Due Date Anticipation

I wrote this for my Anna 6 years ago 

but it’s still so true today. 

As she has been laid off, 

due to Covid, 

from her technical writing job since the end of June, 

I am still anticipating where God will take her next! 

(And, if any of you know of a job for her, let me know! She has a car payment now!)

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Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Anticipation - September 16, 1996

To My Anna,

In 1996, today's date, September 16th, was my due date for you.

That date will be forever etched in my mind 

for it was the date 

that everything I had ever wanted was due. 

I had my wonderful husband.

He was living his dream of being a minister 

all at the same time as being in seminary.

I was teaching school

(although I already knew I wanted to quit and stay home with you).

The anticipation of the day you would join your daddy and me in our world was almost palpable.

Before then, I had never looked forward to anything more than I did you.

And you did not disappoint.

You have been surprising and thrilling us 

- and now just me - 

from the very beginning.

You were born early 

- on September 3rd.

After you were born, 

the pediatrician told me you were really only 37 weeks gestation age 

(which I had been trying to tell the doctors all along 

because I knew exactly when I got pregnant).

So, even though the calendar said you were 2 weeks early,

your development and presentation at birth 

proved that you were really 3 weeks early,

which, along with the placental abruption, explained a lot

about the breathing difficulties you had at birth.

But you overcame those breathing difficulties

and, after a few hours, were finally brought to me

(your dad had not left your side the entire time).

From that moment until now,

YOU have taken my breath away.

I just could not stop looking at you.

Your ten little fingers.

Your ten little toes.

Your perfect little face.

Your perfect little you.

And I never have grown tired of just being mesmerized by you

(even when I'm yelling at you to clean up your room).

From the very beginning knowledge of your existence

(positive pregnancy test on January 9th or 10th, 1996), 

you have captured my heart.

The power of anticipation was so strong as I was looking forward to you being born.

But the interesting thing is that the power of that anticipation hasn't diminished.

It has only changed to anticipate each new stage of your life.

And, my firstborn, 

I can hardly wait to see where God takes you 

in your world!  

Love,

Mama