Happy 6th birthday Gideon!!

We were told you wouldn’t make it to your first birthday. And as it got close, we learned a new statistic. “PBD kids who make it to their first birthday, have a 77% chance of making it to school age.”

At the time of your diagnosis, there were no more solid statistics on how long you would live.  We were told you would “write your own story.” And what a story it has been!

We believe you will continue to defy all odds, because you are, after all, a mighty wwarrior. You are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:13-14), created this way for a mighty purpose. (John 9:1-3).

You have taught me what it means to love unconditionally.

You have taught me that my happiness is not determined by my circumstances.

You have taught me that the Lord is my portion and I need not fear the future.

You have shown me (and the world) that a person’s worth is not the sum of his or her abilities or inabilities.

You are changing a world that you cannot see. You’ve done more with your first 6 years of life than many will do in a lifetime. And I am so incredibly proud to be your mom.

So happy 6th birthday Gideon! I’m so thankful God has loaned you to me and your father. I will cherish every moment that He allows you to be here. (Job 14:5, Psalm 139:16)

Love.

Mom

PS: Your big sister Laynie says she loves you so much! And so does your little brother and little sister!

————————————————————–

“As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.
John 9:1‭-‬3 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/jhn.9.1-3.ESV

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”
Psalms 139:13‭-‬14 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.139.13-14.ESV

“A person’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.”
Job 14:5 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/job.14.5.NIV

“Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”
Psalms 139:16 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.139.16.ESV

Nine years ago today I shared this photo. If you know our story, then you know how much Kevin and I HATED each other here. Yet every time I see this photo I smile.

I smile because it reminds me why I married the man I hated.

Kevin and I were not together when Laynie was born. In fact, we broke up not long after I found out I was pregnant. Kevin chose to date someone else for the remainder of my pregnancy; and I was beyond bitter about it. When I knew that Laynie was about to arrive, I did not notify him. After Laynie was born I had my sister send him a text that said, “Laynie is here and you can come to the hospital… with family only.”

Once he was there, I asked him to take this picture for one reason only. I felt like Laynie deserved one photo of her birth with both parents. We had all been busy taking our individual photos; trying to be cordial even though things were totally awkward. I swallowed my pride and asked him to “do this one for Laynie.” I really thought this would be our little girl’s ONLY family photo…. But God….rich in mercy had other plans.

If you watch the video below, you’ll see why I married the man I hated.

https://vimeo.com/208667257

Forgiveness IS possible.

God’s grace IS sufficient.

Since this video, we’ve added another biological child, Nya, to our family.

If you had told me 9 years ago, that Kevin and I would eventually reconcile, I would have laughed in your face. Our one family photo, eventually turned into more than I can count.

I never could have imagined that God would redeem things this way; but that is the beautiful thing about God. We see impossible circumstances as the end. But God sees them as the beginning of the new story He is writing.

“Impossible is where God starts” -Christine Caine