My Favorites

I take copious amounts of pictures of my kids... it brings joy to my heart to capture the little aspects of life and fun memories. Amidst the files and files of photos I have stored on my computer (and piled in the basement from the pre-digital ice age), there are 3 that standout as some of my most favorites ever.

They're not my favorites because they're perfectly composed or because the lighting is just right or because the background is glamorous. No, they're my favorites because of the story they tell and because standing where I am now, I fully realize the promise for the future they represent.

The events surrounding Anna joining us in the world were... something. I don't know, pick a few adjectives. Unusual. Difficult. Painful. Bizarre. Brief story, sans details: Just a few hours after Anna was born (which went perfectly) Brian had a freak health issue and had to be rushed from Womens & Babies to the main LGH campus (because apparently he is neither woman nor baby and he could not be treated there). I also had some post-delivery complications and the first day of Anna's life was spent with both Brian and myself in relatively dire situations. We both spent several days in separate hospitals and Anna and I were released about 10 hours before he was, but still on the same day.

Coming home from the hospital without my husband by my side and not really knowing what the future held for him health-wise was difficult. Because of the situation, Reagan had never come to the hospital to meet Anna and I was saddened that Brian wouldn't be able to be a part of their first moments together. When we walked through the door, Reagan was just waking up from his nap. All bleary eyed and messy haired, he was ecstatic that we were home and just couldn't wait to hold his new little sister. When he climbed up on the sofa and I laid her in his lap, I was just hit with an immense joy and peace that everything was going to be ok. We were a family. Amidst all the difficulty of the previous days, God was granting me this joyous moment of seeing my two favorites together for the first time and an unexplainable peace and hope for the future flooded my heart.

Hi little sister

 Still waking up

 So proud.

Sitting here now, these photos are still so meaningful to me. My two favorites, in the same place for the first time... and now almost 5 years later they have become best of friends. When they're in their bunk beds chattering and giggling the night away I sometimes think of this moment and am so thankful. Thankful for a God who is Emmanuel - the God who is with us. Who, in the midst of even the most difficult times, provides moments that give us a glimpse of His promise of the future.

** I should also say that Brian came home from the hospital with absolutely no complications... while there was some recovery time involved, he's been perfectly healthy ever since... something the doctors did not give much hope for. God is good!! And we are looking to a very boring and non-eventful birth of baby number 3!!