Happy Birthday, Annie!

We had a beautiful weekend. Annie turned one. We wanted to have an intimate celebration, just our family, at our home. And we decided to have her dedication ceremony at the same time.  Even better, we were lucky enough to have her cousin dedicated with her. It was lovely. Exactly how I imagined it would be. How could it not be? It was all about Him. Thanking Him for our little angels. Assuring Him we cannot do any of this without Him. Praying for His guidance in every way along the way.

Our lifelong adored friend and pastor performed the ceremony. He’s the best. As are our dear family and friends we love so much. I’ve said it before, and whoever originally coined this phrase was so right, it takes a dang village. Thank you all so much for loving us, and helping us nurture these precious babies.

I was asked to share some thoughts about dedicating little Annie, and I shared a few on Saturday. Here are some more...

A year ago, I was terrified. Pretending I had surrendered my plans to His, I was showed up.  I’m still learning to trust. Not only was I scared of who our new baby would be. But what was this life going to be like for her? She would have a family who, by the world’s standards, is unconventional. Her sister has special needs. How would all of this affect her? Shape her? What would it do to her faith?

I don’t have answers to these questions. And sometimes I still wrestle with them. But I’m learning this. God created Annie perfectly. He created her for His purpose. She was created perfectly for our family. We’re just here to love her. Guide her. Support her. Teach her. Remind her. She is His. And He has big plans for her.

She will, hopefully, experience a lot of happiness, love, and laughter. She will also experience pain, hardships, and unfulfilled dreams. And strangely, I don’t hope anymore for our children to have pain free, easy, lives. Of course, I want this for them. But I know what their Father has in store is better. I know it’s the hard things He’ll be able to use to shape their hearts. To be more loving. To be more like Him. 

This world will try to tell Annie what’s important. What she should do. Who she should be. As her parents, we’ll try to teach her otherwise. We’ll try to teach her to lean into the One who created her. And take her cues from Him. Her Father, who loves her more than anyone. The only One who will ever fulfill her. We pray she learns early to trust Him. And if she can grasp this-that she is significant, she is worthy, and she is so utterly and completely loved, because she is His. We know she’ll be just fine.  

Happy Birthday, sweet Annie! We love you so much.