When we found out we’d have baby duty at the children’s home we were staying at, I was a little nervous. Older kids– sure I can play with them. Crying babies who can’t tell you what they want? Yikes. 
Aside from daily prison ministry we were tasked with playing with the kids, which meant pushing them on the swings, running around with them and hugging them a lot… aaand we also had baby duty. Because I’d go to the jail in the morning, I usually had the 1-6 p.m. shift, but one night (actually it was the first time I watched them) I had the 10 p.m.-6 a.m. shift. I dreaded it. What if the babies puked and then I puked on them? What if the babies pooed and I puked on them? What if the babies cried and I puked on them? All sorts of scenarios started to play out in my mind.
When I got to the room, I looked at the three of them from afar not knowing what to do. Freaking out, actually. I was nervous. They were crying. I hoped that I wouldn’t cry.
They finally went to sleep that night and I tried to sleep, too, along with my baby duty partner Robin. But as all moms out there probably know, there’s something different about your sleep when there’s a new baby in the room. It’s a sleep that isn’t sound at all!
So when 14-month-old Caleb woke up crying, I immediately got up to see what was wrong. He didn’t tell me. So I picked him up and rocked him, humming a random Spanish song I remembered from my childhood. And he fell asleep.
As I looked at his cute little face that night, I fell in love.
It is those moments that sometimes get lost in the big ways God shows up in life. But they’ll still stay with 
me forever. Caleb and I hung out a lot after that. We’d go out on the patio and talk about life, I’d tell him he was destined for greatness even if the doctors diagnosed him with cerebral palsy in a few months. He’d laugh at my hair, which was always sticking up. I blame Africa for my lack of brushing it.
me forever. Caleb and I hung out a lot after that. We’d go out on the patio and talk about life, I’d tell him he was destined for greatness even if the doctors diagnosed him with cerebral palsy in a few months. He’d laugh at my hair, which was always sticking up. I blame Africa for my lack of brushing it. There were so many of those small moments at the children’s home this month that I’ll carry around with me forever.
I’ll always remember Hanalyn running up to me every single time she’d see me and jumping up into my arms. I’ll remember when she’d place the bracelets she had around my wrist, saying I was her “priend.”
And the twinge of jealousy I’d have when she’d love on Emily, too. And then the laugh she had when I’d ask, “Is she your favorite?!” And her response of, “Both! You and Emily a
re my favorite!”
re my favorite!”I’ll always remember that Caleb’s was the first poopy diaper I changed in my life and that I only gagged a little.
I’ll think of Elizabeth who took care of all three babies like she was Super Woman. How she’d sleep very little, but joyfully sing to them when they were crying.
Or holding Rosalie the day she didn’t know which children’s class to go to and somehow ended up in the 8 year old boys class, crying.
I’ll remember Eric John sometimes rejecting me pushing him on the swing, but I’ll remember more fondly the days he’d let me by saying, “Poooosh!” When I think of the children’s home, I’ll remember Joshua’s big smile when I’d call out for him. I never really had a reason except I loved saying his name because I miss my two nephews named Joshua at home.
I’ll think of Roldan’s huge grin when I simply told him he did a good job washing the dishes. And I’ll especially remember sharing with Cedreck the best part of baking…licking the spoon.
This month was good because He is good. So good.
