A Child is Born

This weekend we celebrated my daughter Charlotte’s 2nd birthday. I think I will always think of her as our baby, but she is truly growing up before my eyes. When I was expecting, Taylor and I went together to my 20 week appointment so he could be with me for the anatomy scan. We told the ultrasound tech we weren’t sure yet if we wanted to find out the sex of the baby. There must have been some miscommunication because as she was checking all the baby’s organs, she popped up the words “I’m a girl!” on the screen. My pregnancy with Charlotte was pretty much the exact opposite of my pregnancy with Margot and I was convinced I was having a boy. Margot and I are very close and we did everything together. She even accompanied me to all my other OB appointments toting along her Doc McStuffins toy doctor kit. I was honestly a little nervous about the possibility of having another girl and it changing my relationship with Margot since she would have someone to team up against me with. If I was nervous about having two girls, Taylor was terrified.

Ever since I was little, I thought that if I had a daughter I would name her Charlotte. By the time Margot came along, the name Charlotte had already become very popular and Kate Middleton gave it to the Princess of England just a year before. When we found out we were having a second girl, Charlotte was still my baby name, but I was apprehensive to use it, not wanting her to be one of several in her class. Taylor came up with the nickname Lola and after having a special and unique name that we could call our little girl, I was finally able to settle on naming our baby. We gave her the middle name, Wade, after Taylor’s father and his great uncle who didn’t make it home after serving in World War II.

Looking back, I don’t know why I was so worried about having a relationship with a second girl or giving her a commonly used name. Our little Lola came into the world in God’s perfect timing and was as unique as she could be. My mom went to the hospital with Taylor and me while my dad stayed at the ranch with Margot. Now that Taylor is gone, I am thankful that my mom was there and I still have someone to share that special memory with. After an afternoon and evening of labor, I called the nurse around 1 am and told her that it was time to get the doctor. I remember how calm the hospital seemed so late at night. Everything was quiet and the delivery went quickly. I will never forget when Lola was out, Taylor looked at this precious baby and after just having witnessed the miracle of life, he looked at our doctor, the two nurses, my mom and me and said, “And to think there are some people who don’t believe in God.”

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

Psalm 139:13

This was such a profound statement from my husband. He was no longer worried about being completely outnumbered by girls or the fact that our days would most likely revolve around ballet and princesses instead of football and dinosaurs. Taylor was just in awe of the child God had made and entrusted us with. She was exactly who she was supposed to be. I’ve heard preachers say before that it takes more blind faith to be an atheist than to believe in some divine power. I think this is absolutely true, especially when you think about how intricately designed we are as humans.

Doctors spend entire careers studying just one part or system of the human anatomy and only a handful are considered experts. I think about all the things my own body has gone through like childbirth or the shock and pain of losing my husband and am amazed by how God expertly designed the body to protect itself. We are designed to persevere. The books of Matthew and Luke both tell us that even the hairs on our heads are all numbered. If God knows every hair on your head, then you can be assured He took great care in creating your gender, shape, eye color, race, height and all the other physical characteristics that make each of us unique. As you go through your day remember that God took great care in “knitting you together.” He specifically planned for you to inhabit your body during this time in history as He did with everyone you will ever encounter. I hope that this thought helps you to be kind to yourself (especially on the days we feel a little road hard) and kind to one another. We were all made in the image of the Lord and we are all here for a purpose.

Love, Molly

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