brand new

Our friends had been giddy when they talked about their new baby that would soon arrive. They have been talking about her by name for weeks. No longer was it "the baby" coming soon, but it was "baby Ava" is coming soon, or Ava Marie...beautiful name for this life that was growing inside of her, ready to come into the light in the next few weeks.

Friday we got the news that our friend had an eight pound cyst growing on her ovary and that the pregnancy was now at risk. The doctors wanted to perform the C section the following week. The news traveled fast through our small community and just about everyone I knew was praying for this little family. I couldn't imagine the fear that I would have upon hearing the news, and our friends were no different. With the news in hand, my friend went to the doctors and begged them to wait no longer. He asked, as I would have, for the surgery to be performed immediately. Why wait when his wife and his new Ava's lives were in danger?

We went to see them tonight in the hospital. Ava is absolutely beautiful (and I am not one to say that brand new babies are cute) and mom is sore but doing well. Born on Wednesday and weighing in right with the cyst it was great to see the little girl with a full head of hair sleeping peacefully by mom's side. Dad was looking a bit tired, and grandpa seemed proud watching on.

New life is amazing, is it not. Sometimes the stories like this end up in a sea of tears, but this time the joy in the room at the tiny hospital was something worth talking about and celebrating. I look forward to seeing this little family pursue their God and teach their little one truth and the best way to shadow God. It's going to be an amazing journey, and the start of it will always be a fantastic story.