Annika
Annika Louise Krabill was born at 6:50 in the morning, August 30, 2004. Annika is a Scandinavian name, but we chose it because we liked the meaning. (It is a variant of Anne -- Full of grace and mercy.) Louise just happens to be the middle name of both of her grandmothers. (By the way, when she was born, including greats and great-greats, she had 13 grandparents in all.)
What a tremendously incredible experience watching and taking part in her birth. You hear all these stories about how amazing and wonderful it is, but like most things, you don't really get it until you experience it for yourself. Being a father is of course a new experience for me, and I wonder sometimes how I am going to be a very good one...but man, this is our child! I can't believe that I get to be her papa! Oh my goodness, it didn't take me very long (like most fathers) to appreciate the preciousness of the gift that God had given us and that I would do everything I could to protect this child from anything remotely harmful.
Then I had to think of God...and His Son. His Only Son. What tremendous willpower and love on the Son's part to follow through with His Father's plan...and what tremendous love and willpower on the Father's part to follow through with His plan of redemption for us, for me, this imperfect father that may well reject the Precious Gift of the Son anyway. My instinct, my desire is to protect my precious daughter with everything that I have...and I don't think it was any different with God; I don't believe He wanted to, I don't believe it was easy. But...oh, but you and me, He had us in mind and He loved us so much that He was willing to sacrifice His only, His perfect Son on our behalf. How incredible is that?! I love new perspectives. I want Annika to be a reflection of Him and at least partly Who He is -- Full of Grace and Mercy.
She is not what one would call a slowly growing baby, I guess. Though not the biggest baby that ever was born, I thought she had a plenty good start, and today, at her four-week checkup she topped 11 pounds.
