A week ago already... I told myself before the baby, that I wanted to be sure to really cherish the moments right after the delivery that so quickly pass and are gone forever.  I know that I did... our "fresh" little newborn was graced with kisses all over his sticky little face and hair... but as I look back now, I still wish I would've savored it even more.  How could a week already be gone?  Those post delivery moments gone to be held only in my heart?

Upon his arrival, we still hadn't picked a name.  A few weeks prior, we accidently found out what we were having.  Because the baby was breech, we continued to check to make sure that baby had turned and was staying that way.  The first week after turning, Mike was running the ultrasound and saw legs, and then... well, we found out we were having a boy.  We've never found out, and didn't want anyone else to know either, so it was our secret and at the time, we still weren't completely sure.  The following week, we couldn't see, but on my last doctor appointment, it was very obvious that a boy would be entering our household soon.  So can you even believe that we still didn't have a name??!!

So... after the doctor had left and the nurse was out of the room, Mike looked at me and said, "So what's the name going to be?"  Of course, I had one picked already, but Mike wasn't crazy about it, so there were others that we agreed on.  The one I'd picked was because of a story I'd written awhile back for a Faithwriters submission.  To read it, click the following pdf link:
FRUIT OF HIS LOINS

As I looked at my newborn babe, I just knew that his name had to be Judah Michael, after his father.  We talked about some of the names, and none seemed to "fit"... Mike decided to call our parents to tell them the news.

While he was gone, I prayed that Mike would know what to name our son, and when he came back, he asked why I liked the name "Judah Michael" so much.  I told him that I wanted to name our son after him.  "How's Judah after me?" he asked.  I told him that Judah was a man who had made mistakes in his past.  Some really big ones that he couldn't change.  He kept making bad choices, until Tamar stood before him pregnant with his child.  He had another choice to make.  It was a defining moment.  He could lie and live with another bad decision under his belt, or he could, at long last, make the right decision and turn back to the Lord.  When it came down to it, he made the right decision.

"I've made lots of bad decisions...", Mike responded.  Then I told him, when it's truly mattered, he's always made the right ones.  When I think of Judah from the bible, I don't think of him as many do... instead, I see a man who made the right decision and was blessed by God (his line is the lineage of Christ).  I see a man who was honorable.  I see a man who had struggled, but came back to the Truth.  I see my husband.

I apologized too, for I evidently hadn't told my husband how I really felt about him.  How much I respect him... how proud I am of him.  We've been through so much together, and grown together in Christ, and I just know that the Lord has even more great things for our future.  So with all that said, Mike decided on "Judah Michael" for the name, and we prayed over our little one and dedicated him to the Lord.

As I sat in the room later that night, alone with my baby in my arms, I thought of Missey Gray, and my heart ached for the little one she never met.  I prayed for her husband that left the hospital with a child in his arms, but the love of his life only in his heart.  I thanked the Lord for the many blessings He's allowed me to have.

I still can't believe that was a week ago already... the other kids have been asking when they'll get to feed the baby food, and when the baby can go in the walker, and when the baby will talk... and I just keep praying for time to slow down so I don't miss anything... There's so much going on... my step-son will be graduating this fall, I soon will have a 10 year old (I remember when my step-son was 10 and I couldn't believe that he'd ever be 13... so I know how fast that time goes and my 10 year old will be there before I know it), along with all my other little ones who aren't slowing down.  I just keep praying that while time passes, I don't take it for granted and cherish every second... I'm serious... every second...  there are important things... but nothing is more important than these lives I will one day leave behind, and right now, I'm going to make sure that in all I do, I don't let them forget how much I adore each and every single one.

In Him,
Amy