Caught By Surprise

I just have to say, that I was caught by surprise.

I never was the girl who dreamed about getting married and having a family since she was 8.  This is not to say I didn't want either of those things.  I always hoped and prayed to find love, get married and have kids, but it was not a very strong desire - not one that was all consuming as it is for others. 

I also was never the girl who wanted to climb the corporate ladder, become uber successful and make all kinds of money and be "important" in the eyes of the world.

I had always wanted to help people.  That was always an important thing for me.  That was what I felt God calling me to do with my life.  I knew this by the time I was a Freshman in high school.  Being as I was exposed to all kinds of things in the medical field, I thought about speech language pathology and physical therapy.  Speech won out.

I headed off to college, then grad school and God led me in the direction of working with kids...also something I never planned to do.  When I started out I wanted to work with adults with brain injuries in a hospital.  I got put in a school placement and fell in love with kids.  I also (years later - after I moved back to my hometown, began working for the school district I grew up in and God really got ahold of my heart) got led to go on a mission trip to Canada to help share the love of Jesus with native kids.  As many of you know, it was on that same mission trip I met my husband.  We have now been married just a little over a year. 

I would be lying if I said that Ruth was a planned baby. She wasn't.  She was, however, in God's wonderful plan for us, and was a very welcome addition to our lives.  (How could I be upset about a baby?!)  But what really caught me by surprise?  How much I LOVE being a mom. 

I have had some incredibly hard days since she was born, but I have also had some incredibly wonderful days.  There honestly has been no greater gift God gave me - other than the gift of my husband - than this little girl.  I have learned so much since she came into our lives.  God has used her to purify me more for His glory, and for that I am so grateful.  And - something else I thought I would never say - I hope and pray He will bless us with at least 2 more kids. 

So yes, I was caught by surprise.  But what a wonderful surprise it was. 

 

In Christ and with love,

Meg