Dear Little One,

[Originally composed towards the end of my pregnancy and updated during labor]

We are so excited to get to meet you here in a few short weeks! We’ve prayed nightly for your health and safety - as well as that my body would be a safe place for you to grow and develop. We often wonder your gender - but not nearly as often as everyone else! You have family members that are completely convinced on both sides! Neither of us have any preference - we are just thrilled to get to know you! We had so much fun seeing you with ultrasound but it felt so surreal that you were truly ours. 

Speaking of family, welcome to a little bit of crazy and a whole lot of love. You have people across the United States who cannot wait to hold you and are already totally in love with you. They’ve so generously filled your nursery with a safe place to sleep, an amazing stroller to go out-and-about, and blankets of the finest fabrics- to name a few items. 

You’ve been with us on many adventures already! An amazing family ski trip to Colorado, lots of Wednesday’s and Sunday’s with the teenagers at church, the operating room at various hospitals and surgery centers (you’ve been there for many other kids to be born!), and through daily life in Grand Island. We hope you’ll love growing up in Holdrege - where you’ll have the freedom to learn on your own in a way that a bigger city may not offer. We want to provide you every opportunity to explore!

Please have patience with your Dad and I as we learn how best to parent. We are going to first love the heck out of you but also try to give you some guidance and lessons (even if they’re tough). We want you to learn how to care for yourself, identify and express your emotions, love and celebrate others, and have a craving for learning that goes far into adulthood. We will teach you about God and Jesus but ultimately want you to seek and find Truth for yourself. 

As your Mom, I had some mixed emotions about your early entrance. I absolutely wanted whatever was best for you but I felt torn.. and like my body/health may have stolen some precious time from you. We pray this was the right decision and that you will thrive!

We’re going to have fun! 

Love,

Mama

Leaving the hospital! 05-10-2018