Aunt Square Piece.

Before I recap my Thanksgiving and justify my Thursday evening excursion to Macy’s, first thing’s first, I’ve got to address my little brother…

Dear Joey and Caitlin,

Welcome.

Welcome to parenthood.

I’ve been eagerly awaiting baby news since the day you were married and couldn’t be more thrilled that you’ve joined the club!

You are going to be wonderful parents.  You hear?  Wonderful.  

So here’s a teensy bit of perspective that might presently calm the first trimester jitters:

Okay, you know how in the Christian faith we’re always wanting to grow in holiness, squashing out the areas of sin that threaten to bring us down?  Take – oh I don’t know – pride for example.  Say you wanted to get a handle on pride in order to become more humble like Christ.  The more you obsess over your pride, the more grueling is the road to freedom from that sin; but the more you obsess over God and His mercy through the gospel, the more you see pride resolving itself almost as an afterthought, right?

Now, I haven’t been at this for all too long, but I’ve noticed a similar pattern with parenting.  It doesn’t take but a second to accidentally stumble into obsessing over your limited control over the very narrow segments babyness, the “schedule,” the vaccines, the feedings and naps, the diapers, the motor skills and development, etc.  And while I’m the first person to admit that I have an obsessive personality, the truth is that I make much better decisions when I step back from the small picture and redirect my focus to the One who holds the big picture in His hands.

At the beginning of my pregnancy, the Lord settled all of my fears with one verse in Romans: “Rejoice in hope.”  

Can you believe that?  Rejoice in hope?  What a relief that is!  A call to rejoice before anything’s even happened!  In what or in whom is our hope placed?  In the Lord.  Bam.  Peace.  But if your hope is placed in the “perfect” method for getting a baby to sleep?  Or in the “safest” car seat?  Or in the doctors?  Or in diaper pails that don’t stink, baby wipes that don’t irritate or having a perfect spot for everything?  Well, none of those things are strong enough to carry the weight of hope.  Eventually they all fall short and we’re left feeling the exact opposite of rejoicing and the exact opposite of hope.

But I know you two.  You love the Lord.  You’re human, we all are; but you DO love the Lord.  And if you keep Him where He belongs in your life and in your marriage, He’ll bless you with great unity, a set of parents acting as a team.  Additionally, if you keep Him where He belongs (you know, the tippy top, before me and before you), then your heart will be so motivated by love, so motivated by grace, so motivated by passion and joy and righteousness, that you’ll do right by this kid.  I just know it.

Love you lots!

Holy XOXO’s,

Sunanna**

PS: And ohmagoodness, I already want to go shopping so you better tell me the minute – THE MINUTE – you find out the gender!

And ohmagoodness, this baby’s going to be so gorgeous, inside and out!

And ohmagoodness, you were totally keeping this from me at Bennett’s birthday party!  You sneaks!

And ohmagoodness, I’m mentally reliving my whole pregnancy and reveling in the joy of all the little moments you two will experience together!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!  So excited!  Can’t turn off my brain!