Seven..

For three years, I prayed for you.  For three years, I plotted temperature, took hormones, underwent fertility testing and procedures, suffered a miscarriage, lost all modesty, put miles and miles on my car driving back and forth to Baptist Hospital, shed tears every time I rocked another baby at church or received an invitation to a baby shower...and then my time came...when God finally felt it was time. When God saw that all was perfect and good.... that little line appeared on the white stick.

After 27 weeks of morning sickness, I realized you were going to be one of a kind. You proved to a be a gymnast even in the womb because my second sonogram showed you flipping back and forth. After 36 weeks of cooking in the oven, you decided that was quite enough for your eager little self and made your debut via emergency C-section. You tried really hard to share your birthday with me, but missed it by just a couple of days being born right after midnight. The nurse said you were short and round, but all I could see was perfection. Pouty pink lips and a head full of hair, but best of all...you were mine. Your daddy was so nervous about welcoming you, he turned green and nearly passed out. But once they handed that wrapped little naked body to him, it was obvious that you already had him wrapped around your little finger.

The first few weeks were tough to get you to eat and gain weight, but we should have known that you were showing us how you like to do things on your own terms.  You are a do-er and like for people to step aside so that you can try it for yourself. Competition is second nature to you. You were potty trained one week after you turned two because the older kids in your preschool class were learning how to potty and getting rewards and praise. That was all it took for you. You've been watching older girls flip and dance since you were three in the beginner classes in gymnastics and dance and have practiced and pushed yourself constantly ever since. It's finally your time to shine and I can't wait to watch you compete for the first time in a few weeks. You learned how to read when you were four and have challenged yourself to read as many words as possible. I love to watch your eyes light up as you discover new things for the first time and share them with others.

You are sensitive and have a big heart. More than anything, you have a heart for Jesus and I pray that you will always keep that...for teaching you to love God and love others is my greatest accomplishment and one that I hope you pass on one day.

You are a great little mixture of me and your daddy and I see pieces of both of us in so many things that you say and do. You have had a tough year emotionally with many changes and although I want to fix everything for you right this minute..all I can do is keep loving you, praying for you and showing you the way.

Right now, you say that you want to be a doctor, dentist or teacher when you grow up. I can't wait to see where your journey takes you and I promise to be there every step of the way. You are a bright shining star and I'm so thankful for the past six years. Happy Birthday, sweet Addison Claire! Mama loves you very much!