2012: The year of the newborn

Eleven years ago, my husband and I joined a nearly/newly married Sunday School class.  Within the next few years,  there were at least a half dozen pregnant bellies in our classroom at any given time.  Our ladies' social events every single month (or so it seemed) involved planning a baby shower for one of our class friends.  Babies kept coming for years after that.  We eventually perfected the baby shower routine yet never repeated the same game or favor throughout all those showers.

Fast forward 11 years.  I am now tired ...and  old.  Everything hurts.  Baby shower invitations don't arrive as often.  I must be moving past the baby phase of life...or am I?

I consider myself very blessed to have so many mature, Christian friends who take the Bible quite literally. 

Genesis 9:7
As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.”

These friends are amazing parents who are raising up awesome warriors for Christ.

Psalm 127:3

Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him.

So they are still bearing children and are now up to their 3rd, 4th, 5th...or 9th.  God bless um'!

And since I also like to "hang" with some young-guns (saintly "Timothy"s), some friends are carrying their first child and only beginning the parenting process.

That said, 2012 is the year of the newborn.  During the past month, I have celebrated the births of six new babies to local friends with many more due this spring.  I've also enjoyed helping host two baby showers within the past six weeks. The first shower celebrated the pending arrival of this adorable little sweet pea who arrived a few weeks later on January 24.

BeasKnees Photography

The next shower was easy to host because all the family asked me to do was open the front door.  The family to whom this precious expectant mom belongs to is very dear to us.  As much as this family has loved and cared for our two babies, I can't help but love and celebrate this new baby as if she were part of our own family.

 Our kids crashed the party after their basketball games that morning.