Keeping vigil for a baby

This past couple weeks we've had the opportunity to do some playdates with friends who are expecting a baby any moment. It has been fun to get together, fun to break up our routines, and get out of ourselves. It has also reminded me of how grateful I am for my family. Whenever we have been expecting a baby, and I am exhausted and miserable (along with excited, anticipating, and overjoyed), I had help from my family and friends. I had my sisters' support and kindness and incredible generosity, which made it possible to focus on the delivery and not worry about the other children at home (like carrying for Joseph and Johnny when Annelise was born). I've had incredibly kind neighbors/friends who have supported us throughout miscarriages and tough pregnancies too. I also had my parents' help with Joseph when we were adopting Johnny, and they generously took him off to have some fun for a couple days. I find I miss dearly all these people, and no matter how long we've lived here, I keep on missing them. I found this week, because of my family's great kindness, and how much that meant, it was easy to want to help my friend. This friend also lives far from family, and we share a similar understanding. I didn't do enough, nothing compared to what I received, but I was grateful to be near my friend and be reminded how vulnerable one feels when bringing life into the world. Labor and delivery are as close to facing death and the goodness of God all at once I have ever known. It is in that vulnerability, I have felt such gratitude, to be alive, to be created a woman, to be married, and with all this to be the recipient of life, as this precious and dear gift entrusted to our hearts and hands. So when I saw my friend struggling to catch her breath, get any sleep, find any position of comfort, and struggle to be patient, I prayed for her and thanked God for this new life. My children loved to touch her tummy, and Johnny begged to "See it, baby, baby come out" not understanding the baby was "inside", hidden, but also present. It's still a wonder to behold, how God has chosen us to bear life, in our bodies, in our hearts, and suffer to bring forth the future generations. So for today, I thank God, for those around me pregnant with new life. Since this gift doesn't come easily for us, I marvel at the blessings given to others.

This also reminds me of a conversation Joseph and I had this week. We were discussing theology and he said, "The Resurrection and the Mass are great miracles, and it's easy to understand why someone could doubt them. But Jesus' birth, God becoming man, that's easy to understand. He's God and God can do anything. I just don't see the problem." I wish everyone could have his simple, genuine understanding and trusting faith in our Lord.