Tuesday, February 06, 2007
It's a Boy!
What a surprise to find out we were having a boy! I remember very well being in the exam room,while my doctor was performing an ultrasound...he looked,did some leg and head measurements,then asked if we wanted to know what we were having. We both said yes,knowing in our hearts it was a girl. We loved having girls and after 3 girls we just knew we were destined for girl number 4. We had her name picked out and were even getting clothes out from Evie's newborn stuff for her to have. We always said that Mike is a wonderful father to daughters because he is so caring,sensitive,and nurturing...so we had decided...it was a girl. Our kind doctor laughed and said,it looks like M is going to have a football player! Our jaws dropped open and we stared at the machine,thinking this had to be a mistake. We must have just sat there speechless for a while,because our doctor finally said,"Are you okay?" We finally came back to reality and realized that was he was saying is that we were having a boy. We were dumbfounded. A boy? How would we parent a boy? Or better yet,how would we potty train a boy??? This was my first reaction.
As we began to get used to the idea,we marveled at little boys everywhere. It was like we were pregnant with our first child again. We watched parents dealing with their little boys,we watched to see what baby boys wore,we watched to see if boys were a lot different than girls. Our conclusion was...this is going to be FUN!
This baby in utero was very different than the little girls I had carried! When he moved,it felt like a karate kick...strong enough to make me have a seat and rest a minute. I'm kinda tall(5'8")and kinda thin,well,I used to be thin...so this baby seemed to take over my entire body,causing me to feel as if I was convulsing at the mere small movement he made. My whole body would shake! Literally. I can remember many times that I would say,it feels like he is running in there. I would have to sit and let him relax a minute. I thought it was very painful to carry a boy. I'm a wimp,I know! Especially when I think about the sweet author of Lots of Scotts,who carried 3 at once! I'm a big weakling,that is for sure!
He was our biggest baby,weighing in at 8 pounds and 6 ounces. What a cute cuddly bundle! We were overjoyed to have him! Our Jack Henry is a great blessing to us. We see this precious little boy as a child who will be a man like his daddy one day...we are raising him with that in mind.
Some of our goals in raising him are:
1) That he would have a passion for God. We pray that he would live a life rich in passion for God...that he would love Him as His first love...with an all-consuming love that will not dim with the years. May that passion develop into beautiful maturity. I pray that my child would have a passion that would cause him to hunger for God's Truth and righteousness.
2) That he will know how to lead his family as the head of his household. This will come as he learns from his daddy! Or *dough,dough*...this is what he calls daddy right now!
3) That he will provide for his family,so that his wife can focus her attention on the home and the raising of children.
4) That he would have integrity and godly character that comes form true devotion to God. Lord,give my child a holy backbone...may His inner person be one that is pleasing to You. May You shape his life from the inside out rather than the outside in. I pray that he will have the moral courage to follow God,regardless of adversity.
5) That he would be teachable and seek wisdom. We pray he will be able to admit when he doesn't know something and will seek godly counsel on finding God's wisdom. We pray that Jack Henry will seek God's wisdom on every subject in life and that the fear of the Lord will be evident in his life,because that is the beginning of wisdom.
6) That he will thirst for living water that Christ gives...not being satisfied with anything else. We pray that his desire to grow deeply in the things of God will increase as he begins a lifelong pursuit of God.
A baby boy is a wonderful thing! But a huge responsibility. I'm feeling the weight of it!
Some of my prayer ideas come from a book,*Lord Bless my Child*, by William and Nancie Carmichael. It is a beautiful prayer journal for parents and children.
I am a stay at home mother to 4. I am very blessed to have a godly husband who loves the Lord and his family. I welcome the days of much needed grace,the times of sweet victories,and the tears of trials,knowing it is all for God's glory. I want my lifesong to sing to Him,the author and finisher of my faith. Soli Deo Gloria--To the Glory of God alone.
15 Comments:
It is so encouraging to see parents passionate about teaching their children Biblical truths and principles.
Kim- What a beautiful post--and what a precious boy! Five children disqualifies you from ever referring to yourself as a wimp...especially considering my 3 together barely weighed what he did. :-)
What a great post! Your son looks very sweet. I'm currently trying to learn how to pray for my own future children and this gives some good insight and direction on how to pray specifically. I'll have to look up that book.
Btw, do you know how long before you pick up Lydia in China?
The wait right now is 14-16 months!!! We logged into China Sept 20,2006...so it looks like this time next year! : (
What a great post.
I am so glad that you guys finally got your beautiful baby boy. I love looking at pictures of him because he looks so much like Gracie when she was a baby. I would like to put Molly on the list of Jack Henry's potential wives even though she is a little older than he is. I am a 1 1/2 years older than her daddy so maybe it could work.
Hi Kim
Your post is so precious. I remember feeling the same thing too when we found out Caleb was a boy (and not a girl like I was certain he was)....Thank you for your prayer Ideas. I remember writing a specific prayer for him during a class of Beth Moore's "The Patriarch's" because he would one day be the Patriarch of his own family. I keep it in my Bible and pray it often for him. Thanks for the great post, I really enjoy your blog.
What an answer to prayer.
This is going to sound crazy, but I was feeling overwhelmed a few weeks ago with things that could influence my girls. I sat in the parking lot of the grocery store and prayed that somewhere at that moment there were women raising their little boys in a way that would honor God. I prayed for the one that was raising my daughter's future husband (and, yes, they are only 5 and 19 months)that God would bless her. Give her rest if she was tired from a possible hard day with a boy-preschooler. That God would give her wisdom and a desire to teach him about Jesus so that this boy would desire the things of God when he chooses one of my daughters for a wife.
I have since prayed often for 'that mother' whomever she may be.
Thank you so much for being 'that mother' Kim. Your son is blessed to have you!!
Thank you,Deidre! That was just so sweet and encouraging!
Thank you,
Kim
He is adorable. Is he 2? I have given birth to three boys (10, 6, and 2)and stand in awe at the awesome gifts we have before us. We have the same convictions in raising our boys.
May God bless you and your little guy!
I can relate to that moment in the doctor's office! After two girls, we really wanted a boy! I am so thankful God gave us our sweet little man. He is such a blessing to our family. The goals for our son are very similar to yours. I love how you listed them out. I am also thankful for the godly example my husband is to our son. Great post!
Such a beautiful post and what a beautiful boy! Those curls and dark eyes! Adorable!
I love how you've got those 6 goals written down. I wish someone would have taught me to do that with my girls and boy. Somehow to me to have it written down it's so much more tangible when decisions and choices are to be made, that it can be referred to and used as a reminder. I don't know if that makes sense or not, but anyway, it's a wonderful idea.
What a handsome little man! I am praying for a little boy to be called our own very soon. We are just trying to wait on the Lord's hand to show us how to get him! BTW: love the curls!
What a blessing your precious son is to you...I love your heart towards raising him and the Godly goals you have for him...such an encouragement to me, as a mommy to 2 sons your goals are also ours for Owen and likewise Ezra, God alone knows the ability Ezra will have in the future, He has laid on my heart to still instruct him in the way he should go and entrust his future abilities to God alone...Thank you for writing with a heart tender and loving towards your Savior. I enjoy your blog and consider it a blessing to my heart! You are a Titus 2 woman and you beautifully LOVE your God and King in the things you write! God bless you.
Liz
Raising boys is certainly a challenge (of course I know no different) and you are right to fret over the potty training (the four worst experiences of my life!)--but the joy and humbling privilege of raising up the next generation of godly men: PRICELESS. Your prayers for your boys mirror my requests for my sons. May our boys grow up to be men of courage and boldness, standing firm in the faith!
Post a Comment
<< Home