Celebrating Her Journey, Not the Timeline

In just a few days, we'll be celebrating my sweet daughter's first birthday. As I put the finishing touches on her party that I've been planning for months, my heart is overwhelmed with gratitude. There was a time when I wasn't sure what her first year would look like, so simply being able to celebrate this milestone is a gift that only God could have given us.

But if I'm being completely honest, birthdays have a way of bringing emotions I didn't expect.

Milestones.

For my oldest daughter, she was walking just before her first birthday and reached all of the "typical" milestones right on time.

Then there's Amiah. She learned to roll over completely just about a month ago. She doesn't sit up on her own yet. She isn't crawling. She isn't pulling herself up. At her birthday party, she'll be surrounded by other one-year-olds doing things she hasn't learned to do yet.

I thought I had moved past comparing her journey to everyone else's. Yet as her birthday gets closer, I've realized those thoughts still find their way into my heart.

Instead of letting those feelings take over, I've decided to turn them into prayer.

This week, my prayer is simple: Lord, help me focus on what she has accomplished instead of what she hasn't. Help me celebrate the victories You've already given us instead of worrying about the ones still to come.

God gently reminds me that Amiah's story isn't meant to look like anyone else's.

She has fought battles that many people will never see. She has overcome obstacles that most babies will never have to face. Her timeline isn't delayed—it is uniquely written by the One who created her.

I'm learning that this is our normal for now, and that's okay.

One of the greatest blessings God has given me has been the women in my church's small group. Their encouragement played a huge role in inspiring me to start this blog. They've reminded me that not everyone will understand why we celebrate what may seem like "small" victories.

And that's okay.

Those milestones may seem ordinary to someone else, but to us they represent answered prayers, countless therapy sessions, tears, perseverance, and

God's faithfulness.

We're not celebrating for the approval of others.

We're celebrating our children.

We're celebrating every victory, every step forward, every new skill, and every reminder that God is still working.

Sometimes all it takes is finding people who truly understand your journey. A community that cheers when your child rolls over for the first time, no matter how old they are. A community that praises God for every milestone because they know the road it took to get there.

As we celebrate Amiah turning one, I'm choosing gratitude over comparison. I'm choosing faith over fear. Most importantly, I'm choosing to trust that God's timing for her life is perfect.

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." — Galatians 6:9

Today, I celebrate not just my daughter's first birthday—but God's faithfulness through every step of her beautiful journey.