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Letters to my Babes: Brooklyn and Ellie are 7

September 3, 2022

Dear sweet Daughters,

We celebrated your 7th Birthday in Florida this year by the beautiful teal Gulf waters and by the Pool. The best way to bring in your first Birthday since living in Florida. I’ve thought of everything I wanted to write you this year and share. This year has been a defining moment in your lives and our life as a family. I have watched you say hard goodbyes, and embrace transition, change, and uncertainty while flourishing through it all. You have grown as my sweet girls and in your relationship with your Creator. I love your relationship with one another, how you love Kezia and bring delight to your dad and my heart!

You girls know I don’t get parenting you perfectly; I make mistakes, and try to apologize for my missteps. But I hope you see more than anything that my love for you has never wavered, rather it’s grown. I love being your Mama! I love you girls so much it hurts! I love your stories, your giggles, your skips, and your songs. I truly find delight in being your mama that my heart aches each year you grow a little older. It is going too fast! 🙂 I want to keep you my small babes forever.

Dear Brooklyn,

My sweet girl. The highlight of this last year was your decision to get baptized all on your own! You made the courageous decision to declare your faith in front of our friends here in Florida. I love the way Jesus speaks to you and how you share those moments with me. You carry a wonder for Jesus that my life needs more of. My girl what about you makes me smile? How much do you LOVE to create… art, sewing, baking…. You want to MAKE something. You beg me daily to start a business, you want to sell books, your creations, lemonade, anything. You always have a pen in your hand and a story to tell me.

Love your Brooklyn!

Dear Ellie,

Oh my girl, you are my other set of hands and eyes. You are such a servant and helper, willing to do whatever is needed. You love your independence though and you LOVE being outside! You value friendships deeply. They mean so much to you and I can often find you playing Barbies or outside playing with friends. Ellie, you love your family and taking care of Kezi…. She loves having you dress her and play with her. Ellie when I think of your faith I think of your authority when you pray… You pray with a declaration and faith that God will do what he says. And when I watch you worship I love your tender tears when the Holy Spirit moves you. Don’t lose that tender heart Ellie, it’s a gift. The highlight of your year and part of your Birthday present was getting little Alys. Watching you grieve for the first time as we lost both our pets, Annie and Diego when we moved to Florida was heartbreaking as a mama. Our hearts needed Alys and you LOVE her so deeply.

Love you Ellie!

I think about these letters I have been writing over the years that they would hold our legacy because they weave our stories together. I will never tire of rejoicing over your miraculous lives! I pray these letters would surpass my life. That one-day Lord-willing, when I am 90 or so and make my journey into eternity, you will come back to these words and have them as more than words, but they would hold your story, OUR family’s story. I pray you would pass these letters on to your children and children’s children… I don’t want the story of your life birthed out of prayer to fade. I will never stop giving thanks for your little lives. I will never stop sharing our story… how I longed and prayed for you for six long years before I finally held you in my arms. You are my miracles! I walked in dark hard lonely years before the light shined and broke in. YOU Brooklyn and Eliana were the light my heart was longing to see. Every day since I first held you that July afternoon my eyes only see light shine brighter.

I Love you, Brooklyn Rene and Eliana Grace! I pray often for you girls to walk in boldness, courage, and love. That you know you are fearfully and wonderfully made. You each have unique gifts, abilities, and strengths to live out for Kingdom purposes. Don’t let anyone steal your wonder, joy, and dreams.

You are lights in this dark world. You are here to be the light. Shine my girls. S H I N E!

“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16