A letter to our baby

Precious Baby Claire,

You are due in 34 days! We can hardly believe it. While we are sooo very excited and anxious to meet you, please stay in my tummy for at least a few more weeks! You still have some important developing to do.

We have wanted you for so long. Last June your Daddy and I were shopping at Target in the lawn and garden section. We saw a cute tiny pink lawn chair that was toddler-sized. We thought it was so cute and it made us sad because we wanted to have a little toddler to buy it for. After that we went to the electronics section where Daddy bought a camera. As he was shopping, I looked at the nearby books. I noticed a book called You are a wish come true. It is about a Mama Bear that prayed and hoped and wished for so long for her Baby Bear. Finally her dream came true. I got tears in my eyes and knew I had to buy the book for you. It perfectly stated how we longed for you. When I got home, I wrote in the front cover. I will never forget hoping and praying and wishing for you that warm summer day.

A few weeks later, in mid-July, Daddy and I traveled to Savannah. We really enjoyed the time we spent with each other. We also thought about you and talked about you a lot. We wondered what you would look like and when we would be blessed with you. One night we strolled along the waterfront and shopped for a gift for you. We wanted to show you once you were older how much we loved you and cared about you, before we even knew you. This is the t-shirt that Mommy and Daddy bought just for you.

A few weeks after this trip, on August 11th, we received the most joyous news- we were pregnant with you! We were so happy, scared, excited, giddy, overwhelmed. We had already loved you for so long and now our dream was coming true!

I have loved every moment with you since we first learned about you on August 11th. We loved every time we got to see you on the ultrasound. We were so happy to have a doppler that we could use to hear your heartbeat anytime we wanted. We would lay in bed and just listen to your precious heart beating in my tummy. I loved feeling your first movements at 16 weeks and Daddy was so happy to feel you at 18 weeks. It is amazing to imagine the miracle that is happening during this incredible time. We prayed so hard for God to bless us with the perfect child- created especially for us. When we learned you are a little girl, we were overflowing with happiness. At that very moment I knew you would be a Daddy's girl!

You are so loved. Grandma J-Rae, Grandpa Leroy, Grandma Annie, and Grandpa Jeff cannot wait to meet you and love you to pieces. Aunt Heather, Uncle Sean, Aunt Bethanie, Uncle Barry, Uncle Chris, and Aunt Becky are so excited for you to arrive. Everyone asks about you, all the time. You will always know how precious you are and how thankful your entire family is for you.

We have so many dreams and plans for you. My biggest hope for you is that you come to know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. He has protected you every step of your journey, right from the begining when you were just a small cluster of cells. He will continue to protect and love you your entire life. He has big plans for you, little Claire. I can't wait to see His plans unfold in your life.

We love you, baby girl. We will meet you in just a few short weeks! We are so honored to be your parents. You are our dream come true.

Love,
Mommy and Daddy