Happy Birthday, Andrew!

Happy first birthday to Andrew Jay, my sweet baby boy! 

You are a blessing, a joy, and a total miracle from God.

This has been a great year and a tough year, but without the pain of nearly losing you, we wouldn't know what it is to be comforted and held completely by our Lord. 

Minutes old.

Six weeks old, in ICU.

Seven weeks old, in surgical recovery.

I love watching you play.  You're so happy as you investigate everything, rolling cars around and turning the pages of your board book.  It's sweet to hear you trying to sing songs along with me and your sister. Nothing makes you happier than to discover one of your big sister's favorite toys left unattended, because you just relish getting to hold something that belongs to her.  And when she asks for it back, you're happy to comply because making her happy also makes you happy.  I love listening to you two play and laugh so hard at each other. 

You have such a sweet and joyful spirit.  Your precious smile and big brown eyes are enough to make anyone melt.  Already, I can tell that you have a tender heart and a desire to please your mommy and daddy.

 

I can't wait to see what kind of young man you'll grow up to be.  I pray that you'll desire to please the Lord, to honor Him, and to serve Him every day.  I pray for your wife, that she'll be a godly woman, and that the two of you will enter marriage as pure and holy children of God.  I pray that you'll delight in the things that delight God, and that you'll have a heart for the lost. 

You will know all about your surgery and the day that we nearly lost you.  One day, you'll ask about your scars and we'll tell you all about them.  They're your Ebenezer stones, left to remind our family that "Thus far the LORD has helped us."  I'll continue singing the same songs to you that I sang to you in the hospital, songs of God's goodness and faithfulness, songs that will remind you that He is the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your savior.  We'll continue praying your life verses over you, the same verses that comforted us when we thought we might lose you. 

Your name means warrior.  At less than six weeks old, you fought for your life.  I pray that you'll be God's warrior, fighting for the Lord and winning spiritual battles as you become a man.