A Baby Changes Everything

Wow....where does a year go?  Tomorrow, our precious miracle turns one.  I remember last year at this time the song "A Baby Changes Everything" played what felt like all of the time.  Every time I heard it I got teary eyed as I thought about Mary giving birth to Jesus, the baby who really did change everything for us.  I felt so close to Mary this time last year and I knew first hand what fear she felt when she learned she was pregnant.  The crazy looks and the smirks on people's faces that I encountered during my 9 months of pregnancy had to pale in comparison to the looks that she got when as a virgin, she announced that she was pregnant.  I can only imagine the number of people who hurt Mary's feelings by doubting her, but Mary was the chosen one.  Let me pause for a minute to say that I by no means feel as though I am remotely in the same level of "choosen-ness" as Mary, but I do believe that God chose John and me to be Tindol's parents, just like he chose Mary and Joseph to be Jesus's parents.  I say all of this to get to the point that I can remember a year ago, sitting and listening to this song and thinking......are we going to be ok when this baby changes everything?  I mean, we had been Mitchell - Party of 4 for 6 and a half years.

As I sit here a year later, I am amazed at just how much a baby does change everything.  She has changed all of us for the better.  She has made Tatum and Tyler realize just how important they are to those younger than them and how much those younger look up to them.  Tindol has allowed John and me to hear Tatum and Tyler leading their sister in the way she should go and witnessing to her even before she is a year old.  I have watched them love her and love each other a little more than I thought they could.  I have watched her cousins fall head over heels for her.  I have watched her grandparents slow their pace a little when she comes around.  I have watched her aunts scoop her up in their arms and cover her with kisses.  I have watched her uncles fall in love all over again with the new woman in their lives.  I have watched her daddy set an awesome example for some young man that she may not meet for years to come.  I myself have changed - more than I ever thought possible.  I am not the same girl I was a year ago as I became a mother of 3.  I am sooooo much better.

And so, here we sit on Tindol's birthday - she really is 1.  My how time really does fly when you are having fun....  Don't get me wrong, we have had some sad days at our house with the passing of John's Mimi days after Tindol was born and most recently John's Mama right before Thanksgiving, but it seems that Tindol in that little bitty body can provide more comfort and love to those hurting than any of us could combined.  So as we celebrate her 1st birthday, I am so proud to be her momma.  I am so proud that God trusted John and me with one more little girl.  What a blessing....

In closing, I have to go back to the song.  Tindol has changed all of us in one year, but Jesus has been changing everything for years.  How proud Mary must have been and still is......  He is the reason for this season and we will celebrate him everyday and especially on his birthday, but on December 21st we will also celebrate and raise up our miracle - Tindol Sanford Mitchell.  What a joy, what a blessing as she changed everything for us.......