letter to my love.

Dear Nora,

You are my light! You have always been the one my heart beats for. When you made me a mommy I knew we would always be heart partners. I laid eyes on you and was forever smitten. As you have grown, I have grown. As you have changed, I have changed. As you have learned to love, I have learned to love in all new ways.

You have always been good at adjustments, Nora. You first adjusted well when you weaned yourself from nursing and took a bottle. From even the smallest of things to the largest, you just jumped into life at full speed. At 2 weeks old, mommy flew you home to Illinois and we did that time and time again throughout your first year of life. Daddy left us for awhile and when he was gone, we lived with Pawpy and even some time with Aunt Rachel. And then, out of nowhere, you had a brother and it was no surprise that you adjusted well to that too. We have switched houses, jobs, started school, had a new baby and even added another little love bug into our home and yet you still shine of resilience.

You are so strong, Nora. God made you unique in this trait.

You have an awesome calling on your life! I see it every time I watch you with your sister Mabel and your baby Harper. You love them with everything inside of you. Your ever intention is to make sure they are taken care of and ok. You are ornery sometimes, but I love to see that too because it reminds me that you're just 4 years old. Sometimes I could easily forget you're so little.

You are learning to read now. You know many sentences and enjoy doing your 'homework' on the computer. Your quiet spirit confuses me sometimes and makes me sad at others. But that is only because it is so opposite of my loud personality. I value you and your individual needs, Nora. You are truly beautiful.

I know you will grow to do great things. I knew that from the moment that you were born. You had a light about you. People have always been drawn to you and now as you are growing into a little girl and leaving behind the days of baby-hood, I see that you are drawn to people just the same.

I wanted to tell you a few things that are important to mommy and I hope will be important to you someday as well.

First of all, always love deeply. You will probably get hurt many times in doing so, but it is always worth it. When you open your heart so wide that it would explode from stretching, this is when you know you have loved the best you can love. No one ever told me or taught me this lesson. I simply learned it by watching my Nanny love deeply and your Nanny does the same. I hope that I can be the example that you need while doing so.

Secondly, take care of others.

When you do good things for other people it blesses you. The Lord calls us to care for the orphans and the widows. He calls us to step up and do all we can for those who are without. If that means opening your home to strangers, or even your best friend...

always do it. And never regret it.

And the last thing I wanted to tell you today, babe, is to always give the Lord praise.

He gives and takes away. It is not about our choosing. And when you can accept this and learn to be satisfied with it, you will truly be able to honor our God in the deepest of pits. This is His desire for your life and my desire for your spirit.

I love you with every breath of my being. You make me so proud every day. I am thankful for the little girl that you are. You make me want to be the best mom I can be for you. I hope that you always know how special you are and that you cling to Jesus with everything in you.

I will always be here for you. Always.

Please just turn my way....

With all my love,

Mama.