6 Years of Grace

The Prairie Dress

I cannot believe that we have a 6-year-old!   It’s easy to believe that Emily IS 6 (sometimes she acts more like she is 26);  but it’s really nothing short of a miracle that we’ve made it this far.  6 years ago we brought her home from the hospital wondering how we were going to keep her alive.  We were sure we failed after the first bump  in the road on the drive home.   People, I was not prepared to be a mom.  Kids were not in our plans.  I remember agonizing through a nursing session while a dear friend was visiting.  After Em finally finished and fell asleep, my friend said, “Ugh, and you have to do that 3 times a day!”   “NO!” I replied still in shock,  “like 8-12 times a day!”   Stunned silence.

But here we are.  We have a thriving 6-year-old who has 4 younger sisters.  How does that happen?  Only by the precious grace of Jesus.  I adore my kids and I adore my Savior for not letting me have what I thought I wanted, but instead blessing me undeservedly with a life I could not imagine.  My kids are a picture to me of the greater reality that I was once skipping down the path of Destruction when Jesus yanked me off and set me down on the path that leads to Life, to Him.

Now, I’m sure some of you have noticed the picture and can’t help but think, “Nice Danielle, first homeschooling now prairie dresses?”   Let me put you at ease and say that this is not our family’s new standard of modesty.  We’ve been reading all the Little House books and it is all the rage with her friends these days so this was the thing she was hoping for most.  Praise the Lord for Nana who made the beautiful dress!  Em is so thankful, and since I am still refining my domestic capabilities, so am I!  It’s been a great day of family, fun, cake, and her first friend spending the night. She fell asleep smiling.