Today at 11:24am, we welcomed Joanna Eveline Caauwe into our family. She weighed 8lbs, 5 oz., and was 20 inches long. She did break our “girl…boy…” pattern, but she gets us into the “four daughter” club—an exclusive group of families that have the privilege of raising four girls. I can think of a few closely related families which have that distinction.
I was reminded today what a treasure and a gift each child is. One might be tempted to think that the birth of the sixth might be less remarkable, as though “cheaper by the half-dozen” somehow made Joanna just “one more.” But it is never that way. My vocation as parent is not simply “child x 6”. With each child the complexity and privilege of this calling multiplies exponentially.
Our intent is that Joanna will be born again by Word and Water on January 9th, when we also observe the First Sunday after the Epiphany, the Baptism of our Lord.
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A Shepherd's Story 
Congratulations! “Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him” (Psalm 127:3).
Congratulations, Sara and Hans! May God keep you and all your family in his tender loving care!
Congratulations and God’s richest blessings! We rejoice with you that our God has provided another gift of his grace to your family!
The Fourth Day of Christmas will always be an especially day for the Caauwe family! Merry Christmas, Joanna!
A special day, too 🙂