Baby Dedication & Mother's Day

Dear Madelyn Kate,
I woke up this morning with a feeling of excitement. I knew that after our usual morning routine of play time, breakfast, clean up and then more play time, I was going to dress you in this sweet little dress.I knew that I would put this cross necklace around your neck that I wore as a little girl.
A necklace that my mom and dad gave me as a birthday present that I have held close and cherished and in my adult years dreamed of putting on my own little girl.
I woke up excited because I knew today we were going to participate in the baby dedication at church. I knew that it's not magic. I knew that it does not affect your salvation. I knew that in reality, unless we take it seriously and make of it what we want to that it could possibly just be idle words. But I also knew that to Daddy and I...it's not just idle words. I woke up excited because I knew that from the moment we knew you were growing inside of me...we committed you to the Lord. We knew you were a gift long before we knew you were even a girl. We knew that we wanted to raise you to walk in the way of truth and righteousness before we heard your heart beating.
I woke up excited today because I knew that today was a special day of gathering with family and our church body, committing together to raise you the best that we can. You were dedicated to the Lord long before today, the ninth of May, 2010. Today it was just made public.
Your Grandpa, Grandma, Gigi, Papa, and Great Granny stood alongside Daddy and I to commit to doing their part in guiding you. It was so special to me. These are the same people that stood vigilantly by your NICU bed and prayed for your healing. The same ones that also committed you to the Lord long before this day.
In the audience while Daddy and I did the responsive reading part of the dedication service, Uncle Jarrod, Aunt Marlo, Emily (Allison was in the nursery), Aunt Rachel, Aunt Kenda and Michael were filling the pews in support of you. They too sat by your side and prayed for you. Loved you. Held your hand and committed you to the Lord.
I woke up excited this morning simply because we were able to make it to this day.
Even if you ate the responsive reading paper and climbed all over me, it was a sweet, tender moment for me!
I am so thankful for you, Madelyn Kate. Your daddy and I commit to raise you the best that we can, trusting in the Lord to guide our family. You make each day a new adventure. You are my miracle girl and I love you so much.
I also woke up this morning with that sense of excitement, because Mother's Day has a whole new meaning. Your daddy was sneaky and took you last week to Barnes and Noble to pick up The Pioneer Woman Cookbook and I cannot wait to use it! Mother's Day does not just have a whole new meaning because I now get cards and gifts (although that's always fun! ha!), it has a whole new meaning because of you. You are the one that makes me a mother. Your presence in our lives gives me the title of Mom!
Thank you for that!

After your baby dedication, all of the family made their way back to our house for an afternoon of fellowship and celebrating all the moms! I love that both sides of our family are brought together by such a tiny little person. You are so special, Madelyn Kate.

Love you forever,
Mommy