Mother's Day

My first official Mother's Day was just wonderful. I requested a family dinner at Cracker Barrel, which we did on Saturday to avoid the Mother's Day mobs. Even though it was supposed to be my special day, Molly definitely stole the show (but I didn't mind sharing the spotlight one bit). Every waitress was just enthralled with every little thing she did and they kept exclaiming how adorable she was (of course, we already know she's the most adorable baby in the world, but it's nice to hear that other people actually agree with us ;-). On more than one occasion our server would call out to another nearby waitress, "Oh my word, come watch her eat these Cheerios. Isn't that just adorable?! Isn't she just the sweetest thing you've ever seen?!". I was busting with pride!

When we got home, I took Molly in the nursery to nurse her and put her to bed. When I came out into the kitchen, this is what I saw:

(Please disregard the clutter on my counters in this picture!)

My sweet husband had created this fabulous banner. He had traced Molly's handprint, cut it out, and then re-traced it onto every letter in the banner. Isn't he cute? I did have to laugh, though, when I saw that all the letters were cut out of lined legal-pad paper. When I asked Eric, "Just curious, but why didn't you use copy paper?", he replied, "I got all these legal pads free from SunTrust." That's my husband! But I wouldn't have him any other way :-)

We celebrated Mother's Day at church with Molly's baby dedication. All the babies born during the year are dedicated on Mother's Day. Eric and I made a vow before the church to raise Molly in the "nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4), to live as examples of Christ before her, and to pray with her and for her daily. The church congregation also took a vow to embrace and support us in this all-important effort. I actually felt more unsure of myself making this vow than I did taking my wedding vows. Our wedding vows were promises made between two adults and God where we were responsible for ourselves in the keeping of the vows. But now, we're responsible for a whole other human being. This little person is watching us and learning from us on a daily basis. We are shaping her mind and her heart with what we say and do. It's a HUGE responsibility and we covet your prayers in this most-important endeavor.

I pray that we can fulfill God's expectations as laid out for the Israelites in Deuteronomy: "Be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them...Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give your forefathes, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth." (Deut. 4:9 and 11:18-21) It is such a monumental responsibility and I know we're going to stumble along the way. I just pray for God's grace and guidance as we work towards fulfilling this commandment in the life of this amazing little girl he's blessed us with.