As pink has slowly begun trickling into our home, the reality of this darling baby girl in my womb has become more tangible. But it’s taking time to sink in! I can hardly believe it!
I love all my boys dearly. I’ve always joked how I wanted more boys than girls so so far so good. But my desire for a daughter was still there with every pregnancy. I just had to keep putting it on the shelf.
Last fall, I was sick in bed watching TLC’s show “Say Yes to the Dress.” The mothers would cry when they saw their daughter in the wedding dress. Often, the mother’s tears were confirmation that this dress was indeed the one. I cried along with them.
But my tears were because I was realizing I’d never get to have that moment. Sure, there would be many others treasured moments I’d be blessed with and perhaps, my daughter-in-laws would invite me along when they tried on their wedding dress. I wouldn’t get to watch my own daughter become a bride.
We’ve never been trying for a girl. This is not at all what our big family has been about. We’ve always believed children are a blessing from the Lord. But before this pregnancy, I had to make sure my heart wasn’t pinning away for a little girl. If God blessed us with another boy, I wouldn’t want him carrying any sort of disappointment.
A few weeks ago, the ultrasound confirmed we were indeed going to have a daughter. A gush of emotions I hadn’t expected welled up from deep within me.
Let me be honest. Being pregnant with a baby girl has tapped into a place I thought was fairly healed up. I’m realizing, due to my family circumstances, I grew up super-responsible and didn’t get to play the role of a daughter very often. I’m much more comfortable as a mother in charge than as a daughter in need.
So, I’m embarking on a new journey! A journey of being the proud mother of a delightful baby girl. In addition, I’m on a journey of letting my Heavenly Papa love me extravagantly as His own daughter. I’ve had moments of this but I think it is my time to step even further into this place. I believe motherhood itself is an awesome opportunity to encounter God’s presence where we can be changed and transformed.
Thank you for sharing in our joy! It has really touched me! I am overwhelmed God has given me some of the deepest desires of my heart- to have a daughter and to experience more of what it means to be fully His.
![bookmark](http://www.tips4mom.com/wp-content/plugins/share-and-follow/images/blank.gif" height=){kind=small}
Treating Baby’s Severe Diaper Rash with Homemade Medicated Diaper Rash Cream
Top 10 Foods to Eat During Pregnancy
My Favorite Menu Planning Templates For a Well-Ordered Home
Helping Our Sons Avert the Pornography Trap
The Modern Proverbs 31 Woman
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Ashley, this makes my heart so happy for you guys. I never even pictured the Brendle’s with a girl, so when we found out you were pregnant again we just assumed a little boy. But a little sister with all those amazing older brothers was God’s plan all along! I KNOW that you will be such an amazing mother to this gift from God, he knew your heart, he heard your prayer (even if you didn’t pray it out loud, he heard). And he has answered your unasked prayer! In today’s world being a mother to a girl is filled with hurdles our mothers never knew about. You are the perfect mother to raise her knowing that she is loved and cherished by her family, and more importantly loved, cherished, and placed in your family by God.
I will warn you from a mother of both a girl and a boy, the relationship between a mother and a daughter is so different than one between a mother and her son…she will look towards you on how to love men, (and her life will be filled with them), she will watch you love her father, and she will watch her father love her and those two relationships (your marriage and her father/daughter relationship) will show her how God loves us, how we are meant to love God, and how she is meant to be loved by her future husband.
What a gift you have been given! And those boys will be the most amazing big brothers to this precious little girl!
We love you guys,
Kiera
Ashley, you continue to inspire. You share your tenderness, your real walk with Jesus and, a window into your family; the joys and challenges. It seems as though you follow God’s lead step by step and you make obediance look easy. I’m sure it isn’t always but your strength and courage is evident. We share a kinship and even a similar story. So thankfu we are growing close.
Tears. Thank you dearest Polly. God has been so tender with me in my spiritual journey. He relentlessly pursues me! I love it because He is more than willing to heal and fill all that is lacking in me. Submitting to His loving touch and plan is a delight but can be scary. It requires trusting Him to take over the process and to do things His way and in His timing! But He is faithful and completely trustworthy! I know I’m in good hands!