The Quilt

23 years ago Troy and I moved to Germany where he was serving in the Air Force. During those years we were surrounded by young families having children. A couple years into our time there we realized children were not going to come quite as easily for us as they did for others but did not know why or how long our wait would be! We believed God would give us children some day and stood on the promises He gave us. We had an incredible grace during that time to rejoice with many friends that had children. I attended countless baby showers, we visited every friend and their babies in the base hospital and we were the resident baby sitters - especially for weekend getaways for mom and dads. We even coordinated the church nursery for a season. But still our nest was empty. During this time I had a desire to make a baby quilt in faith that someday I would use it. I had a friend at church who was a great seamstress and she helped me make the quilt. We enlarged the pattern from a picture I had and cut it out of fabric. She taught me how to applique it and I cross stitched the verse on the book the bunnies were holding. I went to her house 1x a week for several weeks.
After 8 years in Germany and still no children I packed the quilt away and carried it to Texas. During our 8 years in Texas we went through infertility testing and I had two surgeries and still no children. After our last round of treatments we began to try and let go of the dream of ever having children. One of the things I did to help me let go was to give away the things I had held on to for years that had symbolized my wait for children. I had carried clothes and little things with me that others had given us in faith. I had bought some things and then there was the quilt. I carried it with me when we moved home in 2000 and somewhere along the line when one of my youngest sisters children was born I gave her the quilt. I think it may have been in 2002 when her 6th child was born. I really had forgotten all about it - until today!!
Today my mother in law had a shower for AJ. We got many wonderful gifts but when I opened the gift from my sister the tears began to flow! 20 or more years ago I made this quilt with a little boy and little girl bunny - they are reading the Bible and the verse they are reading says,
"And all your sons will be taught of the Lord; and the well being of your sons will be great" Isaiah 54:13. Who could have known how long our journey to these children would be? How many times I lost hope and shed tears over not having children and yet all along God knew about my two precious children - He had a plan that was far greater than anything I could have devised.
Today as I looked at this quilt again I was overwhelmed at the goodness of God and the fact that His promises are true. Sometimes we don't see the answers or the fulfillment but today I do see the fulfillment of the promises that He spoke to my heart 20+ years ago.
Thank you, Jesus for my sweet and precious gifts and thank you that I can stand on Your Word that they will be taught of the Lord and their well being will be great.
When we return from China the name of this blog will be changing and I will tell more of our journey through infertility to explain it!
Until then follow our journey to China for our precious son at his site, Awaiting AJ.