You know how when you’re pregnant everyone asks if you want a boy or a girl and the typical cliche answer is “It doesn’t matter, I just want the baby to be healthy”? Of course. Absolutely. We all want the very best for our children and at that stage in life, health seems to be on top of the list. But think about it. Would it REALLY matter if that baby comes to earth less than perfectly healthy in the world’s eyes? Would you love that baby any less? I’m going to go ahead and take a leap of faith and venture to say that if you are reading this blog, then no, it would not make you love your baby less. Chances are, if you are reading this blog, then you love children. You have a heart for them and care about their needs. Why else would you be here? Let’s face it, kids are pretty much the focus of all posts that I write. You love reading stories about cute, pudgy little infants with gummy grins and kissable cheeks.
Last week Miss Emma was born to my baby’s first teacher. Beth Hunt loved on my teeny boy for his preschool years, 3K, 4K, and 5K. I LOVED having her as a teacher. She and Mak actually started school together. It was her first year out of college and his first year out of our home. She was bright and fresh, and her enthusiasm about teaching was REAL. She truly loved my kid. She REALLY did. And there is NOTHING more important to a momma who is sending her baby to school for the first time than to know that her child is loved. I’ll never forget that first day of school leaving the most precious boy in the world (to me) sobbing in his teacher’s lap because he wanted his mommy. I wanted nothing more than to scoop that blond headed baby up and run away, never coming back. But for some reason, I trusted this brand new teacher, even though we had really just met. Momma’s instinct, I guess. I knew she would love him and protect him. I was right, and I’m so glad that I did leave him in her care that day. It was the start of three wonderful years with an incredible teacher. He learned to count, read, and write under her care. Along with a multitude of other skills that number too many for me to even mention. During those years we watched her go from a single woman, to falling in love with the man of her dreams and marrying him. We sat in the pews with Mak and watched her go from being Miss Middleton to Mrs. Hunt. I am SO thankful that God chose this woman to be the one that took care of my boy for those hours that he was away from me.
But back to the point of this post…Baby Emma. I’m sure that Beth and Billy prayed for health for their darling girl. If you’re the praying type (and they are) then that’s what you do, right? Well, I am not at all sure of the details of what happened, but Miss Emma Grace has had some physical difficulties in the time that she has been here. She has yet to see her nursery or meet her puppy that’s at home waiting on her. She has not been walked up and down the halls of her home in the wee hours of the morning by an exhausted Daddy. She hasn’t been swaddled up and rocked to sleep by her Momma in her nursery that her Daddy worked so hard on. Beth and Billy had to leave their sweet girl in the hospital and head home in a way that they never dreamed they would have to…with empty arms. Emma Grace had an MRI that showed two white spots on her basal ganglia at the base of her brain stem. I am so NOT a medical person and I really know nothing about what all of this means, but I do know that it has caused Miss Emma some pretty major complications. LOTS of people are saying big prayers for this teeny little girl.
Most of all, more than anything, I’m writing this post to ask all of you to join with the multitudes of people who are praying. Pray for Emma to eat. Pray for her to wake up and have a little more alert time. Pray for Beth and Billy as they go through this with their first child. They know without a doubt that God is most definitely Sovereign and that He has big plans for their baby. They are begging for His help but at the same time giving glory to Him for her life. There is a Facebook page called “Prayers for Emma Grace Hunt” that is being regularly updated with news about Emma Grace and ways that you can pray for her. I encourage you all to “like” it if you haven’t already so that you can know ways to pray.
The other reason that I’m writing is to let you know about another way that you can help. There will be an online auction this weekend for Emma Grace. It will be filled with many fun items (some perfect for Christmas gifts) and all money from items raised will go to Beth and Billy to help with medical expenses. We have donated a session and wall portrait and I’d love to see some blog readers bid as a way to help Emma Grace! Details about the auction will be posted on Emma Grace’s Facebook page, and I will also try to update this post when the auction is launched. I just wanted to give y’all a heads-up that it’s coming and that it would be a great way to help out!
More than anything, please remember this young family in your prayers. We look forward to God doing BIG things through the life of Emma Grace!
