The First of Many to Come (Mother's Day Edition)

Mother's Day

It's hard to put into words all of the emotion I'm feeling for my first official Mother's Day. I'm beyond blessed to have a daughter of my own to love and care for this year and several years to come. However, I can't help but think of 2 other women who played significant roles in Paisley's life before she became my daughter. Even though I may never meet Paisley's biological and foster mothers, on May 10 and every year to come we will honor both of these women who made selfless decisions for the greater good for Paisley. In the years to follow, I look forward to sharing their love for Paisley with her.

Love comes wrapped up in varying packages, and I refuse to let myself believe that Paisley's bio mom did not love her. She loved her so much that she parted with her and made sure she would be found in order to have a great future. She is a strong and courageous woman who committed a selfless act of letting her little girl have the opportunity for someone else to love and care for her daughter. And to Paisley's bio mom:  thank you for doing just that. Entrusting complete strangers, foreigners at that, to provide for your little girl. Words will never be enough to "thank you" for this little miracle and blessing wrapped up in one who is changing some many lives with her infectious smile and laugh. Thank you for choosing LIFE rather than death. Because of Paisley, I will forever stand as a pro-lifer, spreading the word about the other choice, the only choice: life through adoption. Paisley's mom chose life so I could have my daughter. Thank you!

To Paisley's foster mom:  I can't imagine caring and loving on this precious little girl for as long as you did and having to say good-bye. It's apparent that you taught her so much within the short time that she lived with you. You fed, bathed, dressed, loved, cared, nurtured, and changed our little girl during her most crucial years. You taught her about her forever Momma and Baba who would soon arrive to take her home. She learned about us from you. Again, there are no words that will be sufficient to express how truly grateful we are for you. Thank you for being her Momma while her forever Momma was experiencing 16 long months of waiting for my daughter. Knowing she was living in your home while we continued on our journey to her gave me a piece of mind that I could never explain. We are eternally grateful to you for welcoming Paisley into your home like you did. I hope one day we will be able to meet you so I can hug your neck for keeping her safe for us. Thank you for your sacrifice!

As Paisley's "forever momma", it's hard to think that Paisley lost these women early in her life. However, I trust that through these losses there will be a great healing. A life is being redeemed! A story has begun! God's glory is shinning through this little girl! As hard as it can be at times, I wouldn't trade this experience of becoming Paisley's momma for a minute.

(And now a note to myself) Happy first Mother's Day, Leslie! May you soak up every minute with your firstborn!