Always Learning: Honeymoon Baby

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Honeymoon Baby

Emma, my son's daughter, was a honeymoon baby. Many people encouraged them to wait awhile after getting married to have a baby.

They needed to adjust to being married, enjoy the time alone, travel, and just have fun.

Babies are a lot of work, hard on marriage, and they will miss out if they have one too soon.

Erin should finish her book and work awhile.

Ryan needs to build up his business, etc.

This is definitely what society tells young newlyweds today. But what does God tell them ~

I will therefore that the younger women marry,
bear children, guide the house...

I Timothy 5:14

But women will be saved through childbearing, assuming
they continue to live in faith, love, holiness, and modesty.

I Timothy 2:15

Do you ever hear young newlyweds get that advice??? Yet this is what the Creator of the universe tells young women to do. Young women can't even say that this is all they want in life without being ashamed and embarrassed.

Emma has not hurt their marriage even one speck! Erin told me that their love just keeps getting deeper and deeper. Ryan was her hero during labor. They cuddle, hug, and kiss every chance they get.

They love raising Emma together and watching her grow. They are incredible parents. They wouldn't trade her for anything...travel, more money, more time alone and fun....NOTHING! {Actually, they still travel and have lots of fun!}

God's ways are good, very, very good. Children are a blessing, a huge blessing when they are raised to be disciplined, obedient children.

Listen to God, not to what others and society tells you. He knows best.

Comments (27)

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latoya · 700 weeks ago

My daughter was a honeymoon baby as well and my husband and I received the same comments. My thoughts were simple...don't tell God your plans.

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Whitney · 700 weeks ago

Every one of the italicized statements are EXACTLY what I've heard since the first day of our marriage and continues even still. Have you heard the "5 year rule?" Apparently, children before five years of marriage spells divorce. I'm so tired of hearing the rules and requirements that must be met before children, and then having to hide the fact that I adore the role of wife and mother. Unfortunately, my husband is an unwavering believer in those rules. Marriage needs time to mature to him, and considering how rocky of a start we've had I would agree. However, I continue to maintain that it's the quality of time not the quantity that matters. As heartbreaking as it is to me, I'm learning to submit to my husband and pray for God's direction in his leadership. Thank you SO MUCH for this post!!!

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Rightthinker · 700 weeks ago

Amen! Nothing solidifies on the solid rock of Jesus Christ, like submitting the marital bed to His glory!

A child that comes quickly after nuptials, is the fulfillment of one of the greatest purposes of marriage!

Our children will all be counseled to seek God with their spouse on these matters..we may all be very surprised where He leads is different than the usual-even mainstream Christian counseling teaches. "Wait years, college funds, etc before you have children. Use birth control!"

We pray we are a picture of a family submitted to the Lord..not just in ways that are modern and convenient and lucrative..we have many children, some close together, and we wouldn't have it any other way! Nothing has brought our marriage closer and stronger, than being united parents in the Lord!

God Bless! Great post and beautiful family!

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Amanda M. · 700 weeks ago

That is so beautiful. I think we look to society too often for what is the "right" thing to do. God really does have an answer for everything in the bible, we just have to take the time to look for it. Our daughter was born just before our two year anniversary. It was the perfect timing for us and God knew that. Having children, even more than before, has taught me to rely on God and His timing.

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Amy · 700 weeks ago

I think that the decision to have children/when to have children, should be a personal decision between husband and wife. Some couples are ready to embrace kids soon after marriage, while other couples decide to wait. Both are perfectly acceptable choices!

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Eliza J · 700 weeks ago

What a beautiful post, family, baby....love that adorable face and big toe! So good to hear such "good news" like this!

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PJB · 700 weeks ago

I'm surprised that you are using that verse from chapter 5 as a general reference to young women and childbearing.

I'm sure that you are well aware that it is a specific instruction regarding young widows, not an instruction that included unmarried maidens. I think there are some specific things to consider about that, the most obvious factor being that a young widow has already been sexually active, and would almost universally be a single mother one or more young children already (unless she was infertile).

The other factor, of course is that if Paul was assuming that his specific instruction was to be taken generally, then we should follow proper interpretation of that possibility -- that unmarried maidens should do this. At 12-14 years old. Like they did in New Testament times. (In New Testament times, a "young woman's" marriage was usually immediately after mensuration -- it was generally arranged well beforehand.)

I just don't think that flies -- even in a Bible-following lifestyle. I don't think any of us believe that it is Paul's 'will' (or God's will) that we marry off our girls promptly in Middle School to best maximize their childbearing years and get them rolling on 'guiding' their own households.

It's clear to me that the Biblical instructions to young widows of New Testament times are best applied to the young widows of our time... not to all 'young women'.

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Taryn · 700 weeks ago

Our third daughter-in-law decided to have children right away because she saw several women in their early thirties(in her workplace) that had waited and then were unable to conceive. My first child was born 10 months after we were married. I read once that women "back then" didn't menstruate until about 16. I remember that because I had friends who didn't menstruate until 16. I do think that high school should end by 16. Some home educators finish high school by 16. The Swann family(book-No Regrets) finished high school and college-all 10 children- by 16. There is a famous actress that had a few children and was unable to conceive after 29 or 30. I had my first child at 18 and my last child(our 6th) at 38. The pregnancies in my twenties were easier than the ones in my thirties(leg cramps,etc.). I have met and known of many women who were married at 17 and had successful marriages(Michelle Duggar,etc.). I was married at 18. I think 1 Timothy 5 is good advice for all young women.

3 replies · active 700 weeks ago

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Charity · 700 weeks ago

Amen! I married at 19, was pregnant in 4 days and would not trade my children for the world! They are truly the greatest privilege I could imagine. I lost a "friend" over having a child so quickly, and disappointed quite a few (overly bossy!) people, but you know what? God is smiling. And so are we!

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Jacki M. · 700 weeks ago

I was married at 18 (my husband at 22). We miscarried our honeymoon baby but later that year become pregnant with our oldest. She was born when I was 20. Personally, had we been married without kids for a longer period of time I would have found it more difficult to adjust because you become so set in your ways of marriage (not true for everyone). When someone comments about how young I was I just say.. "well, I get to enjoy them longer!"

I found your site from The Modest Mom link up.

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Rachel · 700 weeks ago

Found your blog through the Modest Mom link up-love this post! I am getting married this coming May (I will just be turning 20, my fiance' 22). There have been so many comments and advice for us to wait to get married until we were older and most definitely wait to have children. That's just what society thinks and it can be so discouraging to be told these things time and time again. My desire since I was a little girl was to be a wife and a mom one day-that's just who I know God has created me to be.

And so this post was just what I needed to hear! Thank you for sharing! Your last line brought it all home for me-God DOES know best. No matter how much society and others' advice can get in the way-listening to him is the greatest thing.

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Mrs. Nerdy · 700 weeks ago

I loved this post! It brought back so many good memories of our first year of marriage and honeymoon baby. I actually blogged about our honeymoon baby story today!

I am a daily reader, and love you blog :)

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Julie · 700 weeks ago

Every child is a gift. What a beautiful family!

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Seeing Each Day · 700 weeks ago

What a happy sweet picture - love how the parents are looking adoringly at her and she straight at the camera.

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kate@Daffodils · 700 weeks ago

My husband and I got married at 23 (and dated long distance the whole time), then were separated for 15 months while he was deployed to Iraq, then I got pregnant right when he got home. People thought we were crazy since we had never lived together and we were so young, but it was never a question for us. Having a family is much more rewarding than anything we would have done without our sons!
Beautiful picture of your daughter and her family!

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Rebekah · 700 weeks ago

Everyone has advice to give about babies! Its one of the most frustrating things about being pregnant/a new mom. I have found that it is best to follow my own heart and instincts and that is what is best for my family. I love the picture of your daughter and her family! I hope they continue to grow together and prove all those naysayers wrong! Visting from the simple things post!

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Emm · 700 weeks ago

I think this attitude is interesting: "Ryan was her hero during labor."

I'm really grateful for my wonderful husband's support during childbirth, but I'm pretty sure I get the hero credit for successfully completing an unmedicated birth.

2 replies · active 677 weeks ago

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KML · 699 weeks ago

Good post on this topic.

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Stephanie · 699 weeks ago

I have been married just over a year. We will have our first child in December (will have been married a year and a half when she is born) We had wanted to wait, but I think it was more pressure/bad advise then anything. After being married only 3 months we had a miscarriage. At this time we began thinking about if we really wanted to wait or not. (I was not on birth control) We were praying about it but had not really decided either way it took us until December to decide (this did hurt our marriage a bit). In January we had another miscarriage and in February a third. By this time we were so emotionally drained we decided we did not want to have children for a LONG time. I was going to the Dr to get birth control and she wanted to take blood to make sure my body had gone back to normal hormones and what not. Anyhow I got a call the next day telling me I was pregnant.

Sadly I was not as excited as I should have been (after three miscarriages its hard to be excited about being pregnant again) We went threw a month of blood tests, ultrasounds, and drs visits. Now I am 34 weeks pregnant and so excited to meet our daughter.

I have been told many times that we are having a child way to fast, and that we should have waited longer, but after what we went threw I am very glad that we are having a child. Who knows if/when we will be able to have another. I can also say I will never go on a hormonal birth control, after how much we went threw to have this one I can't imagine messing with my hormones.

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Stephanie · 677 weeks ago

Subscribing

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Rebica · 531 weeks ago

Thanks for sharing this post. Now I am newly married. just pass 7 moths.. I am not ready to take now our baby's responsibility ,and my hubby also want to same. We need some time, After 2 years we will take our baby, not now.:)

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Anna · 467 weeks ago

My husband and I will be married 3 years in June. He is 38 and I am 27. The first year of our marriage I was on birth control but that was because I was also on medication for my MS. I got off it early in 2014. And starting June 2014 we have been wanting to conceive. That has not happened yet. I am trying to be patient and put it all in God's hands but it is hard. I do want to conceive and bear children. I thought it would be so simple and easy to get pregnant. But alas not so with me. I did go to the ob-gyn and was told I am a healthy female. My husband has a daughter from a previous relationship when he was younger. He is my first man. So I don't know what to think. Is it me or are we doing or not doing?

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