Counting it all Joy

Today, I took Kyle on his first grocery store outing since his surgery. It was beautiful outside and it felt so good to get back to our normal daily routine. I tucked Kyle's infant carrier in across the width of the cart and he was asleep just a few minutes into our shopping trip. 

I strolled the entire width of the store and eventually found my way to the produce department. A woman approached to congratulate me on my adorable baby. She was in the midst of telling me how quickly babies grow and what a blessing they are when Kyle shifted in his sleep, turning his head and exposing his week old surgical incision. She gasped and quickly shuffled away, murmuring something about my having a blessed day. 

My joy sunk into despair. Tears threatened to spill over, anger began to swell and I came uncomfortably close to being featured in a "meanwhile at Walmart" meme. I found my composure and headed towards a check out line. 

As I was loading my groceries into the van, feeling emotionally defeated and done, Kyle stirred again and flashed me one of his sweet, gummy grins. It was then that I realized that the day's blessing was mine to claim. I had not been robbed of joy by a stranger in Walmart. It was she that had been robbed by uncertainty. She would leave not knowing what a blessing he truly is and the miracle that is his being. She would leave not knowing the extent of God's faithfulness throughout his young life and how powerful one little toothless grin can truly be. 

Today, I rejoice in knowing.