Arrival

She’s here.

So many have said to me in the past few days, “You’ve arrived. You’re finally here, where you’ve been waiting to be.”

The funny thing about this arrival, and really all arrivals, is that they never happen quite how we plan.

They are often more difficult than we could have anticipated. But when you look back, the blessings of the arrival are astonishing.

The tender mercies are so abundant, it isn’t possible to number them.

Another thing I have learned about arrivals is that they aren’t really “arrivals” at all, not like I always envision.

They are brief, glorious moments in time along a longer journey.

I always imagine the “arrival” being a place to slow down, stop, and rest for a while.

But really, it never does stop or slow.

We arrive at a new moment, and quickly, life moves us forward.

The journey is full of ups and downs.

High points…

…and low points.

Our little family has been so blessed this week, though it has been a week full of new and very unexpected experiences, we have been blessed, so much so that it brings tears to my eyes to try to think about it.

We have been blessed with a new daughter, precious, perfect, and beautiful.

She arrived safely, early Monday morning, in spite of a difficult birth and exhausted parents.

The heavenly help was palpable. The spirit this new little one has brought to our home has been one of heavenly presence.

I am in awe.

We have been blessed with love this week. The kindness of friends who have gone out of their way for us has been astonishing. It has been a challenging week, and I find myself being grateful at every moment for my parents coming. I have no idea what we would have done without them this week. Matt’s parents have also provided a love and a sense of constancy that I have needed so much.