Let me tell you a story (I love telling stories). It starts in the summer of 2022.
I have three children. My youngest a spitfire named Ivy James- a child who has broken the mold on my parenting repertoire. And Matt and I are more than content with the little family we have. Content enough to schedule a procedure to ensure it stays that way. Okay, procedure scheduled for late November- check ✅.
Spending time with Jesus consistently asking for wisdom on how to best parent Ivy James and He speaks to my soul, “You will have a boy. You will name him Samuel. He will be content.”.
Oh, Lord you must be talking about another dog we’ll get eventually? Because we’re done. Like, done done. See this date on the calendar? It’s for this procedure and then it’s settled. And we’re being extra extra careful just in case, you must have me confused with someone else who either has more patience or more money.
Every precaution taken, we are prepared for this procedure- the day before comes and I feel funny. I mean, you know the story by now- positive pregnancy test. Actually, five of them that I chucked at the wall I was so furious. But I knew what it was- “You will have a boy. You will name him Samuel. He will be content”.
So that puts my due date end of August, 2023. 2.5 years between the first two, 2 years between the second and third, and less than 2 years between Ivy and the baby...cool.
I had this sense from the beginning that things were going to be different this time around. Not just because I knew the identity of this child before he was even created, but this calm or peace around the entire pregnancy and birth. Symptoms, cost of care, the kids adapting, timing, etc.
February 2023 rolls around and we head to our anatomy scan. It’s a boy- surprise! (not for me). During the ultrasound we’re told Sam has a two-vessel cord instead of the typical three-vessel cord. Recommended that we follow-up with medical care and watch for abnormalities and or lack of nutrients in the later trimester. And I’m not afraid. I have the promises of God behind me and this child. On top of this, Sam is energetic- not in an excessive energy kind of way but in the sense that I can feel his heart and his energy toward other people. This baby is already amazing.
God has built this team of people around us that insulate and prepare us- from our families on both sides to our work environments and friends that pray regularly.
So here we are in August. And it’s time for Sam to join us. We have become so anticipatory of this little life God clearly designed. 9 pm August 22nd my water breaks. 12:45 am August 23rd contractions kick up. 2:24 am Samuel Asher Wesley entered the world with one push before the midwife could get here, caught in the arms of his father. We were the only two awake, and it will remain one of the most peaceful moments of my life.
Today, we get to rest in the grace God’s given us, the knowledge that our teamwork gets better and better with each child, and savor one more little life that God intricately designed. I have a boy, his name is Samuel, and he is content.