November 14th, 2013, Bruce and I became grandparents- MiMi and Moose. We are thrilled and overjoyed to welcome sweet Adelyn Grace O'Flaherty, into our family.
The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy! - Psalm 126:3
Is there anything sweeter than holding a new born baby in your arms? Yes! Holding your own grand baby in your arms! It has been such a joy to watch Holly and Caleb love, adore, and care for this precious baby girl since her very first breath. The nurturing and love that come instantly with the birth of a child; what a thrill to witness from the sidelines.
The night Addy was born, after all the visitors were gone; I watched the nurse bathe Adelyn through the nursery window. It took my breath away when she literally counted every toe and every finger then gave me, the proud new MiMi, the thumbs up. The verse that instantly came to mind as I watched this precious moment - "For you created Adelyn's innermost being; you knit her together in Holly's womb. I praise you because she is fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful I know that full well. Her frame was not hidden from you when she was made in the secret place. When she was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw her unformed body. All the days ordained for her were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139 13-16
Months earlier, Holly asked me to paint Zephaniah 3:17on a canvas to hang on the wall in Adelyn's nursery. Adelyn cried when the nurse poked her so without hesitation, as I wiped the tears from my cheek, I put my hand on the glass and said out loud, "The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." -Zephaniah 3:17 Can you believe that baby stopped crying as I spoke the words over her...it was a precious moment that I will hold dear- always.
What a delight! My cup overflows! 2014 may just be the best year of my life, yet! I'll be keeping Adelyn while Holly goes back to work. There is no greater ministry than to minister to my own family. What a privilege and honor it will be to love and care for this precious baby girl in the first year of her life and... enjoy little Miss Prestyn, when she gets here in March, too!
What about the ministry?
This year I am excited to co-teach the Dayspring Ladies Bible Study class at my home church, Houston's First Baptist. I also hope to speak at one event a month outside my church and I'm already booked through August. Who knows, maybe I'll write my first children's book. Several years ago a little boy who is very dear to me asked if I would write a children's book about a Knight whose name is Rowan McFarland. I think God was already at work because Adelyn means- noble beauty and the O'Flaherty's built some of the first castles in Ireland. Also, every little girl needs a best friend…that means Prestyn will be a character, too! Hmmm....sounds like a good idea to me!
