Better Late Than Never

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

—Proverbs 13:12

We intended to dedicate Henry as a baby. Really, we did. But when Henry turned five, it was still on my to-do list. I was complaining about it, and my cousin Melody jumped in. Her daughter Marley is Henry’s age, and they hadn’t yet done a dedication.

Melody and I each miscarried three babies in the years between the births of our big kids and our babies. On some wordless, tender level, we kept thinking if we waited, we’d have new babies to dedicate. For five years we kept thinking pretty soon, any time now, right? Surely? If you haven’t lived it, you can’t understand the toll those months of pretty soon, any time took on our hearts.

We set a date and decided to keep it simple: a mini burger bar, Brannon’s spicy Caesar salad, Uncle Tim’s potato salad, and strawberry cardamom shortcakes for dessert. Melody and I and our kids and husbands sat near the fireplace, surrounded by our family and a few friends. Our kids wriggled and babbled while we all read together the words of dedication, and then my father-in-law prayed a blessing for our kids.

Better late than never, indeed.