It Takes A Village

Baby dedication...I have gone to both of my kids ceremonies in the last two years, but I think going to one when it is not your baby makes you really pay attention to the call God has given us as parents.  Maddie's dedication was on Sunday.  Since, I was just a guest, I was able to focus on the message a little more.  I think it is like going to a wedding after you are married, you hear the vows differently than a single person.  At the service, there is a person who prays over the baby and you commit to raising them up in a Godly home.  I think sometimes, it just seems like the ceremony that seems like the work, but it is just like the wedding, over in a matter of minutes.  Then, you drive home with your new baby and a promise. 

A promise to play more, pray more, and take this job that has been entrusted to you seriously.  I know that Gregg and I can't do this alone and are grateful for the village of folks that help us along the way.  I was reminded of all the support that we have through this amazing parenting journey..
The friend that calls at just the right moment to talk through a parenting issue.  The friend that calls you right back because they could hear in your voice that things weren't ok, and they just need to let you know that they are there.  The friend that celebrates with you each milestone and is truly happy for you now matter what.  The pastor that prays as you are racing to the emergency room with your precious angel.  The teacher that gets so excited to see your child and sees the potential in them.  The doctor that eases the fear that it will be ok and that this will end.  The friend of a friend that you don't even know that gets an email that says...please pray now.  The grandparents that step in for weary parents that need sleep.  The neighbor that offers to watch the kids while you go to the doctor with the other one.  The friend that calls on her way to Wal-Mart just to see if you might need anything since it is raining and you don't want to get the kids out.  The friend that brings food, diapers, or cleans the house just to make a situation easier.  The friend that talks you off the ledge over something that seems so important at the time.  The God that loves you even when you failed that day as a parent.  It is the comfort of knowing that you are not alone and that it takes a village to raise a child.