LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
When Chris stepped off the plane and saw the tiny bundle in his wife’s arms, it was love at first sight. Keesley was eleven days old.
“I remember it as if it were yesterday,” Chris said. “The first thing I did of course was give quick hugs and kisses to the adults, and then it was strictly baby time. I stole her away and held her as if I had held a hundred children before her.”
Completely oblivious to all the strangers in the airport smiling at the scene, Chris only had eyes for Keesley. “All I could focus on was that the little life I had in my arms was biologically mine, but I knew then and will always know that she is God’s child. I am just blessed to raise her for him.”
While Chris was home, Keesley was having trouble sleeping because she had tummy pains. After trying everything from gas drops to switching formula, nothing seemed to help except her daddy.
“I was in the recliner with her and I started to nod off and then I realized she was asleep,” he said. “So we found a solution to the fussy nights with gas build up. I would sleep with her on my chest in the recliner, which worked perfectly.”
When it was time for Chris to return to Iraq, he left a worn T-shirt of his with Leah to put in her crib. The scent of Keesley’s daddy seemed to help soothe her, even after he was gone.
Saying goodbye again after his R&R was one of the hardest things Chris and Leah have ever done.
“I know that God made my child for me,” said Chris, “and he also realized that I would have such a difficult time being away that he gave me ways to cut through those hard times.”
For Chris, those “ways” were emails, phone calls and pictures sent back and forth. What are the ways God has provided for you to get through your own difficult circumstances?
Lord, give me the strength I need to shoulder the burdens you’ve allowed me to have.
“Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.” (Psalm 63:7)
August 26
HOME AGAIN
Ten long months later, November 8, 2007, Chris’s deployment to Iraq was over. He officially moved back home to be with his wife and daughter.
“My unit marched into the field house and waited while a few people said some words,” said Chris. “I cannot remember what was even said; I was too busy staring at my wife and now, ten month-old daughter. Keesley was being loud, of course, throwing her snacks and being a normal ten month-old. All I could think was, Wow, she is ours. I helped to create her.”
The formation released, and Chris made a bee line toward them. At first, Keesley was a little unsure of who Chris was. “As soon as I spoke, though, I saw something click in her eyes,” said Chris. “I took off my hat and I saw something else click. It would have taken more power than any person in the world had to keep her from coming to me. Of course I cried some more and then we went home.”
Back in their own home, they set Keesley down, and she started to walk away. When Chris turned around, there was Keesley taking her first steps, walking right toward her daddy. “All I could do was stare open-jawed at the little bundle that had chosen to wait to show that she could walk until I came home,” said Chris.
Even though Keesley didn’t remember her dad from his two-week visit when she was a newborn, she recognized his voice from all the phone calls and recognized his face from the pictures. She took her first steps to follow him because she knew him, even though he had been physically absent.
In the same way, Jesus calls himself our shepherd, and says in John 10 that if we know him, we will follow him, too. Though we never lay eyes on Jesus while on this earth, we can learn to recognize his voice and follow his call.
Lord, help me discern your voice out of the many I hear each day, and give me the grace to follow you.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me… My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:4, 27)
August 27
ANOTHER DAUGHTER, ANOTHER DEPLOYMENT
On Christmas Day 2007, one special gift for the Dubrees outshone everything else under the tree. They discovered that they were once again expecting.
“I knew that God was giving me back the things I had missed with our first daughter,” said Chris. “I was able to see the entire pregnancy firsthand, the birth, and the first eight months of Nikayla’s life which is what I had missed with Keesley.”
When Nikayla was just two months old, Chris learned he would be deployed to Afghanistan in 2009. “It was very hard for me after having another child knowing that he would be leaving us again, but I knew that God was on our side, and he would get us through this just like the did the last deployment,” said Leah. “I was so upset and hurting for my Chris, because he was going to miss so much once again.”
Determined to do what she could to foster that daddy-daughter relationship, Leah began
working with Nikayla to say her first word. Finally one day, she said it to him: “Da da!”
“The look on his face was so priceless and I knew that was a moment he would carry with him always,” said Leah.
When Chris left for Afghanistan, he said, “Keesley was exactly twenty-seven months and twenty-three days, and Nikayla was exactly seven months and twenty-eight days. Currently, I am missing with Nikayla what I have seen with Keesley, but I get updates on a daily basis.”
In the meantime, Leah talks to Nikayla about her daddy and Chris talks to her on the phone. “I continue to pray for his safety and that Nikayla will remember him,” said Leah. “Things aren’t as hard as I thought they would be, and I know that’s because I have grown in Christ. God is so wonderful! My daughters and I miss Chris so much. Each day has its ups and downs, but we know that everything will work out in the end because God is our savior.”
Lord, if I must walk through fire, refine me with it so I’ll be stronger for the future.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
