I Understand Completely….

Having stared into their beautiful faces,

Having held their broken bodies in my arms,
completely captivated by their God-given beauty….
Having prayed over their broken bodies…
Having whispered gentle words into their sweet ears….
Having heard their squeals of joy over the ordinary….

and having a little one of my own whose fragile body struggles each day…

I understand completely why she’s there.
I understand completely why she’s smitten.
I understand completely why she loves them each so very, very, very much.
and 
I understand completely how her heart is filled with joy 
at the enormous privilege she has of founding and directing 
I totally get it
and 
I couldn’t be prouder!!
But that doesn’t mean we miss her any less.
Two years ago today with a lump in my throat that nearly prohibited swallowing,
we drove to the Phoenix Sky Harbor airport
where we huddled and snuggled and embraced each other
time and again.  

Praying as a family as everyone’s tears flowed freely.



Loving words whispered back and forth.
One more hug.
More loving words whispered.
Deep sobs.
Please just one more round of hugs.
And the echos of her little siblings sobs filled the hallway
as she walked into the airport security….
We called to her,
“We love you so much sweet Emma!!”
“We’re praying for you!!”
“We’re so proud of you!”
And we stood on tip-toes desperately trying to get one last peek.
I can see her in my mind’s eye.
One last tiny glimpse.
And in the two years
our family has had
Two babies born,
Two surgeries,
Another baby born,
Three ambulance rides,
Huge disappointments, 
Thanksgivings and Christmas’
Some not-so-fun-news,
Mother’s Days {my favorite}
Private heartaches,
Wonderful accomplishments,
Two more surgeries
Another baby born,
Tremendous joys 
and
A wedding with 11 siblings together,
and all the while we have missed Emma’s sweet presence,
hysterical sense of humor,
thoughtful heart,
tender words,
and beautiful smile.
Tears flow freely and I humbly ask…
If our family crosses your mind, 
would you please join our family in praying
that Emma would be able to come 
home this year 
for a little, tiny wonderfully fun visit??
After two years her siblings sure could use 
seeing her precious face up close!!

“And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself,‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’”  Luke 18:1-5 

8 thoughts on “I Understand Completely….

  1. You know I am praying hard for you guys. Hey, if He can get some gift bags to you from a doctors office no less, I am believing He will bring your sweet gem home for a sweet visit. Love you……lifting you and those precious ones up this week.

  2. Oh yes- praying your sweet Emma home for a special visit! God Bless you, Linny. It's so hard to be sooo far from our babies (even when they are big). Virtual HUG from me!

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