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A Letter to My Daughter

Dear Abby Joy,

Once upon a time, your mom was a blogger who wrote almost every day...life has gotten away from me, but I figured what better day than your birthday to start blogging again?!

Nine. Years. Old.  Where did the time go??  I still remember every vivid detail of your birth day.  After only being released from the hospital two days before, I started having contractions that didn't stop after I took my medication.  Daddy was at a meeting at the church, so I called Uncle Bruce to take me there and pick up Caleb.  He was worried about my water breaking in his police car, so he made me sit on towels!  We met Daddy, then he raced up to Baltimore to the hospital where you were to be born.  You were determined to come fast, and the doctors scrambled to get everything set up that you were going to need.  We thought you were going to be born on October 21st, the way things were going, but you waited until just 12:12 a.m. to be born.

You flew out like you were on a water slide, and the doctors whisked you away to the room across the hall to start taking care of you.  I never even got to see you!  It was hard not to hear crying when you were born, but I knew they were going to get you breathing.  Daddy kept bouncing between the two rooms to take care of his girls.  A sweet anesthesiologist would come in and give me updates of how you were doing. When they were ready to take you down to the NICU, that same anesthesiologist brought you in for a "fly by" so that I could see you.  You had a bright orange tube to help you breathe and lots of tape holding it on so I couldn't see your face very well, but I could see your gorgeous salt and pepper hair!

I was determined to get down to the NICU as soon as possible and did everything the nurses told me so that I could.  When Daddy and I went to visit you, we didn't know which one was you because we had only seen you for a second!  The NICU nurse showed us your crib and I sat down next to you.



 The thing that struck me most was your HUGE black eyes!  We used to say they stared deep into your soul.  Combined with that beautiful hair of yours, you were a gorgeous baby. 

We got your diagnosis in the morning and I have never been so terrified.  That conversation was horrible and your dad and I were left wondering if you were going to make it.  Little did we know that God had BIG plans for your life!



Since October 22, 2010, you have been proving people wrong and crossing off the "Abby Will Nevers" left and right!  God gave you some amazing personality traits to help you to flourish in the life you have been given.  Your feistiness, determination, and yes, even your sassiness have helped you to fight through the hard times.  You are SO brave and strong.






I'm so proud of the girl you have become. You absolutely love school and do so well.  Your favorite subjects are reading and science, and you are often found around the house or in the car with a nose in a book (just like your brother!)  You want to be a veterinarian when you grow up and you and Anna have already drawn up some plans for your vet clinic!  I'm saving them and will frame them for you to hang on the wall when you open it. 



Your love for people and life shines through everything you do.  You are such a social little girl and you are energized by being around people.  That's the hardest part for you when you aren't able to go to school and it breaks my heart.  You find joy in the smallest things and I just love it.  

You are a wonder, Abigail Elizabeth Joy Leach.  I'm so thankful that God made me your momma.  Here's to many more birthdays, sweet girl!




Love,
Momma

Comments

Darryl said…
Such a sweet letter from one sweet girl to another sweet girl. Love you both beyond words. I am so proud to have you two as a daughter and a grand daughter. God Bless you both! Love, Paw Paw.

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