This blog post is a little rambled, sorry in advance!
I have had to pray a lot over the last few months! I am saying that because I have recently relized that I have formed a new tough skin for my daughter. Anyone who has a child that has something "different" about them I am sure feels the same way. People stare at your child and don't just ask a question. People whose kids say something tell their kids, shhh don't say anything. My daughter is a sweet human child! Please people, ASK! Working at a childrens hospital has taught me so much, but having a child with a "difference" has taught me so much more! It has taught me empathy like I have never known before.
It has been a tough few months because I have had to learn how to accept things. There were so many people I knew having babies. They were all "normal" babies. People would be doing simple things like nursing their babies and my heart would cry on the inside. I would be at church or other places with lots of new mommies with babies and people always would say how beautiful the other babies were and just say, oh sweet baby about my daughter. Again my heart would cry. I know how beautiful my daughter is, I wish others would see it too! I was sick of "explaining" my daughter to everyone I meet instead of just saying this is my daughter Lily.
I have had thoughts of, Why God? Why can't I just have normalcy? Then I am reminded that this is my normalcy. This is what God knew we could handle. God gave us this beautiful little girl and he trusts that we will raise her to be a woman of virtue. A girl/woman who knows how beautiful she is inside and out. My prayer for her is that she seeks God as her number one! That she knows everything "normal". That she does dance and plays dress up like other little girls. I know she will and that is more than some parents can say, so for that I am ever so greatful! She is such an amazing girl and her personality so far is so very amazing. I know that God gave her this personality to overcome any difficulties she incurrs in life. She will have this tough skin too, I know it. This will make her the woman she will become.
Lily, when you read this someday I want you to know:
-Your Creator made you this way for a purpose God says you are Fearfully and Wonderfully made! And you are!
-Your family loves you unconditionally.
-You will meet people who don't understand things about you, but that happens to everyone for one reason or another. Your Mom was the "chubby kid" in school. Your Dad had some pretty thick glasses in school. Sometimes people say hurtful things but you will overcome it.
-Your brother has always been so proud to be your big brother! Everyone he meets he introduces you to them. He says this is my beautiful (yes he uses that word everytime!) sister Lily. She has a cleft lip. I am her big brother. It truely is the sweetest thing!
We Love our children and hope others see how beautiful they are too. I am sure that every parent feels this way and that is why my "empathy" has changed more than ever!
I could have written this! It made me cry!
ReplyDeleteGod chose us to be the mothers of these beautiful angels! How special he must think WE are to get to have them in our lives! :)
Oh Kari, I can so relate! People come up to Atticus and say, Oh what a cute little guy! Then turn and look at Silas and say, "EWWW! Whats that!" Daniel and I always, say, "You know we are adults we can take the stares, pointing, mean comments, but we are glad he's not old enough to understand" Well, I think that's partly a lie. Its my baby and it breaks my heart and sometimes just makes me cry in public. I with you have been awaken to a whole new world of empathy and I think our friends and family have too. I am lifting you guys up in prayer all day today, and I'd love to have those verses people recommended to you for our trip to NY in a few weeks. You are one strong mama and Lilly is abundantly blessed by your love!
ReplyDelete