Our dear Lacey ,
On this, the year of your
fifth birthday and
first day of kindergarten, we give thanks for
you. Abundant
gratitude for a blooming life.
The gift
of bearing and laboring a second
daughter is one so beautiful that I’m hoping
these words can showcase a glimpse of the
depth of devotion and love I have for
you,
my sweet girl.
Daddy and I, we asked
for you. We prayed for
you. When you were growing inside of me, we
sang to you.
Your sister Lilli sang to you too.
Songs of praise to a God who had blessed us
with this new life. Songs of comfort to a tiny
daughter, as her arms and legs
and soul were
starting to form. Songs of joy and hope for
what God had already planned
for this
beautiful life to come.
You love to sing now.
As a four year old, you
belted out your favorite hymns and praises to
our Lord
on your little toy microphone. You
memorize and rehearse; singing the same
tunes over and over. “Oh darlin’ don’t you
ever grow up….” is one of your
favorites. You
make your grandmothers both
smile with
delight when you spontaneously break out
into song. Just today you
stood tall and sang
for your great-grandmother Nanny in the
nursing home. Lace,
anyone in ear shot can’t
help but hum along when you sing. What a
gift your
voice is to our Savior. Daddy and I
think you might become a song writer!
You are sitting on my
lap now and we are
holding each other. Holding tight as I retell
the story of
the day I met you. You snuggle in
closer and ask me about the moment we met.
“Tell me again, Mama. Say the words again.
Tell me what I was like when I was
borned.”
And although it doesn’t seem possible, we
grow even more into each
other as I stroke
your hair and tell you yet another version of
the day my life
was changed the hour
I first met you.
You arrived in the quiet.
Still as the night of your awakening, you
broke through me without making a sound.
I quickly asked Daddy if you were ok
because you did not cry at all.
"She is perfect," he whispered to me,
with tears rolling down his strong face.
"Our baby girl is simply stunning."
Your protector, Daddy, held you first,
looking
you over so carefully. And then he lay you on
my bare chest. I wrapped
my nightgown
around you. Skin on skin. You were so new,
still covered and wet.
Just born. Just
“borned” as you like to
say!
You are a gift from our King.
You are a gift from our King.
You already had your
own mark; beautiful
toes, a full head of dark hair, your own
smell. Daddy and I
were dumbfounded at
how quiet you were. Not a peep. Just a look.
An intense
look up at us with glorious big,
brown eyes. A glance into my soul as if
telling
me, “Mama, I am here and I am fine.”
No
crying at all. Our easiest delivery yet. You
have been a blessing from the start,
Lacey.
Your serene birth is
one of my life’s most
treasured memories.
These past years, you
These past years, you
have given us so many more memories to
celebrate. And
for you we are thankful.
Grateful for your laugh, your tenderness as
you teach
Trippy to share, the way your eyes
light up when Daddy comes home, the way
you
beg your sister to play “horseys” one more
time as she carries you on her back,
your
mercy for animals, and your teasing nature.
You are a natural leader,
fearless almost. You
are feisty and independent, fiercely loyal to
me. But most
of all Lace, we are thankful for
your heart for Jesus.
This year your body has grown so many
inches! But you still fit perfectly on my lap.
Lacey, as you continue
grow, there will
always be a spot for you here. As I write this,
you climb up
and kiss my cheek every few
minutes right now, unsure of the emotion
pouring
down my face as I scratch out
worship to my God for you, but aware that
your
love makes it all better.
You cry because
You cry because
I do. Your heart is just that way.
You have a gift
Lacey. You sense and see me,
all of me. I cannot hide my emotions from
you.
Even as an infant you were always in
touch with me, physically and emotionally.
Five years later, you are the same. You always
ask me, “Mama, are you ok?”
Your
strong eyes push me to transparency.
I am changed forever because of you.
We send you off to
kindergarten today,
dropping you off at a school where your heart
will be
cherished and your gifts will be seen.
Abundant blessings to you, our dear
girl, as
you embark on this next journey. You are
ready Lace! Enjoy your young
teacher. Be a
blessing and a minister to your new friends.
Delight in your
sister when you see her on
the playground. Embrace the learning and
the virtue
training at
Lighthouse Christian Academy.
And when you come
home after school, I will
be here, waiting with your daily “3 o’clock
snack”.
Ready for your sweet kisses and
infectious laugh. My arms, lap, and heart
will
always be open to you my precious
daughter. I love you so much.
Daddy and I are proud
of you.
Love, Mama
