My Baby Turns Thirteen!

My baby is a teenager today!

Yes, Samuel turns thirteen at precisely 2:57 pm.

It's hard to believe it's been thirteen years.

Thirteen years ago today, Samuel was born blue. The doctors gave him an Apgar score of 1, meaning he had a heartbeat and little else. My husband said he looked like a frog in biology lab, with  his limp blue body and limp blue limbs askew, ready to be dissected. He spent a week in neonatal intensive care before we were allowed to bring him home.

The neonatal docs gave us a grim prognosis. They told us that his disabilities would likely present themselves in the months and years to come. He'd probably have multiple physical hurdles and learning disorders to face in the future.

My husband was devastated.

But I remember so clearly what I told him that day.

"They know the size of our problem, but they don't know the size of our God."

We prayed Psalm 139 over Samuel, and we believed that he was fearfully and wonderfully made.

This preschool teacher mama poured all of her learning into that baby. I read to him, constantly. I taught him baby sign language. I sang to him and played with him, and I took him on walks a showed him every leaf and flower and tree. The dog loved him. The cat loved him. His entire extended family loved him.

Samuel said his first words before his first birthday. He walked by his first birthday. He achieved every developmental milestone early.

That little blue baby is now a middle schooler, in Honors English and Honors Math. He plays trumpet and piano. He's learning to speak French. And he's a whiz at all things computer and artistic.

I think it's important to share our personal testimonies with our children. They need to know the amazing ways that our big God moved big mountains in our lives. They need to hear stories of everyday miracles. And they need to know how God has blessed them and will continue to bless them in the future.

I made a harvest blessing card for Samuel to show him what a blessing he is to us!

{Today's Brew: Harvest Mouse stamp set (MFT), sentiment and dies (MFT), Lawn Fawn Sweater Weather papers, PTI card stock, COPIC markers}