A Dillard family update!

Derick and Jill have given us an update on their mission work and what they have planned for the month of August.

Derick and Jill are about start taking lessons about speaking Spanish. They are also planning to come home for a short time.
Derick and Jill have been gone for a little over a month and things are going great. They have helped so many people come to Christ.

We will see you for our next Dillard update! :)

Be sure to check out All about Israel: Fourth month of life

Recap: Jill's special Delivery

Jill and Derick sit down with their midwives and with Jill's mom and sister to go over the birth plan and give a house tour. They want to have a home birth where Derick would like to try to catch their little one.
Jim Bob, Michelle and Josie look for the crib that started with Jennifer and ended up being Josie's crib. It is their hope to pass the crib down to Derick and Jill so they can use it for baby Dilly. They end up finally the crib.
Derick, Jill and Cathy head for a pedicure where Derick enjoys his feet being washed and massaged however he is not a fan getting his toenails painted. Derick recommends them with your wife.
Michelle calls Jennifer through Josie downstairs to practice with baby dolls. Michelle shows them to hold the baby and then to feed it. Josie decides that she wants to nurse the baby doll.
Michelle gives her daughter to keep her marriage first since they were there before motherhood.
Jim Bob loves to give Michelle affection and admits that he embarrasses his wife and kids by doing so.
Derick and Jill head to Oklahoma State University where the Dillard family went to college. Derick shares that his father was the school's mascot before he was.
Jill loves that her husband was Pristol Pete and how he manages to get the crowed all excited about the game.
Derick and Jill wants to make sure that they are going to encourage their kids to do what God instores for them. Jill hopes that one of their kids will be Pristol Pete like Derick and his father.
On the morning of Jill's baby shower, the family gets news of the snow and ice storm but it doesn't take any attendance. This is Derick's first shower and his brother comes with his brother. Guys normally don't go to baby showers but he is secure in his manhood.
Michelle decides to give them a mother/daughter time to talk about Jill's upcoming labor. Jill reveals that she is nervous about giving birth.
The youngest children of Jim Bob and Michelle get gag gifts for Derick's birthday and inculding a baby owner manual and diaper changing tool kit.
The family gathers to celebrate Derick's birthday. Cathy gives her son an album of his baby's pictures and a diary entry written by his father while she was pregnant.
Jill water breaks at 3am and she tries castor oil to make labor start which it does. Almost a day later, they called their team to get there. She is starting her second day of labor and went to the bathroom only to notice meconium stain.
Derick and Jill decide that it's time to head to the hospital so that they can check her. The hospital reports that the baby is fine and offers Pitocin which helps increase labor which denies but later changes her mind.
10 hours later and Derick and Jill are exhausted but stay positive that their son will be there soon.
About twenty hours later, the Doctor gets another ultrasound and has given the order for a C-section because he had flipped at the last moment.
Derick, Michelle and Cathy are in the room with Jill has they get baby Dilly out of the womb.
Jim Bob and the kids are at the house and are supporting her through prayer during her labor. When Israel is born, the whole family is excited to meet the baby. Jill reveals that every contraction and pain was worth it.
Derick and Jill leave the hospital to bring their son home. Derick and Jill decided to stop at the family's home so that they can meet their fourth grandchild/nephew. Derick wants another baby and Jill agrees!

10 months of marriage!

Derick and Jill have been married for ten months! They welcomed their son, Israel earlier this month.

Derick's blog: A Letter To Israel

Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you; you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.  I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you.  Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it; shout, O depths of the earth; break forth into singing, O mountains, O forest, and every tree in it!  For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and will be glorified in Israel.  Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb; I am the Lord, who made all things, who spread out the earth by myself, who frustrates the signs of liars and makes fools of diviners, who turns wise men back and makes their knowledge foolish, who confirms the word of his servant and fulfills the counsel of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited’, and of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be built, and I will raise up their ruins’; who says to the deep, ‘Be dry; I will dry up your rivers’; who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose’; saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built’, and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’”     -Isaiah 44:21-28

To Israel, my firstborn son:       
            I read these verses in my time with the Lord this morning, and I wanted to pen them specifically for you.  Just as the Lord spoke of the nation of Israel, I pray He would accomplish in you.  I pray that you, Israel, whom I already love more than anybody, except mom of course J, would turn to the Lord early in your life and glorify Him with all that is within you.     
Though we are still waiting on your physical birth, I want you to know that mom and I are already praying for your spiritual birth.  The world has not met you yet, but the Lord our God already knows everything about you and who you will be.  After all, He is forming you as we speak!  How awesome is our God, the God of Israel!  None shall prevail against Him!       
It is so neat to have felt you kicking, punching, and turning inside of mom for months now.  Even if it doesn’t always feel the best for mom, I know the joy you bring makes it up for her. J       
I pray that you will continue to grow, in stature, in knowledge, and in wisdom, true wisdom, that is from the Lord.  And know that I love you son and I always will, no matter what.  I will say it again… I love you Israel!  -Your daddy

Meet Israel David!

Derick and Jill are proud to announced that they have welcome their first son on April 6, 2015. They named him Israel David.

Weight: 9lbs and 10 oz

Check in next Monday for our first update on his first week of life