Asher Jaden McDowell

On 15 September 2013, in the wee hours of the morning, Asher Jaden McDowell was born at Womack Army Medical Center in Fort Bragg, NC. He was a perfect 7 lbs 14oz and 21 inches (I was one ounce off on the weight and spot on on the length, just like the other 2 kiddos), all multiples of 7…you can't get any better then that. Angel was induced after waiting in the waiting room for many hours. She was induced because the doctors said as high risk as he was, it would be best if he came out prior to 40 weeks gestation. After 5 hours of labor by the most wonderful woman in the world, our little boy came out, fit as a fiddle. He was a little slow to cry, and we were very paranoid after losing our last child. Nonetheless, he endured and is healthy despite being on Zantac for Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD aka reflux).

Asher has been the most incredible blessing we could have ever asked for. Angel and I look back, and we can say with all honesty, that we would not have been so grateful for Judah as we are for Asher. As Judah's name had tremendous significance, we chose Asher's in a similar way. In Hebrew, Asher means "happy or blessed" and Jaden means "God has heard" in Hebrew. Without a doubt we are blessed beyond belief because God has redeemed us and given us the most precious gift we could ever ask for, a healthy and beautiful rainbow baby.

Angel has labored magnificently in raising our little boy, breast-feeding our little gift all day and night. I'm amazed she continues on with seemingly no sleep. I do my best to help, but she is strong and resilient and needs little. I am equally blessed in having a child as precious as Asher as I am to have such a strong woman to be my wife as Angel.

I look forward with joy into the future, counting myself as one of the most blessed men in the world when I look into Asher's precious and trusting blue eyes. I am amazed at how much love I have for him when I have no doubt I would have seen Judah as a burden due to my immaturity. Although losing Judah was painful, Asher has filled the void in our hearts left by the horror of holding your dead child. I cannot stop hugging and kissing him. He truly fills my heart with more happiness than I have felt in over a year. We are now a budding family of five. Levi and Rebekah love their baby brother and sing to him whenever he cries. Our family feels the closest to complete it has felt in a long time.

Seth