My Sweet Girl

My Sweet Girl,

Do you know that you are a dream come true?  Since I was a little girl, I have always dreamed of raising a daughter – someone who would transition from child to lifelong friend, and I look forward to the years ahead as we watch our relationship bloom.  But for this season, you are my child.  I must still rock you, wake with you at night, and teach you right from wrong.  I know I mess up sometimes.  I know that I lose my temper or get too busy to play.  I hope you’ll forgive me, and I pray that you will always know that I delight in you, sweet Ellie.  You are a joy.

You were born to shine, so don’t ever let anyone dull your sparkle.  You love to have your nails painted, and play dress up, and wear sunglass.  You have ruined countless pieces of my jewelry wearing them around the house, and you always have a purse hanging off your shoulder.  You spin and twirl every time you put on a new dress, and you stand patiently waiting for your Daddy, Eli and me to tell you how pretty you look - and you expect all of us to comment on it…repeatedly.  Don’t ever lose that confidence.  All too soon this world will try to tell you that you’re not enough or that you’re too much.  Don’t listen.  Plant these truths deep inside your heart, and turn to them every time you need a reminder.  “You are fearfully and wonderfully made.”  “The Lord is enthralled by your beauty.”  “Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” 

I find myself wondering what your “thing” will be.  With Eli, I’ve always known that it would be sports, but you keep my guessing.  You love to sing and get down right angry if I try to hum along, which is offensive and funny all at the same time.  You are also quite the daredevil.  I have to get you off of the furniture daily and remind you that it is dangerous to jump from the coffee table to the couch.  You also love to dance and prefer rap music for your accompaniment.  Your current playlist consists on “Dora The Explorer,” “Happy” “Let It Go,” and “I’m So Fancy.”  Clearly, you have eclectic taste in your music.

You are the perfect combination of sweet and tough.  You will sit in my lap for hours and you prefer to be rocked every night, but Eli knows not to cross you because you can and will fight back. 

You are a precious gift to our family.  You complete us, and you will always be a baby to your daddy, me, and Eli.  We are all wrapped around your tiny finger. It’s almost comical how we make over you, and I’m so glad that you’re too young to understand the power you have over us.

You bring so much joy to our lives, and I delight in learning more about you each and every day.  I catch myself dreaming about mother-daughter shopping trips and pedicures.  I can’t wait to help you pick a prom dress and watch you walk down the aisle on your wedding day.  I even wonder what it will feel like to hold your children as I watch you transition into a mother one day.  As I pray for you and your future, the one thing that I always ask is that you will come to know Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.  There is no greater dream to have as a mother.  If I teach you one thing, I pray that it is a love for the Lord.  I fail him daily, but his mercies are new every morning, and I pray that you will accept that grace and my legacy to you and your future daughter will be an understanding of what it means to be a Woman of Faith.