Baby Grace is what we called her from the moment we knew we were having a little girl. I remember the powerful emotions I felt while looking at the ultrasound that proved to the world that this baby that has been moving and making me sicker than I had ever known before was a baby girl. My sweet baby Grace was born on March 10, 2004 at 5 lbs 13oz and 19 1/2 inches long. It was not an ordinary pregnancy and neither was her birth. Along with some of my dearest and best friends to this day, we held hands and welcomed this sweet baby in to the world while her dad was away on deployment. With my due date 3 weeks later our sweet girl had other plans and came early.
Then my journey with her began. I remember looking at her little face and small body and thinking, wow, how are we going to do this? We are alone, tired, and new at this parent thing, but together we learned how to make routines and that sometimes things have to just roll ( something we continue to do to this day). Above all, I knew this would not be our last deployment together and that we must learn to overcome above all else.
One of the most emotional moments of my life is the day this baby girl got to meet her daddy. I have never seen so much emotion in my husbands face until that day. She has had him wrapped every since.
A lot has changed since the day our little girl was born. She changed our life in a whole new way. At first, it was the long sleepless nights and days filled with every baby thing known to man. Then she was crawling, got her first tooth, said her first word, and walking. Before I could even blink she became a toddler that was independent, strong, and determined. Qualities that I never knew the purposes of until now. With each new year that passes our Grace teaches us why God gives children to the perfect parents for them. Instead of us teaching her, it is us that has become the student. We learn from her, admire her and all that she has accomplished in such a short period of time in life. She has made us proud and continues to amaze us everyday. She has a laugh that is contagious and the perfect second grader smile. Although she can be pretty serious and shy around people she does not know, she has a huge heart for others. Always wanting to know how we can save each person that carries a cardboard sign. Her clear sense of justice is undistorted by others views. She still believes in a wrong and a right. She would be characterized by others as a loyal friend and a artist. She has a passion for horses, color and for reading. Three things I do not know much about. She has a natural gift that I know if she continues to work at, will develop in to something extraordinary. A natural born leader that will leave amazing footprints on this earth.
Although her name was just a family name chosen for her, it now has more meaning as our little Girl grows and matures as a person. Her name defines who she is and what she is becoming each day and passing year. She has taught us as parents the true meaning of her name Grace and the love that only parents could know for a child. It is on these special days that I thank God for choosing us for this special little girl.
Happy Birthday Baby Grace, Mama can't believe you are 8!!!!
