Dear Reese

Dear Reese, 

Will you please stop growing?  I can't believe you are already almost 5 months...almost a half a year old!  Grandma Lynn keeps telling me to stop blinking, but I can't help it!  

This morning I came in to check on you, and as I looked over your crib, there you were wide awake, smiling the biggest, most gooey smile.  And sure enough...the tears started falling!  Ha!  I couldn't even believe it, I was so surprised at the onslaught of what felt like such automatic, uncontrollable tears!  Don't worry, they were happy tears.  The happiest of tears!  Tears that confirmed to me that you are here because you are meant to be here for your mom and dad.  We love you so much.  You have made us both grow in ways we didn't know we had room to grow!  You've been our greatest teacher these days, and even if sometimes we aren't the most patient students, there's not a day that goes by that we don't thank God that you're here!  

Occasionally a sappy morning for me comes around where I think about all the hopes I have for you.  I pray you learn how to laugh in life.  To laugh hard.  I pray you have dear friends and family that you can laugh with.  Friends and family that love you UNCONDITIONALLY.  Friends and family that encourage you to be the BEST you.  I guess I already know that you have family that loves you unconditionally, so I guess I mean friends.  I hope you find friends that lift you and love you.  Really love you.  You'll need those friends.  It's important to not settle.  You deserve to be loved.  I hope you also give love unconditionally.  I pray that you are kind and steer clear of unrighteous judgement.  I want your heart to be filled with compassion for others.  But I also want you to have compassion for yourself.  Be proud of YOU.  Never change who you are to please or accommodate others.  Stand firm in what you believe, but do it with kindness and respect.  You are a daughter of a King and He has given you so many talents and qualities that will spread happiness to those around you.  Have fun baby girl!  Enjoy the beauty that this world has to offer and shoot for the stars!  You can accomplish anything you want to!  Never forget that.  

And please don't ever shut me out.  I hope you know I am always here for you.  Always and forever.  It's probably really weird for you to think about, but I was young too once!  I remember more than you think I do...and even if I don't, give me a chance.  Explain to me what I don't remember.  Because I am always here with open ears.  I love you and want you to be happy.  Know that that's why I do EVERYTHING I do.

Love you hoodrat.  No matter what.

Love, Momma