"Turn, Turn,Turn...."

My wife and daughter both turn another year more mature today. For Jody,...well, she'd rather not say; but for Emma, she becomes an official teenager. I remember when we found out Jody was pregnant for the third time (a whole other story in itself!), and how I prayed for a little girl! Prior to each of our children's births, I would make a tape of music that we could listen to in the birthing room. It was a mix of songs of the day that we listened to, and that tape we would give to our children one day to let them hear what we heard on the day they were born. I remember as I was making this third mix, I really wanted to put this one song on, but wasn't quite sure if I was setting myself up. The song was a huge hit when it came out, and can still bring me to tears with the message of it - "Butterfly Kisses" by Bob Carlisle. Jody and I had many times asked God for a little girl, but told Him we would be thankful for whatever He saw fit to give us ( you know, the right thing to say to God :-)).... Well, the night before we were to go to the hospital to see this little one, I finished the tape and decided to include the song.
On February 19, 1998, all I could say when I saw Emma Jeanne was, "It's a girl! It's a girl!"
And, now, here, 13 years later, tears still fill my eyes remembering that day, and how much God has shown me, and still is showing me in how to love my children. O, that He will cause me to continually build up and love on my children.