Never Leave Child Unattended

We've been potty training a little at our house. It's very half-hearted on my part because I don't feel like putting the energy into it myself, and I think if I wait long enough Arlene will figure it out on her own. She's doing a pretty good job.
But recently I noticed that her little potty chair has a note on the top of the seat that says "Never Leave Child Unattended". I find that really funny. First of all, becuse it would be fairly difficult for her to hurt herself on the tiny chair. Secondly, because what parent would leave a naked child who's learning about poopoo and peepee to her own devices? I think it goes without saying that you don't want to leave your child unattended.
But there are those...

Every Girl's Dream

I wasn't the sort of girl who dreamed about raising my own family my whole life. I didn't really want kids until I was holding Arlene in my arms, to be honest. But I sort of figured it was inevitable, what with getting married and all. Something that I did sort of dream of, though, in my years growing up with a couple of close girl friends, was our having kids who could grow up together just like we did.
It doesn't happen a lot. Other things get in the way. I got married several years before any of my friends did. They were finishing college and pursuing careers when I was having kids. Some of them aren't married yet. Sadly, I had Arlene alone in the girlfriend world. (we've since met some friends who have kids about the same age). But I got an extra blessing with Jayna, besides just being able to have her.
My best friend Bethany (I have several best friends, so don't anyone go and get offended) got pregnant at the same time I did. We had the same due date. It was great! So we got to exchange pregnant stories and compare our bellies. And now, we'll get to compare our kids and exchange stories about them. She named her baby Lydia Joy.
Our birthdays are two weeks apart exactly (she was born the year after me), and our kids' birthdays are one week apart exactly. It's not a really big deal, but I think it's great. Even if our kids hate each other, I still think it's cool that we got to share that.

Night Time Soliloquy--The Lord's New Thing

Now that my baby has been born, I've been reflecting on God's promises and power and soverignty and how it all worked together in my life through my pregnancy. For the first and second trimester, I worried a lot. I'd wake up at night to use the bathroom, and if I came back and couldn't feel the baby moving, I'd lie awake, waiting, and worrying what would happen. I'd pray that everything would be OK and that I could trust God, but I don't think I was really trusting Him.
But one night He reminded me of a verse that I've been familiar with for a while. I'd rediscovered it in my Bible study, and it had applied to my pregnancy. so after that night when I remembered it, I would quote it in my mind whenever I worried. It would help me get to sleep.
Isaiah 43:18-19 "Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing. It shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."
Well, the new thing has come. After all those nights of remembering the former things and worrying that I would relive them, I'm now living in the new. Not that I'll ever forget Grace and all that happened, but I can praise Him and rejoice that the story wasn't over after she died.
He's done a new thing. It's beautiful to me, the healing that has come through Jayna. New love, new clothes, new ways of doing things. New things all around.

Jayna

I stumbled across the name in a names book, and it said the meaning for Jayna is "God has been gracious". I thought it was really fitting after the year we've had to praise the Lord for His gifts to us--not just children (although we feel that our bundle is beautiful evidence of His grace)--but all of the other wonderful things that we've experienced, despite the grief and sorrow. Plus, it's a pretty name.

Another source I just looked at said that the meaning for Jayna is "Bringer of victory", which is also sort of fitting. Through the pregnancy, I felt a lot of dispair and worry, wondering if everything would be OK and thinking about what would happen to my faith and my life if I lost another baby. In some ways, her birth was victory over those fears and again, evidence that God is in control and is faithful.

We chose the name Joy as a middle name for semi-obvious reasons. We have already found great joy in her precious little life. And not just shallow joy, but the God-joy that fills our lives and takes us through hard times. Our pastor came to pray with us before we had the baby (and before we'd shared the name), and he prayed that the joy of the Lord would be our strenth. It has, and it always will be. And Jayna is a reminder of that strength that brought us through the hardest year of our lives.