LIFE

Do you have children? I do. I have a beautiful seven month old daughter who loves to laugh. She is fragile, but brave at the same time. Her name is Abigail Lauren. She is feminine, fiesty, and fearless to say the least. My husband and I have been initiated into the realm of parenting and it is for certain, the most wonderful blessing that we have been given. Sometimes I stare at her and think about LIFE. I think of how she is completely dependent on Mike and I for everything that she needs and she is not a bit worried about it. I learn a lot from her. She is the most honest person that I have ever met. I don't have to remind myself that she is only going to be this little for a short period of time, and I should cherish it while the time is here. Everyday, I do my best to do just that, even when it gets tiring. She is starting to crawl. One thing is for sure, she is persistent. She tries and tries, and when she falls down, she tries again. She also knows how to get what she wants. When she is hungry, she sticks everything in sight in her mouth until I get the hint, but she doesn't often cry about it; a great sign of maturity at such a young age. When she's tired, she nuzzles up to us as if to say,"could you cuddle me to sleep now?" and we gladly do. She gets excited and her eyes grow three times their normal size, I think as a point to emphasize that when she's happy, we all should be. She likes to carry on conversations by herself too, and even though we have no idea what she's saying, she does and thats all that matters to her. I was nervous at first, to take her to church, only to discover that she was born to be an evangelist. People are drawn to her and she likes it. She greets everyone with a smile and it can brighten your whole day. To have a child is to be given the world to hold in your hands, and the entire universe to try to fit inside your heart. Sometimes, when I get frustrated, I try to remember that it must be harder for her than it is for me. It's at those times when I am most thankful for God's willingness to teach me constant mending and repairing, to guide Michael and I through. He is our source of LIFE. We are all in this together. The smiling face of our child, and the LORD's goodness and grace beyond measure, keeps us.