Big Blessings in Small Packages

I believe that babies are a gift from God.  Actually I believe that lots of things are gifts from God.  I believe that God answers prayers... even if not always in the way that we hope.  As a little girl I prayed to God to send me a man, not just a boy, but a man that would love me unconditionally and who I could love unconditionally back.  A little over a year and a half ago, I married the man that God sent to fulfill that dream. 

In the time that I have been married alone over a dozen of my friends have given birth to little ones.  This doesn't even count the ones who had babies before our wedding.  Last year, May was blessed with Spain and I have enjoyed every moment of watching him grow up and bond with his older brother Alex. 

In January, another friend of mine welcomed a third child into her wonderful family.  Unfortunately I didn't know about it until recently due to the fact that Hubby was home and to the fact that her husband was home on leave as well.  I thank God that they were able to be together for the birth of their new daughter.  I had prayed that the timing would work out for them.  Yet another prayer that God answered with flying colors. 

I wish that I could say that the circumstances under which I discovered that this good friend had given birth to her daughter were just as happy but unfortunately the news was accompanied by the news that the baby was sick and in the hospital at only one month old.

My heart went out not just to my friend but also to her entire family; to my friend as a mom who was in the hospital with a newborn, to her husband deployed overseas unable to help his wife or child, to their other two young children who now had to cope without the every day attention of either parent until their newest sibling could come home.  Trying to imagine myself in any of their shoes was heartbreaking.  Luckily both parents have family in the area who stepped up to help with the older children and to provide emotional support. 

I didn't want to overstep my welcome but I reached out in the only way I know how.  First with words and an offer to listen and chat, and secondly with dessert.  I know it sounds silly but somehow, for me anyway, a friend and some sweets always seem to make a bad situation seem a little bit better.

I was fortunate enough to be able to visit mom and baby twice during their three week long hospital stay.  I was afraid to hold the baby for fear of hurting her but my friend assured me that she wasn't quite that fragile.  Holding this tiny baby girl in my arms I was completely enthralled with her.  She is absolutely beautiful and she was so happy, smiling at me and making happy noises despite the fact that she was not feeling her best and had an IV tube attached to her tiny arm.  It was such a privilege just to hold her for that short time until she decided she was hungry and wanted her mom back.  All I could think about was how this new little life was a blessing from God to every life that she touched. Her parents are incredibly lucky.

Many people have been praying for this little girl so that she would recover quickly and be able to go back home to the rest of her family.  These prayers were fulfill this week and I am happy to be able to say that my friend was able to take her home earlier this week.

In times such as these I often feel a bit of what I call "baby envy."  These small bundles of joy are such wonderful gifts and it is difficult not want one of my own.  Hubby and I have decided to wait a bit before we start our own family so that we can enjoy time being a couple first.  A time will come when we are ready to have a baby of our own but until then I feel blessed to be able to share in the job of welcoming my friends' children.  To those of you who are blessed to be the parents of these children, thank you for letting me share your joy.

Innocence of Children

A few weeks ago  I was at my friend May's house.  She had two little girls staying with her for the weekend in addition to her own two boys because she had offered to watch them while the girls' parents attendend a marriage retreat.  May had invited me over as another pair of dult eyes and for some adult conversation.  As bedtime grew close the kids stalled trying to delay the end to their fun.  May read them two bedtime stories and asked them if they wanted to pray.  She offered each child a chance to pray on his or her own if they wanted to.  I was curious to hear what the kids would pray for.  I really wasn't sure what to expect but I thought they might say something along the lines of blessing their family members since that is what my parents did with me when I was young.

The oldest of the children began.  I think she is only slightly older than Alex who  is six but what came out of her mouth really touched me.  " Dear God she began, please bless my mama and my papa and please watch over their (Alex and Spain) papa and please make sure that he comes home soon and safe.  Pease give me good dreams not bad ones and..."  My heart squeezed.  Alex had told the girls earlier that his papa had just left on deployment.  At six he understands a lot of what that means for him and his family and I think he has been feeling his dad's absence.  I could not believe that this little girl had prayed for Alex's dad without any prompting.  She had done it of her own volition and you could tell she meant every word.  Alex prayed next and he too asked for the same things, micing the girl's prayer almost exactly. 

In that moment I not only thanked God for the understand of Alex's friend and for the support she showed him but wished that Alex and his baby brother did not have to be in the position of missing their father at all.  Deployment is hard on everyone but it breaks my heart to see a child missing a parent.