Happy Birthday Faith!
Six years ago today after 6 hours of labour, and just two pushes, I wept as I held my new baby girl in my arms. I knew the moment I saw that she was a girl what her name would be. "This is Faith' I said to the midwives as they took her from the pool I birthed her in to clean her up.10 months earlier I woke with a start from a dream. There were no images in the dream, which is strange for me as my dreams are normally so vivid in colour and detail. This dream was just a voice, a commanding authoritative "God" voice and it said, 'You have concieved a child and it will be a girl'.
We were trying for our second child at that time, but brushed the dream off as just that, a dream. I was so hopeful for another child I couldn't allow myself to believe it to be a girl.
Two weeks later my sister and I were on a shopping trip in Buffalo and when we arrived in the mall I said, 'Ok I have to eat NOW', my hands were shaking and I devoured my meal in mere minutes. My sister sat wide eyed watching my feast and said,
'Are you sure you're not pregnant?'
'Yes, I'm sure, I did a test and it was negative'
'Well, maybe before you go buying clothes you should do another one, just sayin''"
An hour later I was staring at two pink lines.
So, I was pregnant. That part of the dream was true. But as for the other part? I spent the rest of my pregnancy telling myself it was a boy. I already had a boy and loved him more than I knew it was possible to love another human being. Two boys would be amazing. But deep within me was the dream of a little girl, pink clothes, dolls, and dress-up...a daughter.
I didn't dare let that hope grow inside me along with the baby, I didn't want to feel any sense of disappontment if it was a boy.
So, the moment I gave the second and last push to welcome my new child into the world I resolved myself to seeing little boy bits. As I pulled her from the water, she took her first breath and I cradled her wet, pink and warm body next to mine. As soon as I could, I looked to see what I had been blessed with. A GIRL!! I was overjoyed and tears flowed freely from my eyes.
I immediately knew that her name must be 'Faith'; a constant reminder that I need to have more faith, that my God is a loving God who wants to give me the desires of my heart and that it is ok to dream and hope for those desires.
As it turns out we got even more than we bargained for. Our daughter is a bright, funny, whimsical, creative, determined and beautiful creature who amazes, delights and yes drives me crazy! We love her more and more every day.At her dedication, someone known for giving quite prophetic words said to us, 'God has created in her a personality and qualities that will sometimes be challenging to you as parents, but that He has intended for His glory'
We can't wait to see what God has planned for her life. This is a video of her first year that I put together for her first birthday.
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