Happy Birthday Lizzie!!!

My dear, sweet Lizzie, you are 6 years old today and you are SO excited!

The 2 months in between your sister's birthday and your birthday is SO long for you dear girl but you are finally there - you are once again the same age as your sister!!!

When I think back over the last 4 years, I continue to be amazed at your abundant energy and courage, your resilience and your strength, your contagious love for life - your life.  

Even through all the castings and all the surgeries and all the braces and all the treatments, you continue to smile and laugh and love, oh how you love!

I think most of all, your amazing capacity for love and concern for others, inspires me to strive to be a better person.  

After 9 long months of loving you without holding you, I will never ever forget the day we met you.

Telling you that I was your Momma and just knowing in my heart that you understood that and knew me on a level that I could not explain, still fills me with awe and thankfulness.

Getting to know you 

and beginning to understand the enormous blessing we had been given...

was just the start

I remember the first time you told me that you loved me too!

the first time you spontaneously gave me a big old kiss

The first time you and your partner in crime sister helped me walk the dogs

 and the first time you WOWed everyone on the soccer field

There have been lots of firsts and there will be many more but thinking about how far you have come in 4 years, my heart is full and I feel so incredibly lucky to be your Momma!

Sometimes well meaning people will tell me that Lizzie is so lucky that we "saved" her.

My reply...

We didn't save Lizzie...

Lizzie saved US!

We are in a much better place "after Lizzie" and I thank the Lord every single day for the journey that brought us to you!

Happy Birthday my sweet 6 year old.