Anticipation....

Dear D.J.,
I am so glad that you are my son. You are so bright and full of life! I love the look in your eyes that you get sometimes when you tell something that makes you happy. It is like your whole countenance lights up and you just can't contain yourself. I named you David, after your father but also after David from the bible. I named you that to remind you that you are a wonderful person who has a lot going for them. Also so that you will always remember that at any point in your life, you will have things that will be hard for you to overcome and get through but it all depends on how you choose to act and respond that will determine what kind of outcome you will have. We always have the choice. I love you so much and I feel so honored to be your mommy. The first few years of your life I was lucky to be able to be with you 100% of the time, you were my little buddy. You were my entire life and it made me so happy to do everything with you. Thank you for coming into my life and making me realize more about life and what it is all about.

Dear Annie,
When I became pregnant with you, I was sure that I just wasn't ready for another child. Now I can't even imagine my life without you. You are so sweet and so loving that it melts my heart on a daily basis. You just have a way with getting everyone to do exactly what you want and then wrapping them around your little finger. And you do it in a way that makes everyone just absolutly love you!!! You are continually growing up way too fast. I only wish that I could be with you more. I named you Annabelle for Anna, the mother of Samuel the child prophet in the bible. She wanted a child for many years. She prayed and promised the Lord that if she had a child, that child would be dedicated to the Lord. It was only then that she was blessed because of her great faith. She was an amazing woman with an even greater faith and because of that, she was blessed along with many many others. The "Belle" part of your name means beautiful, which you most certainly are. Annabelle, I love you. Your middle name is Frances, after your great grandmother. She past away when I was only 5 years old, but I was very close to her and I look forward to seeing her again some day.

Thank you to my wonderful children who have come into my life and opened my eyes to unshakable, perfect love. I don't know what I ever did to deserve you or why, but I would do it over 1,000 times. Everyday I am amazed at how vibrant and full you have made my life. My entire way of thinking has changed because of you. I would do anything for you. You have brought meaning into my life and filled it with pure joy. My life is hard, being a mom is hard. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is what is best for you even if you don't want it. I am not a perfect mom and I always make mistakes. Sometimes I lose my cool and overreact, but I am trying to improve just like we all have changes to make. As hard as everything has been, I wouldn't trade a single second of it for anything. Thank you for showing me what life is really about. Thank you for filling my soul and making me a better person. Thank you for showing me every day how to love unconditionally. Thank you for making me a mother. There is nothing that could ever make me happier than the sweet sound uttered by my babies calling "mommy."