10 Weeks Ago

I missed my 9 Weeks Ago post last Monday. Boo! I like recapping what I’ve learned in a week from a baby. This weeks post is about being the mom of a daughter, which I never thought I’d get to do. In fact, I was terrified to do it. (Just ask everyone! I didn’t want a girl, her daddy did, but not me, I wanted another boy….and we already have 4 of those!)

So, we have our girl. She’s pretty and wears pink and she’s very round right now. She is full of smiles, and is quite demanding. And as a woman, as someone’s little girl, I’m afraid for the days when she is hurting. Because I can relate to what hurts a girl. I have always believed that raising boys is a calling from God, and we must cover our boys in prayer, and we must teach them to love God, respect women, and to live life on purpose.

I have not always been as intentional as I want to be; sometimes I get caught up in the routine of washing dishes, doing laundry, mopping floors and fixing meals. I miss some of the lessons, and even let bad behavior slide because I’m tired. Or overwhelmed. But just because I miss it sometimes, doesn’t mean it doesn’t weigh heavy on my heart to be intentional about raising these boys.

I pray that they will serve God in all they do. I pray that they will work hard, will wait for marriage, that they will help their wives dazzle, and lead their kids to God. Sometimes, I look around our world and wonder if these things are possible, but I keep praying. Now, I’m holding a daughter and I don’t always know what to pray for, for her. So I pray for her husband. I pray for him the same things I pray for the boys.

Sure, I pray for her to value her purity, and be dedicated and a good wife. But my picture for raising boys and the goals I have are a lot clearer to me. I prepared myself more for raising boys, and this whole girl thing sometimes leaves me wondering if I’m cut out for all of this. I know how badly I’ve been hurt, and I pray she never experiences hurt like that. But I know how much I’ve grown from those hurts, so I pray that she sees the opportunity in every situation, the good, bad and ugly ones too.

She’s only 10 weeks old, so things are still so easy. Diapers and feedings and baths and lap play, these are the easy days. I pray that her dad and I will have the endurance for the hard days. I pray this for her hard days, the boys’ hard days and our own hard days.