Honestly, I never thought that I would get asked to do a birth, especially this early on. It’s something that in the back of my heart I knew I would fall in love with, because I just love everything about birth. After every one of my own births and I would stare at my precious baby and immediately want to do it all over again. The joy, the anticipation, the excitement and the pain….oh, the pain… but the reward of meeting your tiny human earth side–nothing compares.
But to be asked to come and partake in capturing what happens in those moments for someone else? To enter into their personal and holy space, to capture the most vulnerably raw and beautiful emotions of their lives. Words cannot be spoken as to what an honor it is to be invited in. Into the room where a family changes and grows. A place where you see two people who love each other work hard to bring forth new life 9 months in the making. The support, the laughter, the growling tears. I love watching the comfort of an arm to squeeze, the look for desperate relief only to be found by the touch of a kiss, a hand that gently adds pressure, the shoulder that helps bring on an ounce more of bravery that didn’t seem possible mere minutes before, or the sweet satisfaction of being immersed in warm water.
And then there’s the moment when the two worlds collide. You know the the one. Where they come face to face for the first time, when the bellowing cry fills the air. Suddenly, all the work and pain melts away as they gaze in awe into the eyes of their baby…..their sweet, sweet baby. In those moments, you see the beauty of God’s great work, each story unique to His love and created just for them. You guys, I can’t even…..it’s so powerful.
All these things, so deeply personal and beyond beautiful. Especially this mom. Don’t we all just wish that we looked half as good as she did on any ordinary day–let alone, giving birth! I have never watched a mama so determined, so quietly focused and calm as she was–she was nothing short of a rock star. I remember stepping into the room and was overtaken by the serenity and peacefulness of it. She worked so so hard and so quickly…I felt like someone said, “breathe” and here came her little boy.
Her birth made me want to stop everything I was doing and focus just on births (and maybe give birth 10 more times…..) But the reality is, right now, my life just isn’t cohesive with 3 little ones to doing births full-time. So this makes me even more thankful and grateful for this beautiful opportunity. It was such a joy to be a part of, I cannot express that enough.
So come, come enter into this space to watch God’s goodness unfold…..I hope you feel all the emotions that were felt that night as I tried to capture it through a tear-blurred lens (shhh….I cried…I tried not to, but couldn’t help it…..)
