Daniel's first birthday party

was with our church family after service yesterday morning.  Our precious baby is turning three but this will be the  FIRST time his life will be  celebrated by acknowleding how  special the day of his birth really was! Daniel  was having a really worse -than -bad -day of incredible irritability due to his intestinal system being on strike or unaware that  it had been invited to participate in his week, but we were celebrating DANIEL's  L I F E   nonetheless!
 I knew that having invited everyone  to a  cake and ice cream party , the mention of gifts would come up. Daniel does not need anything, really so  I suggested that if anyone REALLY wanted to do something for Daniel that I would love it if they would give him a gift of a donation to an orphanage related in some way to his life. THANK YOU to those who did just that!!!  I am more than happy to Paypal funds in Daniel's name for you!





 We are so thankful for Daniel! Holding him while he screams and cries in discomfort and irritability over every touch and movement , being unable to comfort him except by thumping on him seems so inadequate to this mamma's heart but pound and thump I did. The second I'd slow down or stop to switch hands or rest my hands would be the start of the next round of screaming. I'd medicated and hydrated, prayed and started all over again and again  for three days. Late last  night his body gave him a little bit of relief and this morning I was informed that Daniel MUST have " REALLY cleared out" because the space by the woodstove was too  smelly for anyone else to sit near Daniel,  AND he was stretched out and SMILING!

If an empty intestinal tract makes my baby happy,  and causes him to hurt no longer, that's about the best birthday gift I can give !! He had not "talked to me"  in 3 days or so, but after a thorough clean up, he was talking and smiling , responding to some tickles and  he even allowed me to help him do some stretching exercises!! We will celebrate again tomorrow as a family. I have been asked why we'd "bother" to make a big deal out of Daniel's birthday, yes  we have.   We celebrate because Daniel is our baby. We celebrate because God blessed us with him and chose us to love a very unique baby boy who may never have a clue that we celebrate his life. I know  that  seemingly his understanding of a diaper change, a bath, the brushing of his teeth  the changing of his clothes and the putting on of socks or shoes is that they are pain producers, interruptions to being still and and unstretched but  not elements of being loved and cared for. How often do we cry and complain and "pitch a fit"  at the circumstances we find ourselves in? Those of us who profess to be  born-again followers of Jesus:  how often do we respond to God "cleaning us up"  like  Daniel responds to me? Yet God loves us , loves us so so much, loves all of us, loves me,  regardless of how I/we respond to His touch. How wonderful that God never loses his temper, doesn't get irritable "back" , doesn't shake His head needing to "take a break" from our behavior. He loves, and loves and loves some more. That's how I  want to be able to love Daniel and all the people in my life: every day! Daniel's obvious limitations really help me remember the not-so-obvious limitations of the rest of us ,and remind me of God's unfailing love!!