Gift of God

The name Mathieu (or Matthew, Matteo, or any other language with that name) comes from the Hebrew Mattiyahu, meaning Gift of God. That is certainly who Mathieu is. Whether it's friends and family bringing us food, going shopping for us, doing laundry, cleaning, clothing our baby, keeping me company, and wishing us countless congratualtions, we have seen God's love poured on us in different ways we've never experienced previously. Perhaps equal to, or even more important than that support we've received, is Mathieu's ability to slow Dave and me down and just be in his presence. I may want to take a shower, eat breakfast, get dressed, or call my sister, but Mathieu says, no, just stay with me, hold me, and rock me (and usually nurse, nurse, nurse). In essence, Mathieu says nothing else is as important this instant as this moment of intimacy between me and you. Isn't that what God asks of us as well? To just rest in His presence? When I am at peace with just holding Mathieu, not even have him in the sling or the Ergo Baby (which, BTW, are the BEST), I feel closest to Mathieu and am able to reflect on this gift of God that God has given to Dave and me. My cousin Amie, Mathieu's godmother, visited for a long weekend while Dave was away on a retreat. Amie has a wonderful knack with babies and helped me enormously. I was VERY happy she was here.