She is mine and I am hers. However, I really think I was chosen. This wasn’t a mistake, it wasn’t a gene pool, it was a choice and whatever power that is, chose me and chose her and made us family. Regardless of what power you believe, who you speak to in hard times, the strength of your spirituality or what is bigger than you, I am grateful that it played a hand in making us family. Today I am grateful for the gift that is my daughter.

This little one challenges me, she teaches me, she inspires me… She challenges me more than any one individual could. She pushes buttons that I did not know existed, she stretches me as thin as one individual can be stretched, she tests every limit I put in place. She is experiencing tantrums and emotions in the extreme and yet loving strong and hard and genuinely. Doodle teaches me who I want to be daily. A better mom, a stronger woman, a lady with morals and poise and integrity and courage. She teaches me that I want to be better for her, that I want to do more as a result of her, that I cannot just get by any longer, now it is time to thrive. She teaches me to breathe in those moments of freak out and laugh in the moments of bliss. She teaches me how to love honestly, with courage and grace and appropriate intention. She teaches me how to slow down, whenever I am sad, her sweet hand touching my face and hugging my neck reminds me just what matters most. And she inspires me. She inspires me to be strong and focused and become the woman I want to become. She inspires me to continually find magic in the dull, joy in the pain, patience in the trying and relief in the routine. She inspires me to continually dream big, magical, magnificent dreams and to let my inner child run wild and seek wonder.

My Doodle, you are wrapped up in a big bow of colorful emotion. Twisted together with threads of everyone you love. Seeking understanding and development, independence and opportunity. You my love are a little ball of magic. You love to explore and you seem to be very analytical these days, you find joy and frustration in learning how to do things on your own. You enjoy chocolate quite a lot and dig hot dogs too. You like to color and play make believe in your kitchen. You love the outdoors and running free. You love dancing and singing and snuggling most. But, you enjoy reading and air drumming as a past time as well.

Today my sweet, I am grateful for you. Without you a piece of my heart would still be waiting to fill. Without you my reflection would not be complete. Without you there would be so much joy missing in this world. Without you I would not be a mommy. Thank you, thank you for choosing me. Thank you for becoming my family. Thank you for having patience with me and throwing tantrums for me. Thank you for being wonderful, magnificent you.