Charity and her family at the beach this summer.
It was a crazy time to have a baby. Wendell was in his second year of medical school, and we were living on student loans that had already exceeded ten years of his previous salary. We had also exceeded the highly recommended 2.5 children by a rambunctious point five. These were the days before Jon & Kate. Large families were not considered chic. Just irresponsible.
I knew all those things. Yet the longing would not go away. Finally, I went upstairs to pray one day, determined to clear my head and focus my heart and basically get over it. I don't remember where the other children were or how I secured my fifteen minutes of silence. But I remember exactly what happened next.
A thought as clear as a spoken word shot through my mind. You are not merely longing for another baby. You are homesick for one of your children who isn't here yet.
And that was it. I am pretty certain the thought originated in Heaven, and my soul exploded with the news. Homesick for one of your children. That is exactly how I felt. The same way I would feel if Felicity, Serenity, or Joseph were far away in another country instead of tucked safely in our own home.
One of the really great things about my husband is that he trusts me when I tell him I've heard something from God. Even something that goes against all conventional wisdom (and would later get us denied a lease from at least three different landlords because we were over the limit of children allowed.)
So, on June 18, 1982, Charity Lynn was born. And it was true. Our family was immediately complete. I believe Wendell and I cooperated with God that year. And I believe we gave a great gift to the world.
Thank you cards may be sent to this blog address.
Dear Mom, thank you for having Charity. She completely rocks. And she gave me a namesake.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I thought this was a personal message to me until I remembered it was Charity's birthday. :)
I'm so glad you felt that you were missing a child who was not there yet... otherwise I would have lived missing a very dear friend.
ReplyDelete~Heather
I felt this way before having Megan. I knew the responsible thing to do was to stop at 2 and provide better for them and that was Kevin's plan too...but I could not "get over it" either. I felt like something was missing in my family, and after praying repeatedly for peace with remaining a mom of 2, I finally decided God was on my side. I found out 6 weeks after making the final decision that Megan was on the way so I am confident we followed God's plan. And now my life has never been so hectic...or complete. I love this post.
ReplyDeleteBoy am I glad for Charity! It was, no doubt, her friendship that led me, a hispanic city girl, to a small Bible College in rural Missouri where I'd meet the man of my dreams! THANK YOU!!!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome Serenity, Heather, and Leslie. (I'm extremely grateful she drug you from Chicago to Kirksville, too, Leslie.) And, Valerie, I know Megan will be the delight of all your lives the way Charity is of ours. (But, of course, I don't love her the most, Seren)
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