A Daughter

We found out in March that we are expecting a little girl. I was geared up to hear that it was another bouncing baby boy on it's way to join his brothers. However when they said it was a girl I was overcome with the emotions of relief. I had been preparing to say good bye to all those things you invision yourself doing with a daughter...girlee things and pink and having a daughter to be around when your sons are grown and are oblivious (let's hope I can be a great mother-in-law so my DIL's will want to come over often!!).
So when a girl was announced I felt tears run down my cheeks with relief. I had no idea that it meant that much to me, especially since I have loved being a Boy mom. Jeff was excited too and squeezed my hand telling me how excited he was for me to experience having a daughter. Jeff is such a softie when our boys are crying or hurt or even sometimes acting spoiled...so there is danger of this little girl having daddy wrapped around her finger!! I can't wait to see Jeff hold his daughter! (Which sadly may be when she is a few to a lot of months old since Jeff will be deployed when she is born.)
The boys were given a gift which they opened to find pink booties and pink hair bows. Elijah yelled "I knew it was a girl!!" and Ammon smiled. They are very excited! They did protest a little when I broke the news that they may have to watch girl movies now every once in a while..("What?!! Why would we EVER watch girl movies?") Elijah has been a crack up. Before we knew what the sex of the baby was Elijah told me "If it's another boy I am going to freak out!!" He saves anything pink and tells me it's for "the sister". He was given a unicorn pencil at school, which was too girlie for him so he asked me to put it away for our sister. When picking out blanket fabric for the baby Elijah begged me to choose the one that had all the princesses on it. Patrick is still young enough not to fully understand. He just enjoys the comfort of using my huge belly as a pillow. I have shown him my bare belly when the baby is moving and he pulls my shirt down and says "close it mommy" then lays down again on my stomach. It is neat to see their acceptance and love for their sister.
I now am still adjusting to the idea, and won't believe it until she is in my arms. Choosing a name feels 100 times harder because it's the only girl name we will pick so it has to be the right one!
Most of all when I pray at night I echo the same prayers I have for my boys with a slight variation. I pray that she can be a girl, then a woman with a strong purpose of self, knowing that she is a treasured daughter of God. I want her to know that while many in this world de-value womanhood, motherhood and purity I want her to know of her divine worth. This is my prayer for my daughter!