids his age). He has dark brown hair and eyes, and his paternal grandma's nose.

Mother and child are doing wonderfully. Jenny was an absolute soldier. We went to the hospital at about 9 PM Wednesday night, and she endured 22 hours of labor at the hospital. We are happy to say that Matthew was born without the use of any pain relief drugs. We did use pitocin to get the labor jumpstarted when, after 7 hours of labor (including artificially breaking her water), dilation had only increased one centimeter.

I have thoughts galore, but there's been too much emotion, too many tears (of joy and pain) and too little sleep to get into it all. Besides, I have to get back to my wife and baby at the hospital.

Jenny and I will be at the hosital until tomorrow. She tested positive for the strep B bacteria a couple of months ago, and so we have to stay 48 hours to make sure the penicillin she was given succeeded in protecting the baby from acquiring any infections.

The one thought I do have to share is that I am so proud of and so in love with my wife. She was amazing. She had a hard, HARD labor, and she endured it all and fought and fought to breathe and relax properly, and when she pushed, she pushed like a champ! She was the talk of the maternity ward last night! I've always known my that my wife is a strong woman, but to see what she was able to by sheer force of will and love was inspiring.

Pictures and information on visiting and Baptism to come!