Gods faithfulness in Eila’s birth story
Picture: Tony meeting Eila for the first time during his 12 day paternity leave during deployment
I remember when we first found out Tony’s unit might deploy and we tried to plan our pregnancy and birth around this. That was around March of 2018 and we ended up miscarrying. It was so devastating and hard BUT enter God’s plan. I finally gave up trying to plan around the Army and we found out in October 2018 we were pregnant again. Then later that spring we found out his unit was going to deploy in May. I was still holding on to my plan because I remember thinking I can do a deployment but I could never have a baby without Tony there. Again, ENTER God’s plan.
“A man plans his course but the Lord determines his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 I held onto hope that Tony could be there for her birth, planning with my OB to do an induction if I was still pregnant by a certain date. But I went into labor 2.5 weeks early (Jemma was 2 weeks so this is apparently normal for me). I started having contractions but they started out small. As they got bigger, I thought maybe I should go to the hospital and check them out. My sister in law Holly spent the night and helped me during this time and my other sister in law Abbi was home from college and able to help out with Jemma as well as Tony’s parents (God’s provision). I still thought to myself, maybe they will be false labor pains and Tony could still come on our planned date. I ended up leaving the hospital the first time and the pains did taper off. I thought perfect Tony can come later next week. But as the day went on they got worse and by the end of the day it was looking like the babe was coming. Holly held my hand as I doubled over in pain. She prayed for me. She cried with me in the hardest pains. She made me laugh like only she can. She reminded me God was in control. She called our team “the girl squad” and an amazing group of nurses came around me. My OB even came in on her normal night off to help with my birth. My other sister in law Jessie came in and helped us all remain calm and steady. Eileen Grace was born on June 10. She has been a champ at eating and was able to breastfeed from the start which has been an incredible experience (Jemma had feeding issues which made for a miserable time figuring her out and I ended up half formula half pumping with her so I had anxiety about Eila but with Eila I find myself thanking God and being reminded of His faithfulness every time she eats). I can look at her sweet face and see at this point ten months of God providing. All I can say is we can plan and plan and fret and worry and over analyze and worry again but God provides. He has a plan. Trust Him to carry your hardest burdens. I look at Eila and I see the gift God has given. If it had been my plan, I never would have gotten to experience the sweetness of seeing Tony’s sisters love me so well during Eila’s birth.
I never thought I could do a birth without Tony. We are all capable of so much more than we realize. God gives us the power and strength in the hardest of hard. He surrounds us with His goodness and faithfulness when we have eyes to see it. Thank you, my God and my Jesus. Thank you to the village that has loved my family. Not for a moment does He leave us. God was faithful through our miscarriage and timing of our pregnancy. God was faithful in Eila’s birth. God was faithful in Eila’s ability to eat well. God was faithful in providing many who have loved her and I so well during this deployment and the time right after her birth as well as the many months after. God is faithful you guys. In whatever you are facing, I promise He is. Dwell on His promises and His truth and watch as they remain true (maybe not in ways you would expect but they remain TRUE).
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6
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