Hattie wants to be a midwife when she grows up AND own a waffle house. She creates new waffle combinations for us often, but for her birthday she wanted to focus on babies.
We spent her birthday driving around to visit all the moms we know who just had a baby or have a baby in their belly. It was all her own idea, and to make the mama’s a little gift bag: a vitamin water, a journal, a new pen, chocolates and then to encourage each one.
Plus, she got to hold a lot of babies.
She told me as we drove from house to house that this was the very best birthday she has ever had. And I could see why- she found so much joy in giving each mom their gift and listening to me chit chat with our dear friends as she held their sweet babies.
There are a few newborns coming her way in the months to come. And she wanted to visit those mama’s too, because they have babies, “just on the inside.” She will be a wonderful midwife.
After our outing I decided that every congregation should have older women who make similar visits to the younger moms at home. We just stayed for 20 minutes with each mom, but it was a delight and a real day brightener for everyone involved.
***And a bonus story. This was from Hattie’s birthday breakfast. Elias gave her this activity book, as he has a tradition of finding something we already own and wrapping it up for every birthday. He gave Ivar our globe, gave Elsie some of her yarn. And he honestly acts like this is a great surprise, a great gift and totally new to everyone. We celebrate his gifts with laughter every time- “oh wonderful! What a great idea! A ziplock of legos! That was very thoughtful.”
Because it is. And he beams because his heart is exactly where it is supposed to be.
