my favorite picture

Throughout her (almost) 17 months of living we've taken thousands of pictures of our daughter. That's not an exaggeration. Of all those pictures, one I took this week is hands down my favorite.

A printout of her 18 week ultrasound still hangs on our refrigerator. That's the day we found out all of her major organs were coming right along as they should and of course, we discovered she was a girl. I'd look at that picture multiple times a day. Sticking it on the fridge was very strategic on my part. No pregnant woman who opened the fridge as much as I did could have missed it. Day after day it served as a reminder- to pray, to thank God, to realize how miraculous pregnancy is. That picture will always be very dear to me.

But a picture I took this week holds even more significance than that.

If you ask Chica "who made you?" this is what she does. She shoots her arm straight up in the air, index finger pointing to the sky.

It's her sign for "God." We taught her how to do this of course, because we believe with all our hearts that God did make her.

My plan is to print this off as soon as I can and put it on my desk at work, stick it on the fridge and tape it to my bathroom mirror. Not as a proud mother, but as a believer in need of a daily reminder.

"Who loves you?"

"Who paid the ultimate price for you?"

"Who truly understands?"

"Who gives you purpose?"

"Whose opinion really matters?"

"Who deserves the glory?"

"Who will provide?"

"Who stands in your defense?"

"Who are you living for?"

This picture is more than a sweet toddler interacting playfully with her mother. It's spiritual accountability reminding me of the testimony God desires and the world needs. Focused, whole hearted, demonstrative, passionate.

When Chica does her "God" sign she rarely speaks. Her body language does all the talking.

Once again, this teaching mother has become her child's student. God sure does mean what He says.