Photoshoot

Daily life with three kids, ages four, one, and newborn, was BUSY.  It was gloriously busy.  Nursing Mia and keeping my two sons occupied left me with hardly any time to relax.  Oh, and then there was taking care of my hard-working husband and also picking cherries for the local Farmer's Market.  It was a dizzying pace.  Thankfully, Mia was a very easy-going baby girl.  I would carry her on my chest as I picked cherries, feed her in the minivan before an appointment for her brothers, and lay her down to sleep peacefully at the park in the late morning sun.  Having all three children in bed at night felt like such an accomplishment.  Derrick and I were blissfully tired.

I remember feeling like I didn't have a spare moment to breathe(or paint my toenails).  But one evening, Derrick took the boys with him to do some chores on the farm.  I was home alone with one-month-old Mia for some rare girl time. As I started to change her into her pink and green frog pajamas, I stopped to admire her smooth belly.  That's when it came to me.  I had been mulling over how to take birth announcement pictures for weeks.  On the white shelf above her crib, I spotted the pink and ivory crocheted headband that my mother had made for Mia.  Next to it was a similar pink crocheted flower pin that I wore to match my daughter during her baby shower.  I dug an ivory set of bloomers out of a bin of mismatched items I was planning to donate. The photo shoot seemed to come together in a matter of minutes.

 It was a warm evening, so I took Mia out on the lawn at sunset with her bare belly, arms, and legs.  She was so peaceful as I laid her on a pink cotton blanket.  Halfway through, my mom spotted us and offered to help.  She picked the occasional hopping bug off the blanket and smoothed it where it was wrinkled.  Mia cooperated beautifully, drinking in the soft sunlight.

When we were done, my mother and I were so happy to have caught such precious pictures.  We admired her smooth, chubby features.  Looking back, I suspect that God Himself orchestrated this time.  For this to come together so well and so quickly, I can't think of another explanation.  I would really have liked a formal family photo with all five of us.  However, I'm so grateful that I was able to capture shots of what a beautiful girl she was.

After we took the photos, I felt I had no time and energy to print them and send them off to the people on our Christmas card list.  I can't think of another time we had with just the two of us, aside from the midnight feedings.  These pictures were safely stored on my computer for three weeks.  Life was not going to slow down, and I don't know why I was procrastinating... well, now I know that it worked out very well.  Instead of sending out her birth announcements, we sent a memorial photo to thank people(I'm sure I have forgotten to send it to some- please forgive me!).  It still hurts that so many of our family and friends were not able to hold or even meet Mia in her short two months on earth, but in this way they can admire God's creation in precious photos.  

Why did He allow us to enjoy our daughter so thoroughly for two months?  I have two other children in heaven that I have never met.  But Mia- I will know Mia and hold her again.  God was so tender to allow us to know this sweet girl this side of heaven.  We really did enjoy every sweet day with her as a gift.  I love you, sweet girl.  Even now with stinging tears in my eyes, I will always thank God for His precious gift of two months with you.