Dear Daughter, About Me...

                                        

Today I thought I'd tell you all about your me - your mom.  

 

This is me.  As I am writing this I am 30 years old.  I was raise in Arlington, Texas in a Christian home with Godly parents and I pray that you will grow up with the same sentiment.  

Here are a few of my favorite things:

• My Favorite food is anything Italian or chocolate, or Mexican...I like pretty much anything, to be honest
• My favorite color is lime green
• My favorite animal is a puppy
• My favorite flavor of ice cream is Blue Bell's Butter Pecan, or Butter Crunch
• My favorite candy are peanut butter M&M's
• My favorite flower is a Stargazer Lily
• My favorite holiday is Christmas (I LOVE the smells, the sounds, the hustle & bustle, family, etc)
• My favorite movie is (a tie between) Steel Magnolias and Gone with the Wind.

A few important things you should know about me:

• I love the Lord.  I was saved at the age of 6 and grew up in the church, but I never had a personal relationship with my Father until I was in college.  It wasn't until I felt completely alone did I turn to Him and cling to Him.  But clinging to Him was the best thing I ever did.  I made a lot of mistakes and a lot of bad choices, but He saved me and redeemed me from every single one.  If I had to describe what God is to me in one word - He is my SAVIOR.
• I love my family - you, your daddy, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins - I love everything single one and family brings so much joy to my life. Your Aunt Cookie is one of my very best friends, and I pray that if you have any siblings that you would love each other unconditionally.  Pray for each other, go to battle for each other, and never forsake each other.  Family will get you through some of the toughest moments of your life. 
• I am stubborn.  I would love to think that I was the perfect angel growing up, but your Granda would say differently.  I really like having things my way, but sometimes I have to step back and look at the big picture. 
• I told you this yesterday, but ever since I was a young child, all I have ever wanted is to be a momma.  You, sweet girl, literally made my dream come true.  My love for your often brings me to tears simply because of the joy you bring to my life. 

 This is what you should know about your mom:  I'm a sinner saved by grace, a wife who loves your father more than I can express, a mother who never wants to let go, and a child who yearns to make her parents proud.

31 Letters to My Daughter

The Nesting Place is hosting her annual 31 Days of Blogging where you pick a subject or "thing" to write about for the 31 days of October.  I won't lie to you and say that my "subject" of choice was an easy one - it was not.  Originally, I had planned on writing about 31 days of my favorite recipes, but some recent things in my life changed that.

You see today I had to attend a funeral.  It was a young lady named Lynette.  Lynette was the older sister of one of my dear friends and college roommates.  Lynette was suddenly killed in a car accident last Thursday, September 27th, when her compact car collided with an 18-wheeler.  Lynette was never married, but she did have a 13 year old son, Noah.  For me, one of the most difficult parts of the funeral today was hearing the letter that her son wrote telling his mother "goodbye."

As a mother, nothing breaks my heart more than seeing a child lose its mother, or a mother lose her child.  Its a heartbreak that I do not know, nor can I fathom.  So today, my "31 Days" changed.  Today, I decided to write 31 letters to my daughter - letters about life, letters about love, and letters from my heart.  These are the things I want her know, whether I tell her myself, or not.  So today, I begin...

My Sweetest Emmalee Caroline,
I'm writing you this series of letters because there are so many things about life that I want you to know, so many things I want you to believe in, and so many things that I want you to understand.  Today, I want you to know a little bit about who you are.

You are the daughter of Ashley and Brant Williams and we love you more than you can imagine.  All of my life I dreamed about being a mom; all I ever wanted was to hear someone call me "Momma."  Your daddy and I had been married a little over 2 years when we decided to start our family.  Little did we know that we were about to take a very long and life-changing journey.

It took almost 2 years for you to be conceived.   After 6 months of not getting pregnant, my doctor, Dr. Atkins, started to run some tests.  For the next 12 months I had to do blood tests every 30 days, was on a countless number of prescription and drug combinations, and was eventually told "We don't know what's wrong, and don't know why you can't have a baby"  I was so heartbroken, but your daddy and I had faith that if we were meant to be parents, the Lord would provide.

It was a Friday night, August 20, 2010, when I found out I was pregnant.  I was in complete disbelief, joy, and shock all at the same time.  There was no explanation on how I had gotten pregnant and even our doctor was surprised when he received the phone call.  You, were literally, a miracle.

At our 24 week sonogram, Dr. Atkins discovered that you only had 2 blood vessels in your umbilical cord...you were supposed to have 3.  He explained that this type of situation could result in a deformity, low birth weight, or no abnormality at all.  I can't explain the fear I felt but it was completely replaced with peace as your daddy and I began to pray over you.  The day you were born they said that you, my little miracle baby, were perfect - all 7 lbs and 13 oz of you - perfect!  God, again, had made you a perfect miracle.

I tell you these things for one reason:  so that you will know how wanted, how cherished, and how loved you are.  You are a miracle, a treasure, a joy and the light of my life.  God, and God alone, created you and it is my honor to get to be your mother.