The Loveliness of Babies

It's been all babies, all the time here for the entire month of October.  And it's so much fun to share the joy with mothers all over the world who know and understand the loveliness of babies.

For so many of us, babies begin with a prayer. There is a longing that the Lord inspires in our hearts, a restlessness and emptiness that only a bundle will fill.  And so we beg God for a blessing beyond compare and we buy more than our fair share of pregnancy tests, hoping for two red lines.  Minnesota Mom eloquently captures those feelings of hope and eagerness as we pray to see The Thin Red Line.

And when those two lines appear, we're off on a whole new adventure.  Kathryn, in England, set off on just such an adventure this time last year. She did it with a lot of prayer support and hundreds of cyber aunties who joyfully welcomed Kathryn's late-in-life Little Cherub.

And there is a little cherub at The Island of Hope, too.  His name is Jack (sort of).

Several of us have been talking lately about the paradox of having so many friends who have had so many babies.  The more people you know, the more stories you know.  We know stories of triumph and of unimagined joy.  But we have also heard the tragedies, the sorrows, the very real risks that come with having children. Cheryl takes us through the highs and the lows,to a place of trust and comfort. No one knows the gravest risks and the most terrifying fears better than Angel who has lived with an intimate knowledge of the fragility of life since the day she was born.  And she reminds us to never, ever take babies and birth for granted.

Helen shares the "labor" of adoption--a labor of love. Alice brings her trademark faith and serenity to the birth experience.  She tells the beautiful story of Catherine's birth and reminds us that we do not bring our babies into this world alone. She's also given us new baby pictures and some glimpses at the new miracle in the always lovely Cottage.

Sometimes, we pray for a baby and we get a surprise.  The Barretts at the Bonny Blue House must be really good pray-ers, because God gave them two-at-a-time babies this year.  And Mary Ellen is discovering anew that folks will do just about anything for those precious babies.

This Fair has given some moms cause for reflection.  Blair reflects on the gift of three daughters.  And Dawn reflects on the gift of three sons.

Cay considers her own babies and those of the people she loves. MamaJen shares  how to keep babylove alive even when there are currently no babies in the house.

Rebecca has devoted an entire blog to Babylove.  I don't know how she chose just one post.  She asks us to look again at the lovely dreams and happy days that come with sharing sleep with our wee ones.

Elena reminds us that we need each one of those babies and that women will be saved through childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness (1 Timothy 2:15).

It's not just moms who are reflecting.  My eldest son has found a reason to ponder too.  He shares what the babies in my house have meant to him.

And what about me? I'm in a fog of Baby Bliss and pretty much the entire October archives is devoted to Sweet Karoline Rose.  She is an answer to fervent prayer--the rose picked from the heavenly garden, a balm to a tired soul, a fresh breeze of hope and joy.  She has enchanted our entire family. I live for this and it is such a lovely life!