Mine.

             Do you ever just sit and reflect on how blessed you are for God to have given you your children?  Not just any child, your child - hand picked just for you.  And through all the laughs, the tears, the stubbornness, the back-talking, the hugs, the loves.....these kids were perfectly designed for you.  I couldn't imagine any other kids than the ones I have.

          In 2000, after 5 years of marriage, Matt & I decided we were at the right place in our lives to start a family. We were both established in our careers, we had a house, and even managed to keep a dog alive for more than 6 months - we're ready!  Right?  So funny to look back now and see that our children weren't a part of our "life plan", but one of God's plan for our lives.  After a few bumps, we gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, and she was simply amazing.  She opened our eyes to a whole new kind of love.  One of gratitude and awe and protection.  She was our everything.

          When she was 9 months old, along came another sweet gift from God- he took us by surprise then as he still does most days.  Two babies, 18-months apart?  Surely God was joking.  Brody Boy came along in the Fall of 2002 and he fit perfectly into our sweet family.  And wow - he knocked my socks off - a mother's love for her baby boy is unbelievable - I wanted to squeeze him hard and never let go (still do most days!).

          Two years ago I never would have imagined we would be given another sweet baby to love.  We had a complete little family of four. We were movin and groovin in our everyday life.  Our family was set. Ha.  I thank God each and every day that he blessed us with one more.  Our sweet Bubba Baby has enriched our lives.  

            He makes every one of us smile - no matter what the situation.  He is joyful and happy.  He makes us calm and loving.   He brightens up our lives as much as his megawatt smile brightens up the room.

        With this baby, I feel the need to soak in every second, to squeeze every drop of life out of every moment.  I often sit and stare at him, taking mental pictures of the moment, to remember them when he is 18.  Life moves by us so fast, I find myself wanting it to slow down, let me have more time with my precious 3.

       But for now, I reflect on how thankful I am to have been blessed to be at home with him - that's more time with him than I had with my other two.  It has given me so much peace to be there to play with him in the mornings, to take walks with him during the day, to sing silly songs with him that no one else will hear, to love on him every second of every day.  I live with no regret and am happy with the way I have raised my children.  God puts us in unique circumstances for what is best in our lives.  I am thankful that he had the foresight to put me in a circumstance to stay at home with the baby each day.  It has been a life-changing experience.

 

My children are precious.  My children are unique.  My children are mine.