My dearest Ameliah,
One year ago tomorrow you came to live with us... and our lives were forever changed. A couple of weeks before that, Daddy and I found out that your birth mom was in trouble and you were about to have to enter the foster care system. After thinking and praying about it, we knew what we had to do... you see baby girl, earlier that year, Daddy was your pastor and he held you in his arms and baptized you. On that day, we promised to love you and do everything in our power to help raise you to know and love the Lord. So, when we found out that you were in need of a home, it was no question, we would give you one. We immediately called Mrs. Catherine who is a very good lawyer and we called other people to gather all the information we needed to start the process of giving you a home while your birth mom worked through a plan to get better.
On September 25th, Daddy drove to Thomasville and waited all day to appear in court so that he could ask the judge to allow us to take care of you... and a miracle happened... the judge said yes! Mommy was at work in Macon when Mrs. Catherine called with the news and I was so relieved that I couldn't stop shaking and crying. I immediately got in my car and drove to Cairo to see you.
That day and that night will be etched into my mind and my heart until the day that I die... you were so little... only 9 months old, wearing a 3-6 month sized pink dress with your short red hair. We took you shopping that night and bought our first ever little girl clothes and pink camo sippy cups. But the thing I remember most was how you wouldn't let me go... you were so frightened of all men, including your sweet daddy that you clawed into me with your tiny little fingers. You slept on my chest that night and for many nights after that... you wouldn't let me go. God answered a question in my heart that night... I had always admired people that adopt children but I had always secretly wondered if it was possible for a mother to ever love a child she didn't give birth to as much as she loved the ones that she carried inside of her... that night as you slept on my chest, I immediately knew that the answer to that question was YES!
Our intention was to love you and care for you until your birth mom could become well and care for you again. That day has never come and our plans are different now... we are seeking to adopt you. We love your birth mom very much and we pray every day that she will find healing and direction in her life. I want you to know that she loves you very much and she wanted to keep you, she just couldn't and so God did an amazing thing and brought you to us... to your forever family. You are my daughter, Ameliah, and I love you with my entire heart. "Not flesh of my flesh or bone of my bone but still miraculously my own. NEVER forget for even a minute, you didn't grow UNDER my heart but IN it". You, my dear girl, are mine. Before the foundations of time, God knew you and He had a plan for you... I am forever grateful that His plan brought us together.
It's amazing how much you have changed this year... your hair has gotten so long, you talk up a storm, and you LOVE your Daddy so much. He is quite smitten with you as well. I look forward to many more years, sweetheart.
I pray that you will know how fiercely I love you and how I will always seek to protect you from harm. I also pray that you will know just how wide, deep, long, and high the love of God truly is and that you will rest in His unfailing love for you! Because as much as your Daddy and I love you, we are not perfect, we will mess up... but we will continually seek to point you to our perfect God who will never leave you, forsake you, or let you down!
One year ago tomorrow you came to live with us... and our lives were forever changed. A couple of weeks before that, Daddy and I found out that your birth mom was in trouble and you were about to have to enter the foster care system. After thinking and praying about it, we knew what we had to do... you see baby girl, earlier that year, Daddy was your pastor and he held you in his arms and baptized you. On that day, we promised to love you and do everything in our power to help raise you to know and love the Lord. So, when we found out that you were in need of a home, it was no question, we would give you one. We immediately called Mrs. Catherine who is a very good lawyer and we called other people to gather all the information we needed to start the process of giving you a home while your birth mom worked through a plan to get better.
On September 25th, Daddy drove to Thomasville and waited all day to appear in court so that he could ask the judge to allow us to take care of you... and a miracle happened... the judge said yes! Mommy was at work in Macon when Mrs. Catherine called with the news and I was so relieved that I couldn't stop shaking and crying. I immediately got in my car and drove to Cairo to see you.
That day and that night will be etched into my mind and my heart until the day that I die... you were so little... only 9 months old, wearing a 3-6 month sized pink dress with your short red hair. We took you shopping that night and bought our first ever little girl clothes and pink camo sippy cups. But the thing I remember most was how you wouldn't let me go... you were so frightened of all men, including your sweet daddy that you clawed into me with your tiny little fingers. You slept on my chest that night and for many nights after that... you wouldn't let me go. God answered a question in my heart that night... I had always admired people that adopt children but I had always secretly wondered if it was possible for a mother to ever love a child she didn't give birth to as much as she loved the ones that she carried inside of her... that night as you slept on my chest, I immediately knew that the answer to that question was YES!
Our intention was to love you and care for you until your birth mom could become well and care for you again. That day has never come and our plans are different now... we are seeking to adopt you. We love your birth mom very much and we pray every day that she will find healing and direction in her life. I want you to know that she loves you very much and she wanted to keep you, she just couldn't and so God did an amazing thing and brought you to us... to your forever family. You are my daughter, Ameliah, and I love you with my entire heart. "Not flesh of my flesh or bone of my bone but still miraculously my own. NEVER forget for even a minute, you didn't grow UNDER my heart but IN it". You, my dear girl, are mine. Before the foundations of time, God knew you and He had a plan for you... I am forever grateful that His plan brought us together.
It's amazing how much you have changed this year... your hair has gotten so long, you talk up a storm, and you LOVE your Daddy so much. He is quite smitten with you as well. I look forward to many more years, sweetheart.
I pray that you will know how fiercely I love you and how I will always seek to protect you from harm. I also pray that you will know just how wide, deep, long, and high the love of God truly is and that you will rest in His unfailing love for you! Because as much as your Daddy and I love you, we are not perfect, we will mess up... but we will continually seek to point you to our perfect God who will never leave you, forsake you, or let you down!
It all started with a promise... a promise we will continue to live out... sweet baby, "As surely as the Lord lives, I will redeem you" Ruth 3:13
First Night with you... 9/25/15
I love you, princess!
You're so beautiful!
You are precious to us!
Katie I almost cried reading this,how beautiful your store is. She is a precious little Angel, I've enjoyed reading this amazing store and how it has unfolded.
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