the wonderful world of two

Linley will be celebrating her FIRST birthday in just a few weeks! Unbelievable! So I’m not quiiite referring to the wonderful world of ‘the two’s’; I referring to the wonderful world of two…BABES!

We sent the following Valentine to some of our family last month as a way to announce the surprise:

The hearts read, ‘Tad A. Libby A. Linley A. and littlest a.’  The back reads, ‘more to love expected late September’.

Needless to say, Little Lady won’t be the littlest babe at the Asayplacey for long. Come mid-late September, if all goes well, we’ll be welcoming baby ‘a’ 2 to the Asayplacey!

We are very excited AND thankful. All babes are gifts and we’ll take ’em! We know and have experienced that both conceiving children or being able to carry children to term can be a struggle for many families. Before Linley came, we experienced two pregnancies that lasted no more than a couple of months. God grew us both and changed us tremendously during that time, allowing us to trust in His goodness and perfect timing–truly! And find JOY in it. Daily battling to LIVE OUT what’s written in Philippians 4:6-9 proved to be a very mighty weapon against worry when it came to my pregnancy with Little Lady; and this pregnancy as well. I had just one moment about a month or so ago during which I was concerned for the health of this babe. I was driving in the car and just prayed a quick prayer out loud that went something along the lines of:

‘Lord, I’m concerned about this babe because of —-. But Lord, you know the EXACT number of all of our days, from the very first to the very last, including this babe. And that number, it’s a GOOD number, because all you do is good.’

And then I was done worrying because, let’s face it, worrying STINKS!

So while it’s clear that we’re grateful, there is one thing I could be possibly still be concerned about – the babe’s demeanor. I can only hope that this babe is much more peaceful than our strong willed little lady, who would scream and scream and scream nearly every waking minute while we were home for the first 2.5-3 months. Not reflux. Not colic. Just her strong will adjusting to an outside word, imperfect from her pleasant home in the oomb. (We can chat over the details of why I believe this if you’d really like at another time.) I will say, however, that those three months, were the most trying, humbling, sanctifying months I have to date experienced (even on top of miscarrying our first two littles). God certainly new what he was doing when he gave us Linley Louise, our faith-filled warrior (that’s what her name means…ironically enough – side note – when praying for her pre-natal, it just didn’t feel right to pray that she’d be calm and peaceful. Every time I’d pray for her, it was as if the Lord would say, ‘nope. sorry. she’ll be bold and courageous’ So there ya have it).  When you feel like it’s your responsibility to ‘fix it’ and all you hear is the fresh shrill of a new born – you go a little crazy. I’ve never cried out for mercy more, felt more hopeless, more sinful, more angry and devastated than when we welcomed our sweet lady to the world. But the Lord is nothing but good in giving us Linley – I can say that because I’ve experienced, not only the blessing of being a parent, but also how ‘He opposes the proud, but shows favor (gives grace to) the humble’ . And if he wanted to show his grace for us by putting us in humbling circumstances, so be it! I’d rather know his grace through trial than know his opposition through getting my haughty, yes haughty, way all the time. (That’s a bold statement; so maybe not ask me how I’m enjoying the Lord’s grace in the midst of my next trial). :)

That’s that! Bring on the babes!