Dear Baby Bridges,
I love you. I can’t wait to hold you. For years your mother and I have dreamed about the opportunity we have in the next week. In fact, I have a tear coming down my face just thinking about you.
About 3 years ago, your mommy and I were sitting at Olive Garden in Lakewood in Dallas, TX (its now called Alibaba). It was your mom’s birthday, I told her I had a surprise birthday gift. After 3-4 gifts, I notified your mom that the last gift wasn’t wrapped up. I asked her if we could start trying to have you. She smiled. She cried. She got so excited that I could tell she’d received an amazing gift. She graciously gave me time to get ready and I was ready.
After a long road of infertility that included some of the most painful moments of our lives (and surgeries 1, 2, 3), we found out last August 2009 in Estes Park, CO at the YMCA of the Rockies that you were alive. You were growing inside of mommy. You were really, really, really little. But you were alive and we loved you already. You see, we’d been looking forward to you for years if not decades.
Over the last 9.5 months (or about 40 weeks) we’ve seen pictures and videos of you swimming in mommy’s belly. Today we saw your toes, ears, hair, head, spine, femur, breathing, and more at the doctor’s office. He told us you’re a gymnast. You’ve flipped inside of mommy. They call it breech. I don’t really know much about it other than that your head is under mommy’s ribs and your feet are below her belly button. You are adorable in there.
The real reason I’m writing you is to tell you about what’s going on right before your birthday. We’re not celebrating the birth but the death and resurrection of Jesus. You see, Baby Bridges, when you are born, you have something called original sin (Romans 5:12-21). There was this guy named Adam (see Genesis in the Bible) who sinned against God (ie he didn’t follow God’s instructions). Because of his sin, we are born and you’ll be born with a sin nature.
As much as we’ll look at you feel like the day you get here is perfect, it won’t be. It will be a wonderful and a scary day. Even though you’ll look innocent, you’ll be born guilty because of Adam. We are going to be reading to you about Jesus. He’s the guy that on Good Friday 2010 years ago died on a cross for you.
Scary huh? But don’t be scared. He loved, loves, and will always love you (even more than us). He didn’t just die though. On Sunday we’ll celebrate his resurrection. That’s a big word, I know. It just means that he said “bye-bye” to death. He obliterated death. He conquered it. He’s more powerful than death.
Soon we’ll be reading you some books by a friend of ours, Joey Allen, titled Big Thoughts For Little Thinkers where you’ll here this same story. He’s a good story teller and he draws funny pictures too. In the books, you’ll learn the Gospel message: Jesus died for your sins Baby Bridges and He rose from the dead. That’s right! He died for you and rose for you.
We love you, Baby Bridges. But He loves you more. He died for you. The most important thing you could ever do for your mommy and daddy is to place your trust in Him. You’ll be hearing much more about him (even more than about the Tarheels).
We couldn’t be more excited to welcome you into the world. Your mommy will definitely cry, you just wait. Mimi and Wally, Papa and Nana, and all your cousins and aunts/uncles can’t wait to see you. You will melt our hearts. But this weekend our focus is on remembering the impact Jesus has had on us and so many others.
Know that we are not only praying for your safety but your salvation as well. Although we love you, He loves you more than we ever can. He’s risen and you are coming.
See you soon, Baby Bridges.
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