Happy Birthday, Cailyn!

Babies, especially newborn babies, there is nothing quite like their little sounds and gentle movements.  They are fascinating to watch.  They bring with them such awe and wonder.  I love their little stretches, their facial expressions and their precious newborn smell.

Our oldest baby was about three weeks old when I figured out that the back of my neck was actually sore from just holding her, and looking at her constantly--but such a good kind of pain--for she was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen.  Then, four days later, her cousin was born, and we had two beautiful babies to enjoy.  These two baby girls are all grown up now, having babies of their own,

It is true, the babies in our family are all the most beautiful I have ever seen.  Isn't that the truth, every mom or grandma, or aunt or great aunt, thinks their babies are the most beautiful...this is as it should be, for if you told the truth, you would say the same.

I think when we welcome, celebrate and rejoice when babies are born, we are acting from a place of profound hope.  The birth stories we share concerning our children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews...are sacred--because these babies give us a place in history--this particular time and this place. 

Today, I am feeling hopeful, because today, our family will grow because of baby being born!

Today, this day, our niece will have deliver her third baby.  Happy Birthday, Cailyn Grace!!!  She is being welcomed by her big brother, Clay, her big sister, Carsyn and her mom & dad--along with her grandparents, and her aunts and uncles.  She already is so blessed to be a part of such a family who already love her.  I love that we are counted among extended family members.  I do not like that we live in another state and we will not get to meet her right away.  I love that there is technology available, though, so we will be able to see her right away!  

We choose whether we want to have babies or not.  If we choose not to, we certainly have much time to do 'other things'--and that is fine.  When we choose to have babies, though, our lives somehow simultaneously slow down in order to enjoy, and speed up  in order to get it all done!

Through our children we learn a different perspective about life, don't we?  We have a better discernment, hopefully, for the truly important things in life.  I have learned my most valuable life-lessons because we have children.  Not that my children have taught me everything, but the experience of parenting, itself, has been an amazing educational process.  There are the extremes, happiness, joy, laughter and hilarious stories to tell, re-tell and enjoy.

There are the terrifying things, like illness, driver's permits, waiting in the moments when they are late for curfew...sending them out the door on their first sleep over when they are 6 or 7, and then again, when they go 'out' with friends in a car for the first time.  There are sad moments, like when they don't make the "team", or they feel their best friend betrayed them--or their boyfriend has stopped calling.  There are questioning moments like when the plumber has to pull the toilet, only to find that a cassette tape has been mysteriously flushed.  OR, when two little girls come in squealing about their new 'pet bird'...and they have actually roped a little bird with kite string--we still do not know how that happened.  There are ER visits for stitches and doctor visits for high fever.  There are sleepless nights--for all kinds of reasons.  There are contented sleep-filled nights, too, though like when the entire family is under one roof contentedly sleeping.

Another lesson to learn is how to tell a great story.  For example, stories about family members are great for our kids to hear.  When we turn good memories of our family members that have gone on before us into children's stories, we have given our children a sense of belonging, and a sense of their place in family history.  These stories are sacred to our families and should be told and re-told.

Yes, having children is a gift, but a gift that comes with great responsibility to help them find their identity and place in their family and within this world, as well.  Do it well...with passion and purpose...but do it well!