Little reminders from God

Wanted to share two quick little things that God started showing us during our pregnancy that have continued to minister to our hearts...



Meaning of Kaylee's name...
    "Who is like our God" --> from the Hebrew word Chaeli (aren't you glad we chose an easier spelling)

When we found the Hebrew meaning of this name, we knew this was what we wanted to call our little girl.  This pregnancy and journey really showed us, in a whole new way, that there is no one more trustworthy and true than our Father. The day before Kaylee was conceived, we were told, because of various medical issues, that it was very, very unlikely that we would get pregnant, and if we were able to, it would be unlikely that the baby would make it to full term. Even though I sat in that doctor's office with my eyes flooding with tears, I was also overwhelmed with peace and faith in our Father. (There is none like Him). I knew He could work through all these things if it was His will, but I had no desire of putting Him to the test. All I could and wanted to do was give it up to Him. From that visit on, Brandon and I began praying that God would share the blessing of a child with us. But if He didn't, we trusted His sovereignty, and even though it would be hard, we would still praise and serve Him. (There is none like Him). And then... after processing and praying separately, while being apart for a week, Brandon returned home and the next morning we had a positive pregnancy test. We were so in awe of our Father and could only praise the God from whom all blessings flow (There is none like Him). We knew there were still many obstacles ahead of us and that this little life was still in the Lord's control. We knew that each day of the pregnancy and each day of Kaylee's life, we would need to hold her with open hands, but we were very excited for whatever was to come. The pregnancy progressed smoothly (mostly) and... as you well know, we are now caring for a little miracle from the Lord. "Who is like our God" (There is none like Him). The story definitely doesn't always end with smiley faces and roses (or precious little girls), and there are many trials yet to overcome (as was evident last week), but the God we serve remains the same!
 




Graduation gift:

Upon finishing my degree in December, my parents gave me a print from an AMAZING photographer (who happens to be my brother :)). Before choosing the print that I wanted, I had come across a wall decal that said "Everyday is a gift." Even though I had not put it on our wall yet, this phrase had begun to challenge me. I have the tendency to see things from a very pessimistic viewpoint, and often, days do not feel like a gift, but rather a burden. Yet God was trying to remind me to see each day as a gift, and since I am a very visual person, I wanted something to physically remind me of this truth. As a result, I knew I wanted to chose a photo to go with this phrase; one that reminded me of a brand new day, which is beautifully reflected in this incredible sunrise picture taken at 13,000 feet at the base of Crestone Needle.

After the picture was hung, and the phrase adhered, this phrase continued to mean even more to me as I journeyed through our pregnancy. I realized that Kaylee's life was completely out of my control and we had done nothing to deserve each day we had her in the womb, and this remains just as true now that she is born. She is not ours, but rather, a wonderfully-made, joyous gift, shared with us, from the Father.