Tomorrow we will celebrate six years of your sweet smile, snuggles and determination. Tomorrow I will remember that six years ago we were told you had a 0% chance of survival if you were not born in Seattle and a 5% chance of survival if you were. I will remember the intense feeling to pray for the little girl I hadn't yet met but loved with all my heart.
I am often thankful for Brooklynn making me a mother. To you Irelyn, I will always be thankful for the night you were born when I chose to put my faith in a God I did not yet know. I had never prayed before, not like I did that night. I prayed with all my might, for you to beat that 5% and be the daughter and little sister we so badly wanted. I prayed for strength for your little lungs and heart and I prayed for strength for myself and your dad to walk through this tough journey. Over and over I promised God that if he would just give you the strength to survive that I would follow Him and raise my two girls to love and follow Him. Irelyn, I now know and love our amazing God and have chosen to follow his path. I cherish each Sunday morning when I am sitting in church with my two healthy little girls sitting next to me. It truly is one of the highlights of my week. When I started attending church 5 years ago it was because I had made a promise and I was going to keep it! I now attend church with you and your sister because it is the one place that I am at complete peace. I love when you remind me to say our prayers at night and when you tell me that you are nervous about something and want me to pray with you. I love that last week when we lost a dear friend I found you several times praying on your own.
Next week you will head off to kindergarten and start a new chapter in your inspirational story. I am so excited for you to share your spirit, your smile and your incredibly funny sense of humor with your new teacher and new friends. Diego and I will be sad to see you go but waiting patiently for you to get off that bus.
Irelyn, I do believe that there are big plans for you and I am so excited to watch you grow and see what those might be! Your love, determination and smile are a gift to all those that know you.
Happy 6th birthday sweetheart!
I love you.
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ReplyDeleteVery nice post Erin. We have a Bible verse we were given in a frame after Stephen was diagnosed and it was helpful then and proves true today. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
ReplyDeleteThank you Michael. I also love that verse and so does Irelyn.
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