Like Father Like Son

We recently celebrated Mitch's birthday. I awed over Mitch's baby pictures and tried to think what he was like as a baby. I know he must have been adorable! Now that I have a baby of my own, I find myself thinking about babies all the time.  This may be weird, but I picture people I know as babies and wonder what they must have been like.  It is so interesting to think about my friends, my dad, or my grandmother as a baby! After all, we were all actually babies at one point.

Carter on the left, Mitch on the right. 

When looking at Mitch's baby pictures I immediately thought "Oh Carter looks just like him!"  But the funny thing is, the more I analyzed the pictures... I more I saw differences. Don't get me wrong, there's no mistaking that they look alike- everyone who sees Carter comments on how much he looks like Mitch.  But, it hit me all the sudden that Carter is not really a "mini Mitch." Nor is he a mini version of me (obviously). Carter is a completely unique individual and there is no one else in the world exactly like him.  Before July 9th, 2013, there was no person in our lives named Carter Thomas Terry, on paper anyway.  Every move, every giggle, every like and dislike… they are all his own.  Wow!

Carter at 8 weeks old.

Carter is more than just my little baby... He is a person who is a baby right now. For the most part, he cannot choose the events that he goes through today, that's my job.  One day, however, he will make his own decisions. That is both terrifying and beautiful... I pray that Carter will chose to do great things with his life. I pray that he will know Christ deeply and find satisfaction in Him. I pray that when he makes mistakes he will embrace the forgiveness and redemption found in Christ.  My parents gave me a devotional book for new moms that has been so encouraging for me (when I can find quiet time to intelligently digest it).  One small part of the book is a prayer that a father prays for his infant child. He prays for the baby's body as symbols of what he hopes the child will become.  "He prays for his legs, that he will stand strong in the Lord; for his knees, that he will be the sort of person who kneels in prayer; for his tummy that he will feed on God's Word" (Arthur 2013). I want to add to that prayer.  I pray for Carter's hands that he would allow God to use them for the good of others.  I pray for Carter's mind that it would be daily renewed by God.  I pray for his mouth that it would speak the truth.  I pray for his ears that they would hear the gospel and believe it.  I pray also that God will equip Mitch and I not only just to raise Carter well, but that He will help us to be lived out examples of God's redeeming love.  In that sense, I hope that we are all more like our Father.

My one and only Carter, 2 days old.

Time is fleeting.

I have thought long and hard about starting a "blog" for some time now.  I debated in my mind and discussed with my husband reasons why I should or should not do this.  The conclusion I came to was that time truly does fly by and I want to capture this wonderful time in our lives so vividly that when we read back on these words we will appreciate God's blessings and sovereignty all the more.  I love taking pictures to capture moments in time but I also feel that words help paint pictures in other, more specific, ways.  So writing about our life seems to be a worthwhile endeavor.  Not only will this blog help to share with our family and friends what is going on in our life but I hope it will help to document God's blessings for our little family.  I want to remember this time and share it with our children in the future.  Mitch and I have only been married three years and I swear it seems like just yesterday we were walking down the aisle.  Now we get to look in the face of a beautiful baby boy and watch as he grows so quickly. Time is fleeting!

Carter staring at me through the hospital bassinet. 

Right now, Mitch is working full time and also coaching part time.  I am staying at home with our little one.  I was teaching ESOL last year and while I loved ESOL and the children I had the privilege of working with... I can honestly say that I do not regret staying home for one second!  We have had to make some sacrifices, but I have never felt that I am in a more fulfilling or rewarding role than I am in right now.  Motherhood sure does change your perspective!  Mitch has been so supportive of me staying home and continues to work hard to provide for our family.  Carter and I are so blessed by him!

Mitch and his mini-me. 

One of the most profound things that happens to you when you become a parent is the deeper appreciation that you feel for your own parents.  The realization that you were once that tiny and someone took great care to meet all your daily needs.  Not just physically, but poured out love on you to meet your emotional needs too.  You look down at this small little human that truly can not survive without you and it breaks your heart to realize that someone else took care of you in that same labor of love.  Completely eye opening!  It is so beautiful that God designed family to be this way… that we are born needing our parents so much.  Recently, I watched a documentary on babies and it claimed that human babies are literally the most defenseless and helpless offspring out of every other living thing.  Other young, are born with some kind of skill or instinct that could help them survive if they were abandoned.  Human babies are so much more needy than other young, that they cannot be on their own.  I can't help but think how in God's plan for family, there is this bigger picture of how we are His children and we need Him so much.  He could give us over to our worldly desires and watch us perish but He chooses to offer His life and grace.  He is the loving parent, and without Him, we are the defenseless baby.  Beautiful.

The first day we captured Carter's smile!

I constantly shift between feeling sad that Carter is growing so quickly and excited that he is learning so much.  While I can't wait for the day that I will be able to have a conversation with him, I absolutely love being able to hold and snuggle with him while he is so small.  I recently had to fight back tears as I put away his newborn clothes, some of which he never even got the chance to wear!  Why, oh why, did I not dress him up more?  Oh right… it was because we were changing diapers hourly and running on a few hours of sleep.  We will just have to make up for it now.  :)  He will be 4 months old this weekend.  Did I mention how time is fleeting?