Yesterday my beautiful sister in law, brother, and niece Petra welcomed new baby girl Amaris Ruth into their family. And from the moment I heard she was here while sitting in the hospital cafeteria, my mind has been able to focus on nothing else but that sweet little bundle.
The birth of children has always captivated me. I don't know if you've ever gotten to experience the first moments of a new life, but they will forever change you. Because there is nothing else like it in the world. The miracle that a new life was one moment not yet in the world, and the next making a grand entrance into the world for however long God gives, is truly remarkable. A moment like that can't help but being overwhelming. In the best possible way.
Yesterday around 1:50 in the afternoon, this precious new life was born. Around 2:10 I stood outside the door hearing her precious new cry for the very first time and my heart swelled. I entered the room i'd been in earlier that day, but something was new. She was! My smile beamed light as I saw my amazing sister in law holding her new sweet love. My brother had that distinct look of a proud new dad. And my sweet little niece Petra was asleep, still unaware that her baby sister was here! I got to see my brother hold her for the first time, and the love in his eyes, the promise to protect her and love her no matter what. I got to see my parents take turns holding their new grandbaby, proud to have another healthy beautiful addition to their name. My sister was next, mesmerized by her. And then came my turn. I love new born babies, they are so cuddly and squishy and sweet as can be. My sister placed Amaris in my arms, and I was overwhelmed with a feeling and emotion i'd only felt one other time nearly three years ago when her big sister was born.
I began whispering to my new niece how beautiful she was, how much I loved her, how special she was. And then my eyes began to tear as I told her what a wonderful life she had ahead of her, and that God had incredible plans for her. That's part of what makes a brand new baby so special. You see this tiny, totally dependent person, and even though you can't imagine what might possibly happen, you begin to wonder about all the things their life will hold. You know there will be good and bad. Your heart rejoices knowing the good will be amazing, and you feel a fierce sense of protection not wanting that perfect little person to ever know anything but good things. Yet somehow, looking into the face of my little angel, I knew that this little one is destined for greatness.
I am a strong believer in the meaning of names. In Biblical days, a persons name meant just about everything. It wasn't about what sounded good to the parents, but what it MEANT. I believe names hold great power.
Amaris:Of Hebrew origin meaning "fulfilling God's promise".
Ruth: Of Hebrew origin meaning " Friend", "Compassion."
Weathers:English: patronymic from Weather, from Middle English
wether ‘wether’, ‘(castrated) ram’ (Old English
weðer), hence a nickname for a man supposedly resembling a
wether, or a metonymic occupational name for a shepherd.
What a big blessing of a name! I believe this little one is a fulfillment of God's promise, I believe throughout her life she will fulfill God's promise. I believe this sweet baby will be a compassionate friend. And as for a shepherd, I think it's safe to say that a shepherd was a humble servant.
To my sweet Amaris Ruth,
You have stolen my heart little one.When I hold you in my arms and look into your sweet face, I see the goodness of God, his truth and beauty all bundled up in YOU. I am so amazed and awed that I get to be your Auntie. I can't wait for the days in the future we'll share together. All of our adventures, our laughs, and giggles. I promise to love you no matter what, and be there for you in the hard times. I pray that you always remember that your family will always be here for you. I promise to stand behind your incredible parents when it comes to how they raise you. Believe it or not sweet one, they will do all they do because they love you with all they are. I promise to pray for you and give you advice only an Auntie can. Sweet Amaris, I pray a fierce jealousy of the Lord over you. He is jealous for you. I pray that you choose him in all you do. I pray as you grow and learn that you turn to him, always. Sweet one, know that no matter who you are, who you become, you have people who love you. Know that when all else fails, God loves you, and he will never leave you. He thought you out from the beginning of the world little one, and he chose you for his specific purpose. There is so much in store for you, I cannot WAIT to see what it is. I am honored and truly blessed to be a part of your family. I can't wait to bring you cousins to play and grow up with. You're part of a pretty cool legacy little lady! You and your sister are my girls, and I don't think I could EVER get into words how much I love the both of you! I cannot wait to see your lives unfold. All my love sweet one, now and always. Auntie Bug
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
The twisting, turning, wonderful journey
My life has been so busy lately. There has been so much that sometimes I forget to just step back and breathe. It's so hard to remember that really, I have nothing to worry about because deep down I KNOW who holds my life, my future, and my day to day. But there's something that's been on my mind these past crazy months. Something that if I begin to think too much about both terrifies and excites me.
I feel as though there is a giant fan of choices displayed in front of me, and I have to choice to pick a part of that fan and run with it. All these beginning scenarios are presented before me, and I can see the starts of amazing adventures. But that's just it, it's the beginning. No middle, no end guaranteed. Each option seems chalk full of surprises. Of course, I know there will be hard times with any option I choose, but me being me, I can't help but try to figure out what each option will produce. I find myself so afraid of making the wrong choice that I begin to panic. Because I truly believe that at any moment, any choice I make can be life-changing. It's crazy to think that if I chose one thing differently, I wouldn't be where I am today. Wow. But the thing that is providing so much peace, is stopping and remembering that I do not hold my future. Someone so much greater does.
I am also beginning to recognize that I have so much to work on. No matter what path I choose, there are things that are vital for me to have to be successful in life. I recognize the fact that I have to grow in confidence and security of who I am. This may seem easy, but oh believe me, it isn't. There are parts of me that I know for sure, and parts yet to be discovered. I suppose we're always growing and changing, but I hope that at some point, I can be confident in my thoughts and ideas. I want to not be afraid of standing up for them, and not afraid of offending someone. I want to be able to live differently with confidence, not cowardice. I want to be confident in knowing that no matter what, my security is in my Savior, not in my circumstance. It could be wishful thinking, but I don't think it's impossible. Obviously I won't feel that every moment of every day, but I do hope that I can reach a point of security in knowing who I belong to, and knowing that it's enough.
So back to my fan of options. I've realized that it doesn't really matter which piece of the fan I choose. Yes, there are incredible adventures i'll miss. But that is only because i'll be experiencing other ones. If the life of Kimberly Weathers was stuck in stone, it would be terribly boring. Though the unknown kind of freaks me out, I am excited for it. I'm excited to pick different things and see the result. And the bottom line is this, wherever I am tomorrow or ten years from now, my life will be defined and centered on one thing. My Savior. And I think that's enough. I think instead of worrying about WHAT will happen, I need to remember WHO is with me when it's happening. Because of that, no matter where I am, my life will be where it's supposed to be. I firmly believe that if your heart is seeking the Lord, you will be on his right path for your life. It doesn't mean there won't be bumps and bruises, but it does mean that God will use you wherever you are if you're willing. Whew. That's a relief!
I find it so funny how I usually write things that millions of people have discovered before me. But hey, i'm glad that I finally get what everyone talks about. Hopefully you reach these wonderful places too.
I feel as though there is a giant fan of choices displayed in front of me, and I have to choice to pick a part of that fan and run with it. All these beginning scenarios are presented before me, and I can see the starts of amazing adventures. But that's just it, it's the beginning. No middle, no end guaranteed. Each option seems chalk full of surprises. Of course, I know there will be hard times with any option I choose, but me being me, I can't help but try to figure out what each option will produce. I find myself so afraid of making the wrong choice that I begin to panic. Because I truly believe that at any moment, any choice I make can be life-changing. It's crazy to think that if I chose one thing differently, I wouldn't be where I am today. Wow. But the thing that is providing so much peace, is stopping and remembering that I do not hold my future. Someone so much greater does.
I am also beginning to recognize that I have so much to work on. No matter what path I choose, there are things that are vital for me to have to be successful in life. I recognize the fact that I have to grow in confidence and security of who I am. This may seem easy, but oh believe me, it isn't. There are parts of me that I know for sure, and parts yet to be discovered. I suppose we're always growing and changing, but I hope that at some point, I can be confident in my thoughts and ideas. I want to not be afraid of standing up for them, and not afraid of offending someone. I want to be able to live differently with confidence, not cowardice. I want to be confident in knowing that no matter what, my security is in my Savior, not in my circumstance. It could be wishful thinking, but I don't think it's impossible. Obviously I won't feel that every moment of every day, but I do hope that I can reach a point of security in knowing who I belong to, and knowing that it's enough.
So back to my fan of options. I've realized that it doesn't really matter which piece of the fan I choose. Yes, there are incredible adventures i'll miss. But that is only because i'll be experiencing other ones. If the life of Kimberly Weathers was stuck in stone, it would be terribly boring. Though the unknown kind of freaks me out, I am excited for it. I'm excited to pick different things and see the result. And the bottom line is this, wherever I am tomorrow or ten years from now, my life will be defined and centered on one thing. My Savior. And I think that's enough. I think instead of worrying about WHAT will happen, I need to remember WHO is with me when it's happening. Because of that, no matter where I am, my life will be where it's supposed to be. I firmly believe that if your heart is seeking the Lord, you will be on his right path for your life. It doesn't mean there won't be bumps and bruises, but it does mean that God will use you wherever you are if you're willing. Whew. That's a relief!
I find it so funny how I usually write things that millions of people have discovered before me. But hey, i'm glad that I finally get what everyone talks about. Hopefully you reach these wonderful places too.
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