Meeting the Grands

Who heads to the desert in the middle of the summer with three little ones? We do! We spent the better part of a week in Palm Springs for a work conference for me and we were joined by some very special guests. My mom drove out with us to help with the kiddos and my grandparents flew into town to meet their newest great-grandchild and see their favorite Ethiopians. It was a priceless trip that still came with the cost of sacrifice.

Perhaps my favorite moment was when Granny and Gramps (my kids great-grandparents) walked into our hotel room for the first time. They busted in the door after bedtime and Judah and Addise giggled with delight while sprinting to give them hugs. THEY KNOW THEIR GRANDPARENTS! Judah and Addise know they are loved by them. It was a joyful reunion to say the least.

While I sat in an air conditioned conference room for work, my mom (sitting on the pool steps) played for hours with my kids in the pool.

Asher wearing Gramps' shirt from when he was a baby!!! This shirt is 80 years old and in pristine condition. Gramps held Asher for hours on end which made my heart glad.

Such a beautiful shirt in perfect condition! Thrilled we were able to capture this moment...(and that double chin)

My Granny with my son.

Three generations sitting on the couch. My grandparents are amazing grandparents. They take great delight in us and radically love on us. (After a dozen attempts, we still couldn't get 6 smiles at the camera. Impossible.)

Asher's Shower

Six days after Asher was born, I had my previously scheduled baby shower. My friends who threw the shower tried to convince me all week that we should postpone it. "You've just had major surgery!" "You need to rest!" "Let's postpone until Asher comes home!" I stayed the course and convinced them I could do it. I'm so glad I did. It was good for my soul to be with women who love me and my family. The shower took the sting out of Asher being in the NICU instead of my arms. And let's be honest, we needed the gifts to bring home Asher!!
I've had two of the most AMAZING baby showers in the last 18 months. At my last baby shower, I had just left Judah and Addise in Ethiopia and was a blubbering idiot at my shower. Then, at this shower I left Asher in the NICU. Geez. No more baby showers for me. These were two very emotional and non-traditional baby showers for me and my friends.

May the pictures can share the story of this incredible afternoon with my friends...

Cutest cake you ever did see!

Everything had a personal touch. All the desserts were made by one of the girls on my team - a baker at heart!

Every guest made their own party favor - personalized bags with Asher's birth information. Every guest also signed a handmade guestbook, complete with their address (easy for thank you notes!). Finally, everyone wrote in a book with "mommy advice". These words were beyond general - they spoke into who I truly am and what I need to be a great mother. THANK YOU, RAI, for creating such meaningful, personalized items.

To say my friends are "generous" is just too flighty a word. Thankfully, they didn't make me open gifts at the shower. Afterward, I opened gifts for two days.

Maybe the best part of my shower: my daughter and my mom were there. My mom flew into town just a few hours before the shower. A dream come true to have her there.

She who walks with the wise grows wise (Proverbs). These are some amazing women in my life. Over the past 7+ years these women have spoken into my life, walked with me, and transformed me.

No caption can capture her beauty or personhood. Loved having my daughter with me at this shower. To say she was given too much sugar by all her aunties is an understatement.

Adorable clothes line of baby clothes. The preemie clothes look like doll clothes. The great attention to detail and thoughtful, meaningful interactions blew my mind!

Every guest spoke a prayer and word of blessing for Asher and me. The white beads are for Asher's birth month (diamonds) and the green beads for mine (peridot). They were all strung on to a necklace for me. Beyond amazing!

The icing on the cake: Carol (in above necklace picture) secretly talked with my mom who wrote me a two page letter of blessing and wisdom. Yes, I cried.

Most of the women who showered us with love. Massive love and thanks to Rai, Carol, Sookyung for hosting this lavish affair. Though I still look 9 months pregnant here, I had to post this picture of my beautiful community.

I left full and exhausted. What a day. It truly takes a village and this village is a keeper. Much love and thanks to my community for showering us with love.

If Mother's Day is Painful...

Three years ago today, I was gifted with the opportunity to share my story at our church. It was the first time I'd been given the platform to preach to our whole church and I was being tasked with sharing my most painful and intimate story of my life. Driving to church that morning I was nervous, desperately praying and the old hymn "This is my Story" came on the radio. I allowed myself a few tears that wouldn't destroy my makeup, reminding myself that my story was THE story God was writing in my life and it was worth bravely and courageously sharing. I did. I spoke 3 times that day, each day emboldening this unthinkable story to be shared with women and men who desperately needed to know about God as our Mother.

If today is painful, for you for any reason, know a few things:

1. This is not the end. 
2. God is writing a story in your life that is beyond comprehension and our role is to unabashedly surrender to it so we can get the most good to come from it. 
3. We hope in God, not an outcome. If we do, our hope will never fail us.

May God's Word in this message speak to you today like it continues to speak to me. Love and prayers for you who hurt today. I see your faces. I remember your names. I'm with you.


Mother's Day - May 10, 2009 from Newsong Church on Vimeo.
"God as Mother"
Speaker: April Diaz