...and then she was

...SEVEN!

October 29, 2003... 8:17 a.m. ...6 pounds ~ 14 ounces... 19" long... Our hearts... our arms... were filled with the greatest gift this life can hold... our precious baby girl... Lorielle Faith! Thank you Lord for this beautiful miracle... and for allowing me to be called Mommy! My life... my heart... has forever been changed!

My Dear Lorielle... My Lil' Miss Sweet Pea,

7... oh my goodness... SEVEN! I truly can't believe you are really 7! Oh, how I remember the very instant you were born. I couldn't see you... but, I could hear that tiny, soft lil' cry... and I heard the doctors say how very beautiful and perfect you were! And they were so right! They wrapped you in a cuddly lil' blanket and brought you over so I could finally see you... touch you! I remember kissing your soft, precious lil' head. My heart melted... and I truly thought I had died and gone to Heaven! My life long wish... my forever dream... my every pray... had been answered! I was finally a Mommy... and you Lorielle... were my daughter! Oh my, how blessed I am! I remember our first night together as Mommy and Daughter... it was as if it were yesterday. The room was quiet (well, except for Daddy snoring)... the lights were perfectly dim... and I could see the stars glistening in the moonlit sky. I held you in my arms... my heart was finally at peace... it was full and complete... and oh, so happy! The nurse came in and told me that if I didn't put you in your bed... I just might spoil you! "You don't understand", I explained... "I have waited my entire life for this very moment... and I want to hold her forever!" And Lorielle... I WILL! I will be here to hold you always... to snuggle, cuddle, hug, and kiss you... to hold your hand as I walk beside you... to hold your heart always... to praise you... and encourage... to protect... and to teach... to pray with you... and most importantly to love you! Always Lorielle!

We are so very proud of you Lorielle! We love you with all of our hearts! You are truly such an amazing lil' girl! You are beautiful inside and out! My goodness... your heart... it is SO big... filled with an abundance of kindness, patience, and love! And oh yes... you are so very sensitive... my, oh my... but, it is so very sweet and innocent! Crying on the way home from vacation... after a birthday party... or because simply... you just missed Mommy. Ahhhh! Smart... yes, that too... you are doing wonderfully in Second Grade! And your memory... amazing! You can memorize spelling words "fast as a snap"! Wow! Of course, you can be a bit sassy... (okay, I'll be honest... a lot sassy these days!) ... but, we're working on that, right? Friendly... yes... you just love all of your lil' friends! And... happy, bouncing full of joy... and wow, do you like to have fun! Oh yes! Shy... sometimes... but, not very often. Outgoing... ready to stand up and talk in front of your class... most always! Organized and neat? Okay, well maybe not so much! And, even though it can absolutely drive your silly Mommy nuts when I open your closet and see "stuff" "stuffed... I will tell you a little secret... I am so happy you do not carry Mommy's obsessive compulsive genes... because quite honestly... Mommy drives Mommy nuts! It truly is okay to have a messy room now and then... and not have everything so perfectly placed! Enjoy your toys Sweet Pea... that is what you have them for. Play with your dolls... and fix their hair just like you like it! Change their clothes a gazillion times over... and savor every second of childhood!

Logan couldn't ask for a better, sweeter sister! He loves you to pieces... and there is no doubt that you love him with all of your heart! You are so very gentle with him... even when he isn't in the least bit gentle with you! Lorielle, I know the last year hasn't been easy on you... and I am sorry! I know that you worry about him just as much as Mommy and Daddy do. You are awesome Sweetie! And, I love you so very much!

May Jesus always remain in your heart... and may you always allow Him to guide and direct your path! The gift of eternal life is priceless Lorielle!

I absolutely love, love, love being your Mommy! I cherish every single moment! I couldn't imagine my life without you! I waited so very long to be a Mommy... but, not just any Mommy... YOUR MOMMY! How incredibly blessed I am! I thank the Lord every day for my precious gift... YOU! I look forward to each and every day... watching you grow... become more of a lil' lady than you already are. I pray I can always be the very best of Mommy's... because you deserve nothing less. I am far from perfect... but yet... you love me like I were. Thank you Lorielle! Thank you for all that you are... my amazing lil' girl... my Sweet Pea... my Princess... MY DAUGHTER! I love you with all of my heart... my entire being!

Happy, Happy 7th Birthday Lorielle Faith!

Love and Kisses Always,

Mommy

xoxoxox

Lorielle,

I love you so much! I too can't believe you are seven! It seems like only yesterday you were just a little baby! Time goes by so fast! I wish you could stay little your whole life, but I know that wouldn't be fair to you! You have your whole life to look forward to, and your mommy and I only want the best for you - and we are doing our best to raise you and prepare you for what God has in store for you in the future. You can do whatever you want to do, and you can be whoever you want to be!

You are absolutley the very best daughter that a dad could have! Sometimes you test my patience little one, but I know you are learning and growing and at the end of the day, I wouldn't have you be any other way! You are perfect to me!

I don't know what the future holds, but I do know that this whole wonderful life we have with you, with our whole family will go entirely too fast!

Happy Birthday Lorielle! I love you with my whole heart. And know, that no matter how old you are, you will always, always, always be my little princess!

I love you, Dad