To have the faith of a child

As I was waiting to go join Joy in the operating room yesterday, my mind was filled with all sorts of anxious thoughts that I guess any soon to be father has. I was worried about Joy and the baby, but unlike in the past, there was also all of the unknowns. We'd been told there would be additional staff in the operating room this time, including a nurse from the NICU just in case our son had to be whisked there for whatever reason. I have to admit, I was overwhelmed with a sense of dread; things weren't going to work out, something was going to be seriously wrong with Kai and/or Joy; you know where our mind often takes us in times like these.

Reflecting back now, I can't help but smile at how our other children have handled the news about what was happening with their baby brother. Our twins, Nadia and Eliana have been praying that he wouldn't have club feet for months now. I've heard them ask God numerous times to make it so their baby brother doesn't have to wear braces and that his feet and legs would be ok. In my head, I always thought it was sweet but carefully shot up a prayer myself asking that God would help us get through whatever realistically we were going to face. After all, the doctors confirmed that Kai would have club feet from 26 weeks on; that was the one "definitive" consensus amongst everyone who looked at him via ultrasound. When I saw him for the first time yesterday and heard the neonatologist say, "His feet look great!" it took me back to his sisters' prayers on his behalf and the prayers I heard others had said on his behalf. My sense of dread turned to awe. As a non-medical person, I don't understand all that occurred between 26 weeks and yesterday, but what I do know is that my two girls showed more faith in a mighty God than their own father did. While I was logical and realistic, they were holding out hope that there brother wouldn't just be OK but completely free of any medical issues.

As a family we can forever look back on this moment as a time when we felt God's presence in a very real way. Not that things always turn out this way in life, because they don't, but I do know that something miraculous occurred in my heart yesterday. To witness a birth is amazing in itself. I think more extrordinary is that people all over the world, from complete strangers to my very own daughters, were praying yesterday that Kai would be born completely healthy and for some reason it looks as if God chose to answer that prayer. To Him be the glory!