God is good.

This is a truth that I have struggled to really believe in ever since Ivory was born. I've always known that God has a plan, of course, and that He desires the best for me. And for the most part, I've always believed it. But after Ivory was born, that got a lot more difficult. Her time in the hospital was extremely trying to my faith, and I learned that I am much weaker in that area than I would like to be.

Now, as I sit here reflecting on the last couple days with a healthy little boy asleep beside me, I am learning that truly, God is good. But its not just because I did come home with a healthy little boy. Because even as we were driving out of the OSF parking garage, I was still wondering why. Why did Ivory have so many complications? Why we were unable to have a VBAC with Titus? Why is life hard?

Over the past couple days, Grant started reminding me that life is hard because life here is cursed - cursed by sin. One of the many consequences of the fall in Genesis was difficulty in childbearing. These things that are hard do not start with God - they start with Satan. Does God sometimes use them to try us and to build up our faith? Yes. But does God ultimately work them for our good? Yes. And does He, at the end, completely triumph over all the evil? YES.

Thanks for the many, many prayers you've prayed for us over the past couple days! We are home now, and Titus is doing so well. He is such a good little eater, thanks in large part to the nurse who let me nurse him immediately after birth, right there in the operating room. We had a great stay at OSF, but are glad to be back here. Our stress level is significantly lower than it was when Ivory was born, so we are thoroughly enjoying this time together. Ivory was at Grant's parents for the first few days, and now is in Mahomet for a while. She has been having such a great time not being with us. I'm so thankful for all the help. She did get to meet Titus - she wasn't quite sure what to think of him, and was pretty quick to tell him "bye" but I think she'll get used to him.

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with who is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." (James 1:17)