For Ashley

This post is for Ashley. Not my BFF Ashley, not my Democrat friend Ashley (haha, Ash, if you're reading this, I thought you might appreciate that title), but my other wonderful friend Ashley: Ashley McBride.

I originally planned to join some of her other friends in a "Blog Baby Shower" yesterday, but I somehow let the day get away from me. It was also my husband's birthday, if that counts for anything... but I'm not here to make excuses; I'm here to say how excited I am for Ashley and Patrick and Benjamin McBride!

Ash, I don't know you all that well, but in a sense I've watched you "grow up." (Even though I'm the younger one!) I knew you in college and I watched you pursue the Lord wholeheartedly. I always looked up to you (and still do) as an example of a godly woman. I watched you meet the man of your dreams, get married, and followed, through a blog, your struggles with infertility. I read as you praised your Maker through it all, and I'm still reading as you praise the Maker of the little one growing inside of you. Can you imagine what it will be like to meet him? (Can you imagine what it will be like to meet Him?) I'm sure you think of it often... and I think about it often for you.

I don't have much to offer you in the way of advice, but I wanted to leave you with a little snippet from a novel by Barbara Kingsolver. I just posted it on here a few days back, actually, so you may have already read it. But as you read it today, know it came to mind as I was thinking about you and praying for you this morning. Read this as a mom:

There were two things about Mama. One is she always expected the best out of me. And the other is that then no matter what I did, whatever I came home with, she acted like it was the moon I had just hung up in the sky and plugged in all the stars. Like I was that good.

--Taylor in The Bean Trees
by Barbara Kingsolver

Ashley, I believe that God is going to do amazing things in you and through you as you enter this new stage of life. I know that Benjamin will grow up with parents who love one another, love him, and love our great God. That's amazing! I know that Ben (will you call him Ben?) will be able to say one day, just like Taylor, that you expected the best out of him, and that you loved him with your whole heart. I know I wouldn't be who I am without my mom; I know Ben will be shaped and formed by watching you and listening to you and loving you.

I'm so excited for the three of you. Praise be to God for His indescribable gifts: for His Son who saves us, for His gospel that changes us, and for family (and friends!) who bend out His grace to us and make life beautiful.

With love,
Beth