Happy Birthday Maggie

Today is my Maggie's birthday. Seven years ago today God fulfilled all of the desires of my heart; and along with her my heart is growing.  As a young woman and even as a child I always dreamed of having two sons and one daughter. I remember wishing for it as a teenager and then praying for it as a married woman.  I have loved kids my entire life. I have dreamed of being a mother as far back as I can remember; playing baby dolls in my room and kissing my imaginary husband goodbye as he left for work. I started baby sitting as soon as I was allowed to and I have been surrounded by kids ever since. I babysat until I could legally get a job and then I babysat on the side. While in college I got a job at a daycare center and then babysat for some of the parents that brought their children to the daycare. I left the daycare while I was engaged and six months after I got married my husband and I started our family. We were married one year and three months before our first son was born. It was a short honeymoon, but I was ready to be a mom. After Andrew, our first son was born, I started working as the youth director at our church and I also started a child care business of my own. Almost fourteen years later I have moved from Youth Pastor to Associate Pastor and I am still heavily involved with our youth today.

Our family was completed in 2007 when our precious Margaret was born.  I cannot put into words the shear joy I felt when I heard the doctor say "you have a daughter". Really I knew it was going to be a girl, not by ultra sound but in my heart,  but to hear it announced out loud sent chills through my entire body.

 I immediately looked for that "girl" confirmation (while my husband had other thoughts; read my blog "Tom and Maggie") and I saw with my own eyes, my daughter. My family was complete. My prayers had been answered, God had given me the desires of my heart. I had two sons and one daughter.

 Laying there in the hospital bed and being filled with so much love and happiness I felt such contentment. I was also humbled at the thought of the creator of the universe loving me so much that he gave me the desire of my heart. The bible tells us that "He" will give us the desires of our heart if we would just believe. 

I heard her cry and my arms reached for her. I wanted to run across the room to where she was being cleaned and swaddled and pick her up and kiss her from head to toe. If it hadn't been for the lingering effects of the epidural I probably would have.  I wanted to hold my daughter. My husband was crying, I was crying and I am almost certain my nurse was crying. She and I had become close in those four hours and she knew how desperately I wanted a daughter. Finally they brought her to me. She immediately quieted at the sound of my voice, my smell and my

touch. She was so tiny. I just stared at her. My fingers gently graced her face and her lips. I breathed in her newborn scent and felt like she had been a part of me for longer than just nine months. I had fallen in love all over again. It is amazing that our hearts can grow even more than we ever thought they could. I had two beautiful sons that filled my heart with more love than I ever imagined possible, but here I was, holding my third child and my heart grew yet again and it hasn't stopped growing. I remember sitting in our family room and holding her the day we brought her home from the hospital and thinking to myself, I could never love you more than I do right now. I was wrong. These last seven years have brought so much love and happiness while watching her grow, that sometimes I think if it keeps

growing, one day it will bust. 

She looks like her daddy, but she is a mini me. She loves to play dress up and put on my makeup, but she can fish and ride bikes with the best of the boys.  She is smart, sassy, funny and loves people.  She can be stubborn and strong willed, and she can have her heart broken with just one word. She can talk like an adult or like a baby, and she can out talk anyone, anywhere and at any time. She has her daddy wrapped around her little finger. There are times she even has her two brothers wrapped around her little finger. She is our princess. She is growing up so fast and no matter how hard we try to slow it down, it is coming full speed.  We are doing our best to teach her biblical morals and values and to trust in the Lord. I feel that is the greatest gift I will be able to give her; is a relationship with Jesus. I pray blessings over her all the days of her life.  I cannot imagine our family without her. I am looking forward to the days of shopping, driving and prom, but right now I would like to slow time down just a bit and hold on to my baby girl.  She still fits in my lap and she still likes to snuggle. She still wants me to kiss her boo boos and brush her hair. I am not in a hurry to let go. We only get one shot at raising them and I plan to take my time. 

Happy Birthday Princess Margaret. You are a gift more precious than gold, you sparkle brighter than the biggest diamonds, your worth cannot be measured. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are loved by your family, but more importantly you are loved by God. May goodness and mercy follow you all the days of your life.