Part of the village

Today, I had the great privilege of holding five-day-old Katie, my friends Chris and Angela's baby, for the first time. She is a beautiful, healthy baby girl (seriously folks, even objectively she is beautiful). It was a joy to meet her, and not just because she is so darn cute. We have been praying for this little one since she was just a twinkle in her parents' eyes. We rejoiced when Angela found out she was pregnant. We continued praying when the baby was nothing more than a "little lizard" in Angela's womb. We cheered and got busy buying pink things when they learned it would be a girl, and were calling her by name long before she made her first appearance.

Katie was born just six days before my birthday, so I find myself looking at Chris and Angela and thinking of what my own parents were doing 25 years ago - changing, feeding, cooing, their lives re-focused overnight.

I think also of others who were involved in my young life in various ways - praying, supporting, shopping, visiting. I am thankful for them. I am thankful, too, to be entering the time in my life when I will be able to be a part of the village that loves and cares and cheers for a new generation of little ones.