As I sat in my quiet house and watched him sleeping, I started thinking about this little guy. He was born with a gentle soul, and still has one. He came with a spirit that was ready to love and had the power to heal all of our broken hearts. He has made us laugh, he has made us all feel like we have a special connection with him and he has a giggle that is contagious and healing. I believe that God knew that we would need Luke. And I believe that this amazing spirit was chosen specifically for our family.
To be told I would never have children of my very own, and then to have this incredible miracle take place, has taught me many things. I have learned that we really don't have a clue about what is best for us, in spite of what we think. I believe that we have a very loving Heavenly Father who sees our lives much more clearly than we can. I struggled for years with the thought that I would never have children of my own. That pain is hard to describe unless you've been asked to endure it. There were moments when I didn't understand, and I would struggle to have enough faith to accept it, and then would try to find ways to still have joy and fulfillment. It was so hard at times. Honestly, there were times when it felt unbearable. In spite of how hard that challenge was, I feel very grateful for it. I'm grateful for the way it taught me to trust my Father in Heaven. I am grateful to know that I can do hard things. I am grateful to know that when we exercise our faith, we are blessed with strength and peace. I am grateful for the way our challenges draw us closer to our Savior. I'm thankful to know that I only have to stress so much about my challenges, and then I can turn them over to someone who can see the whole picture.
When I look at Luke, those are the things I think about. And I am thankful for this little reminder who is around me every day. When I look at him, I'm reminded to have faith and not fear. When I look at him, I'm reminded to trust. I'm reminded to be patient. I'm reminded that I am loved perfectly.
Today, I'm grateful for my little buddy.
