Pre-Order So God Made a Mother

My husband always dreamed he would have boys. He wanted two boys, exactly two and that’s just what he would have. That’s just the way it would be. He would have boys that would follow him around, learn everything he knows, want to be just like him, they would get dirty, be fearless, they would hunt and they would play football.

I know God surely looked down at him with a smile, chuckled, and said, “No, my son. Girls! You will have girls! And they will be the cutest girls you could ever imagine.”

Each and every time we went to the hospital to deliver, we heard the words, “It’s a girl!” I would smile and laugh. He would smile, laugh and shake his head.

Girls. He got a house full of girls and everything that came with them. The pinks and purples, Barbies, baby dolls, princess dresses, movies, and shoes.

He got tiaras, glitter, hair bows, fancy shoes, dresses, nail polish, and make-up.

He got the drama, the tears, the hugs and kisses, the cuddles, and the giggles.

He got dance nights, slumber parties, tea parties, date nights and girl talk.

He got to have himself wrapped around each of their little fingers.

He got to be the first man that they will ever love.

God knew my husband needed girls.

They were all he ever needed and they happen to be exactly what he wanted.

God gave him girls who follow him around everywhere. They want to know what he is doing and if they can go along. Somedays they spend all day with him. They are right beside him every step of the way.

Those girls want to know everything he knows. Their questions are endless and they want to know all the details. They want Daddy to teach them. He is the one with all the answers.

They want to be just like Daddy.

They want to be as strong as him, as tall as him, as fast as him, as smart as him. They want to do the things he does, just like he does.

Those girls get dirty! They are not afraid to get into the dirt and mud. They actually go looking for it. They jump in and help with the messiest jobs and proudly show off their dirty hands.

They are fearless in the one thing that matters: they aren’t afraid to tell people about Jesus. With their little hearts of faith, they tell the good news. They want everyone to know what they know.

Those girls are his hunting buddies. They put on their camo, orange, and binoculars, and climb right up in the tree with Daddy. They practice the deer calls and rattle those antlers like he showed them. They point out the deer and smile ear to ear. They enjoy every little bit of nature just like he does.

They may not play football, but they sure like to cheer on his football team. They get excited for those touchdowns and interceptions. And they’ll go to the big games with him. They’ll sit right beside him, watching the game he loves, with the ones he loves.

He will get his boy one day. Someday he’ll get to walk those girls down the aisle. And that . . . that is the day God intended for him to get his son. And that will be one of the hardest days for him. He will hand off those girls God gave him, those girls he was given instead of boys.

His family is not at all like he pictured it would be. God made it better. God made it picture perfect.

He got everything he needed and could have wanted in those girls. And he wouldn’t trade any one of them for a boy. 

Dad with his three daughters and hair bows

You may also like: 

My Dear Daughters, This Is How You Should Be Treated—Love, Dad

I Pray You Marry a Man Who Loves You the Way Your Daddy Loves Me

Daddy’s Little Girl is Growing Up

Want more stories of love, family, and faith from the heart of every home, delivered straight to you? Sign up here!

So God Made a Mother book by Leslie Means

If you liked this, you'll love our new book, SO GOD MADE A MOTHER available for pre-order now!

Pre-Order Now

Melinda Tietsort

Melinda is a married, mother of three girls. She works as a Physical Therapist Assistant, lives in rural Northwest Iowa and enjoys the farm life. She is a Christian and is trying to live the life God intends for her. She offers Christian encouragement and inspiration to others on her blog, "Pursuing a Christ-Centered Life." Follow it at: achristcenteredlife.blogspot.com

Dear Daughter, It’s Okay If You Hate Me Right Now

In: Kids, Motherhood, Teen, Tween
Teen girl looking up at mother

Dear daughter: I’ve heard it from you a thousand times when you don’t get your way. You yell it when your force of will doesn’t bend mine, thinking it will convince me to give in. But I’m here to tell you once and for all: I don’t care if you hate me right now. Last night you hated me because I made you take a bath before bed. This morning, it was because I made you wear pants. I’m the worst mom ever because I told you to eat a vegetable, and the whole day is ruined because I won’t...

Keep Reading

You’re Learning Life by Watching Me

In: Kids, Motherhood
Child touching mother's face as they lie on a bed

Every morning my daughter and I go outside for some fresh air. She feeds her chickens and plays and explores and walks around with her dog while I follow her around and have a cup of coffee.  This morning, my girl grabbed one of her coffee cups from her toy kitchen and brought it outside with her while she walked with her dog and pretended to take sips out of it.  Guys. I stood there watching her with her toy coffee cup, walking around with her animals, and I cried giant baby tears.  RELATED: I Wasn’t Counting On You Growing...

Keep Reading

Sometimes Love Means Slowing Down

In: Friendship, Kids
Two boys on bicycles riding to park, shown from behind

Think of something faster than a 7-year-old boy on a two-wheel bike. Maybe a race car at the drop of the checkered flag? Perhaps a rocket ship blasting into space? Or how quickly a toddler mom books it out of the house after being told she can have a hands-free hour ALONE in Target. Yes, all of these things are seriously speedy, but I have still never seen anything quite as quick as a boy on a bike on a sunny day with endless open track ahead of him. Until today. Today, my 6-year-old son wanted to ride bikes with...

Keep Reading

I Am a Wrestling Mom

In: Kids, Motherhood
Three young boys with wrestling medals, color photo

As the sun is rising on a frigid winter morning, a brave and determined group of athletes are weighing in at a high school gym. They are physically and mentally preparing for a long day spent at a tournament where they will spend only minutes wrestling, despite the hours they sit and wait all day. Their sport uses offense, defense, and mental strength unlike any other sport. My sons and nephew are wrestlers. They are part of a special team of athletes who work together but compete as individuals.           Their youth team is run by all volunteer coaches with...

Keep Reading

3 Ways to Help Your Firstborn Embrace Becoming a Big Brother

In: Baby, Kids, Motherhood, Toddler
Pregnant woman holding toddler son, color photo

My oldest son turned four right after his first brother was born. Four years of alone time with his parents. Four years of extra mommy time during the week. Four years of having toys to himself, extra attention from family members, and more. I didn’t plan a four-year age gap; it took our family a lot longer and a lot more help than we expected to have our second son, but age gaps aren’t everything. When my second son was finally on the way, I heard a lot of opinions about how our oldest son would feel once he finally...

Keep Reading

Dear Busy Sports Mom: It’s Worth It

In: Kids, Motherhood, Tween
Mom watching soccer game, photo from behind

My daughter stands on the front porch every morning and waves goodbye to me as I pull out of the driveway to go to work.  She is 11, and recently eye-rolling, long sighs, and tears have become more commonplace in our daily interactions. But, there is also this: “Bye! Have a good day!” she calls to me in the quiet of early morning, neighbors not yet awake in their still dark houses. “You are AMAZING! You got this!” she continues in her little adult voice, sounding more like a soccer mom than a fifth grader.   Her hair is still a...

Keep Reading

Goodbye to the Baby Hangers

In: Kids, Motherhood
Shirt hanging from small hanger, color photo

You bought them when you first found out you were pregnant. It may have been one of the first items, actually, to hold all of the precious new clothes. The smallest ones in your household. Do you remember that first newborn onesie you bought? It was one of your favorites. You couldn’t fathom you would soon hold something so small that would fit into that onesie. You washed all of the new clothing in preparation and hung them up in your baby’s closet. You know the item. A miniature version of the ones in your closet. Baby hangers. “Do we...

Keep Reading

Take the Trip, You Won’t Regret It

In: Kids, Living, Motherhood

Two years ago, in the middle of a snowy, windy, Colorado March, my husband and I made the spontaneous decision to road trip to Arizona with our three very young kids.  Even though I was excited, the nerves were so very real. Over the next couple of weeks, I literally lost sleep worrying about the logistics of our trip. My late-night mindless scrolling was replaced by searches like “traveling with toddlers” and “keeping kids entertained on road trips”. We already had our hands full chasing kids at home in a familiar setting. Were we crazy to think we could just...

Keep Reading

They’ll Remember the Love Most of All

In: Kids, Motherhood
Woman with kids from above, pregnant mother with kids hands on belly

You lie in bed at the end of a long day, the events of the day flashing back through your mind. You do this a lot—recap your day as a mama. How did you do? Did you maintain your patience? Did you play enough? Did you limit screen time? Did you yell less today than you did yesterday? You saw a really neat toddler activity in the group you’re a part of on Facebook . . . you should have done that with the kids. They would have loved it. There wasn’t enough time though, and you didn’t have all...

Keep Reading

He’s Slowly Walking Away with Footprints As Big As Mine

In: Child, Kids, Motherhood, Tween
Teen boy walking along beach shore

The true measure of a mother’s love is her willingness to wake up before the sun on vacation. On a recent trip to the shore, my youngest son begged to walk the beach at dawn to look for shells. So, I set my alarm, tumbled out of a warm, king-sized bed with extra squishy pillows, glared at my dead-to-the-world husband, and gently woke my 11-year-old. Without so much as a drop of coffee, we headed out into the morning, the sun still below the ocean horizon. With each step, I shed my zombie-like state and took in the quiet, salt-kissed...

Keep Reading