A Day To Remember

 Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us!  Psalm 126:3 (NLT)

We had Jake and Lilly's birthday party at the zoo this year.  Since both are into animals these days and I tend to feel like a zookeeper most days, it's a well-loved place for all of us.  The night before the big day, my entire family made the four hour trek to our house, some arriving before dinner and the last weary traveler joining us just before eleven o’clock.  The girls perfected the monkey, tiger, lion, and zebra cupcakes and we talked about how none of us can believe that Jake and Lilly are already turning two. 

We joked and laughed and teased…. That’s what families do.  Someone brought up last year’s party.  The party that we decided (foolishly) to have at 2:30 in the afternoon…. outside…. in July…. in Texas!  The same party to which I arrived fifteen minutes late with the cakes, balloons, decorations, etc.  I had no idea the freeway was going to be shut down, so when I left two hours before the party, there should have been plenty of time to pick up balloons then arrive at the party location early to set up.  But, it did not go that way.  Everything did not go as planned.  In fact, nothing went as planned.  As I sat in traffic hitting my steering wheel, thinking, “How could this happen?!” just like that, in an instant, I lost sight of it. 

The significance of my kids’ first birthday vanished from my mind, and I was instead too consumed with the decorations I spent months creating, the two cakes that I had embellished just so, and the balloons that were just the right color… all 35 of them.  Nothing about this party had been done without careful planning and decisiveness.  All except that freeway shutting down and the awful heat that melted the frosting right off of Jake’s cake.  I was frazzled and stressed and mad and frustrated, and I missed it.  I missed it.

So when the party planning began for Jake and Lilly’s second birthday, I made a vow not to ever again get so caught up in things out of my control that I forget what their birthday represents.  Yes, we celebrate another year with lots of milestones, progress, and many, many phases, both good and bad.  But the day those two entered this world was a day that forever changed me.  They are my living, breathing reminders that God is good.  When I look at their faces, I see evidence that God keeps His promises.  No, He never promised me children.  But He did promise me that He would always be enough for me.  That I would find joy in Him.  He knew I wanted children, and He wanted to give them to me, but only until I saw that nothing, not even these two who I love with all of my heart, could ever satisfy my soul like He can.  I do not ever want to look into their eyes and forget what He did for me. 

The party was a huge hit for both kids, which is a miracle in and of itself.  Animals are one of the few things they actually love with equal intensity.  I give all the credit to Cody who chose this party location very wisely!  With two toddlers, a party without a single temper tantrum is a home run! And popping cupcakes in the fridge overnight was just what these little critters needed to survive the summer heat!

We even had two animal friends attend the party.   Here is Millie, the three banded armadillo.

All of the kids got to touch Millie’s back with two fingers.  Jake and Lilly, who have been devotedly practicing holding those two fingers to show their age, knew exactly how to make their fingers fold in the perfect position.  At one point, Lilly took her left hand and held down the rest of her fingers on her right hand, so that only those two fingers touched Millie, just as the friendly zookeeper had instructed.

Charles, the lizard, also attended the party, and the kids were equally mesmerized by him. 

Birthdays are times when families gather.  In fact, my mom and my mother-in-law were discussing after the party that we had not all been together since Jake and Lilly's party one year ago.  As they exchanged hugs, they made plans to get together before the next birthday party.  I smiled to myself thinking how blessed we are to have such loving families who have been there for us through it all.  I have never been more convinced in the power of a mother's prayer than I am now that I am a mother.

When the party was over, we went home for naps, then hooked up some new water toys and ran through the backyard in swimsuits!  It was such a happy day!  Definitely a birthday to remember!

Acknowledging that God answers prayers is not just something that I do out of gratitude.  It’s so vital that I never lose sight of what God has done, because inevitably there will come a time in my life where I will start to feel overwhelmed, hopeless, and confused.  I’ll be standing in front of some huge mountain thinking there is no way around it.  It’s during those times, in tears, that I want to be able to look over my shoulder at how far we’ve come and know that if He was there with me back then, He is here with me now.  And if it seems as if there is no way, My God will make a way.  And when He does, He will amaze me.

But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago.  They are constantly in my thoughts.  I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works. Psalm 77:11-12 (NLT)