You were our miracle baby. You were an answer to prayer.
You were a bundle of joy that changed us into a family.
I dreamed about you right before you were born. I saw
your face. God prepared my heart for your wide smile surprise of a cleft lip. When
I saw your face, I fell in love immediately. You were my precious gift from
God.
You are who you are, and I love you just the way you
are.
You had to have lots of doctor’s appointments and
surgeries, and I remember after your first surgery when your face changed, your
smile was “normal,” but I grieved for the face I fell in love with that first
day. It took a whole minute to fall in love with your new face though. We were
thankful the doctors could help you so you could eat better.
You are who you are, and I love you just the way you
are.
You were the most bubbly, outgoing little girl I ever
met. You never met a stranger. You had no fear. Your personality was full of
life and fun. I would sing, and you would dance. We would laugh and play. You
loved to play the “drums” on plastic tubs.
Then, one day, you went away. You were still here. You
looked the same, but that bubbly, outgoing little girl was gone. You were about
four years old, and suddenly, overnight I had a new daughter. You were afraid
of everything. You didn’t like people. You struggled with anyone outside our
family. Foods and clothes you loved before bothered you, and you refused to eat
most foods.
You are who you are, and I love you just the way you
are.
At first, I wondered what I did wrong. The doctors
eventually told us you had autism. But in between, we just wondered what
happened. Where did you go?
I grieved for my bubbly, energetic little girl who never
met a stranger. But it took me about a minute to fall in love with my new
daughter who needed help to face a scary world. We would walk this road
together.
You are who you are, and I love you just the way you
are.
You are amazing. I see you tackle your fears and
overcome the obstacles your mind puts in your way. I see you make friends
carefully, but you make friends deeply. You love animals and drawing. You are
creative and smart. And every now and then, when you are totally comfortable
around someone, I see a glimpse of that funny, bubbly girl I knew when you were
little.
You are who you are, and I love you just the way you
are.