This new year is new in more ways than just a number. The sixth day of the year concluded with a tiny bundle of joy in our arms: 45 minutes before her due date. This was my first labor and delivery without an epidural so in some ways it felt like my first time of giving birth, despite it actually being my third. The pain was excruciating and shocking yet I would not have changed a thing; I found myself much more in touch with the journey of life that my body and my little daughter traveled together.  Ten days after her birth I still wonder at the fact that she grew from microscopic to nearly eight pounds in a mere ten months  – and it all occurred inside my own body! Incredibly miraculous! I do not want to lose that wonder with any of my children because that wonder nourishes my joy.

And abundant joy is the theme of my new year. I know that a home with 3 small under the age of two and one-half years is going to be a challenging one, but I pray that it will be a peaceful and joyful one.  The past week and a half of stretched me more than the past three years have as I seek to meet the unique needs of each of my little ones, making sure that each one is assured of his or her special place in our home and my heart. I can only imagine what it will be like when the baby no longer sleeps quite as much and the middle child becomes mobile!  But as long as I seek Jesus first, I know that He will fill my heart with joy each new day and provide me with the wisdom and calm that I need to care for my precious family and home.

I plan to blog a couple of times per month about this new season in my life as a way to reflect and rejoice. I am looking forward to it!