“Once again I am overly impressed and truly amazed by the images you captured of my family. You are able to literally capture my heart and allow me to display it for all to see.

As a mom who leaves the house every day before my kids wake up and only has a few hours with them in the evening before bedtime, my biggest concern is that we’ll forget. That I will forget what they look liked, how their laugh sounded, what their baby teeth looked like, how they cared for one another, and on. That they will forget that I was there, I was present, and loved, and laughed. But the pictures you take help to ease my mind, because they won’t let us forget.”

I get goosebumps every time I read it.

I tucked you in bed tonight and you said, ‘thanks for caring about me, mom.’  Who are you…and how did we get so lucky?  Child…you amaze me.

I love that you still believe we will get married when you are older and that we will be together forever.  What a beautiful and innocent thought.  I wish it could be so…that we would always be like we are now.  But I know that soon, too soon…you will fly away.  Pursue your dreams and passions, fall in love…have a family of your own.  This time I have with you is so precious.  I swear, somewhere in the distance I can hear some clock ticking.  Some voice whispering, ‘these are the best days of your life, Jess, treasure them.’  And I try.  I try so hard.   But finding balance and remembering what is important is a constant battle.  To live a present life.  To put the phone down.  Turn off the television.  To just stop.  And breath in the scent of your hair.  To hear the little lisp that appeared after you lost your first 2 teeth.  To just look into each other’s eyes for no reason.  To see the scuffs on your favorite shoes from playing so hard.  To notice how your voice is just a little more grown today and a little less…little girl.  It’s hard in these times…and I worry it will be harder for you when you are a mommy someday.  But I can tell you.  Those little things are all that is worth living for.  Not the big paycheck or the fancy house.  Not fame or frilly accolades.  In our last hours…who clings to the physical things in this life?  Who takes comfort in a title?  No, in our last moments we relish in the love we have and the love we’ve given.

It may seem strange to reflect on such things that seem as though they will not happen for forever.  And yet.  You are 6 today.  Just like that 5 is gone.  I can hardly believe it…just like every year.  Time goes by so fast.  Too fast.  I wish I could tell you to stay little, and that you would listen.

And so we try and make every moment count.  I make an effort to check on you each night before I go to bed even though I am tired and sometimes can barely make it up the stairs.  To watch you sleep for just a minute…to hear your soft breathing.  In hopes that I might put that memory away for later, at the time I look back on my life and remember what I lived for and what I loved most.

Happy birthday my sweet girl.  You were my first…and you changed my life forever.  I never could have imagined the joy I’d know as your mother…I never knew it was possible to love someone so much.  But I do.

Here are your last moments of 5…what a special year it was…I love you my baby sha .

Always, Your mama

Now head over to Sara Tegman | St. Louis Photographer for her letter and amazing photographs!

and what you’ve all been waiting for…the bloops…

Yes, I said ‘girls’ PLURAL.  Miss S. you are finally home.  Home, home, home forever!!!  After all of our waiting…your waiting.  You are HERE.  Where you are meant to be.  Our family feels utterly complete (for now at least) with your presence.  Your laughter echoes through the house.  You are the giggliest little girl I have ever met.  How in the world your heart and soul have been kept so intact after 5 years in an orphanage…I will never know.  You are truly a miracle…a gift to us all.

I can’t describe how amazing it feels to see the two of you together.  You fell into each others’ arms…into each others’ lives and the rest is history.  You are inseparable.  Asking for the other just minutes after you are apart.  You play in silence in your room and yet are completely in sync with each other in your own world.  You want to dress alike everyday.  Do and have everything the same.  It’s like you’ve been together your whole lives…not just 10 weeks.  It brings tears to my eyes to know you will have each other forever…that you have the sister I always wanted .

Miss P. I am in awe at your kindness, compassion, patience and tenderness.  I have never been more proud of you than after I witnessed you as a big sister.  You’ve made this enormous transition look easy and put your daddy and me to shame.  We’ve had some hard days and weeks as we walk through this new world that we have made together. But the good days are so, so good.  And I know that in time our lives will find that natural rhythm and harmony once again.  And I know every challenge and setback is WORTH it.  Isn’t it obvious?  I mean look at the beauty that has been brought to our lives…

Welcome home, baby girl…you were worth the wait.

Love, Mommy

It’s month 11 for this very special photography project I am participating in.  Follow the chain of letters from other photographer moms participating in Letters to Our Daughters and visit the brilliant Stephanie Beaty | Lifeography | Tampa Bay-Area Photographer.

So back to what you really want to hear about, ha!  She is an amazing, resilient little girl.  We’ve had some tough days…okay…some tough weeks.  But it’s getting a little better each day as we become more familiar with each other.  And the sun coming out hasn’t hurt either!  She’s the perfect fit for our family and I’m truly excited of what the future holds for her and us.