Birthdays and answered prayers

In the past couple of days I have been looking through a journal that I had written in during the time I was pregnant with Ashlyn.  It was surreal to go back and look through all of the prayers I prayed during that time having no idea what was ahead.  I love looking back through prayer journals because they allow you to see where you were a at a certain point in time and all of the ways God worked.  It also makes me laugh sometimes remembering the things I was going through or things I thought were important at the time. I mean it is pretty humbling to know that the creator of the universe cares about me so much that He hears my prayers about pregnancy heartburn and really cares. What I love is that as I read them, I know that each one of those prayers were heard by God and so important to Him.....from the smallest to the biggest.

Throughout my journal, there was everything from asking for relief from morning sickness to helping me potty train Kyla.  I asked God for help in naming our baby on the way and for the transition of going from one child to two.  And I as sat today looking at the journal, feeling the emotions of all I prayed for during that time, I realized how very much God answered my prayers. Right after Ashlyn was born I went through a time of feeling as if God had not watched over the baby who I had carried.  Because if He had, how could He have let it happen this way? 

Looking back through that journal, the request I made over and over of God was that my baby would be kept safe and would be healthy.  As I read it, I see how very much God answered my prayer.  Although in His Sovereignty, He chose to give her an extra chromosome, she is so healthy.  And, as hard as it is to say, even if she would have been born not healthy, God would be no less faithful.  We can't only trust God and call him faithful only when He answers our prayers the way we want Him to.  We call Him faithful and trustworthy because that is who He is, regardless of circumstances or how prayers are answered.

One other prayer from this journal that I noticed from one day's entry was that I asked God to allow this baby to bring much love and joy to our home.  As we celebrated Ashlyn's second birthday over this past weekend, I once again was reminded of how much God truly did answer the prayers I prayed before I even met her.  

Good morning, birthday girl!

Trying to show us with her fingers that she is 2

Big girl ready to party

With Grandma and Grandpa

Opening presents

Our family

Having fun

 Trying out her new ride

Monkey cake for the little monkey

Let's clap....the cake is here

Me and my girl

While I was pregnant with Ashlyn, before I knew anything about the tears that I would cry on the day she was born, I prayed to God that this child would bring much love and joy to our home.  Here is His answer to my prayer.....

Ashlyn has done just that.  Everyday our lives are full of so much love and joy because of her.  A love and joy we would not have known without her.  She has changed our world for the better and God knew that she would.  Answered prayer....not how I ever thought it would be, but better than I could have dreamed.  Thank you, God, for Ashlyn Ruby and the incredible gift she is to us.  Happy Birthday to our two year old girl....we love you so much.