Our iphoto program has not been working for several weeks so I thought I'd just go ahead and post this blog w/out the pics for now. I love this pic of Mary and baby Jesus so I thought I'd share it! (My mom had it on their Christmas card this year.)
The months keep flying by as our little baby continues to grow and grow! David and I still are amazed at our little one and often look at each other in disbelief, saying, "This is our child!?" We knew we would love him and enjoy being parents, but we really were not prepared for the overwhelmingly deep love we have for our Blaise and the joy he brings to our lives!
We really can't get enough of him. I know it's sappy, but it's so true. If you are a parent I'm sure you know exactly how we feel. His smile, laugh, and adorable endless blabber. His sweet breath on our faces when he sleeps, his soft smile and stretches when he wakes up. His cooing and blabbering along when we sing to him. His soft little head that's so warm to nuzzle against our chins. His chubby cheeks that get kissed endless times a day. The way his eyes open with start as his body touches the bath water, the way he splashes continuously getting water all over him and us. His slobbery little hands that reach and grab us, often into our mouths or hair. His spit up and drool that gets us in the face when we do airplane. His open mouth that goes for our chins and noses and his pointy little tongue that he sporadically sticks out. His funny fake cough he does when he is displeased with something. His humerous cries of protest when when we put his diaper and clothes back on. The way he jumps and jumps with excitement when we hold him. The way he nurses furiously, as if he hadn't just eaten 2 hours earlier. The love that fills his blue eyes when he gazes at us for seconds on end and the heart melting smile he gives. The way he cries when he wants his momma and needs only me to comfort him....
Oh the list could go on and on! We praise Jesus for our little boy and the love he has brought to our lives. My heart echos Mary's prayer in Luke 1:49, "For he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name." I can't even begin to imagine what it was like for Mary to carry and raise the Messiah of the world! (Let alone to birth him in a barn!) To raise him up like any other child, knowing he was Savior of the world, knowing he would suffer and die- yet also knowing he would conquer sin and redeem the world! What an amazing responsibility!
Though I am obviously not Mary, nor David Joseph, we still have the huge responsibility of raising our son in a house that loves and cherishes the Lord. What a huge job we have to teach Him the ways of our Father-to model his love and the treasuring of our Savior.* Blaise is still to young to understand when David and I don't cherish Christ and model His love before him, when we are in disagreement or are simply are unkind and impatient with each other. But soon, our little boy will be older, and he will repeat our behavior-the good and the bad. His heart naturally is bent towards evil and sin. He will disobey and talk back, exhibit behavior that both David and I have struggled with. Oh, how I wish he would stay a sweet, young babe forever! But I know our love for him will only grow stronger as he grows with each day- and as we struggle through our sin natures together. I pray that Christ will give us an overwhelming love for Him and His gospel of love and grace and that will trickle down to our children; and that He daily would grant us the grace to handle theirs- and our- disobedient hearts.
*We've been listening to Ted Tripp's Biblical Parenting conference podcast-highly recommend! He's the author of Shepherding a Child's Heart.
