For Tricia

Remember this? I have mentioned a few times on my blog that I read this blog written by a guy, Nate, about his life with his sweet wife, Tricia, who has Cystic Fibrosis and is waiting for a double lung transplant and his tiny baby girl, Gwyneth, that is beautiful and is beating the odds as a baby born at 24 weeks gestation. I admit it... I am addicted. I check daily - several times, daily - to see if there is an update on Nate's girls. (I must say that the recent Fraggle post was great (made me laugh out loud!), and the video of Tricia holding Gwyneth for the first time... awesome beyond words!) My sister and I talk about them like we know them and they are our friends. We wish we did and they were. :) On a recent post Nate talked about an idea that a mommy "out there" had... She suggested that we mommies write down the things that we enjoy and might take for granted that we want Tricia to look forward to doing with Gwyneth someday. I have to say that reading this blog (and a few others that are my "regulars") make me so appreciative for the life that I have. Even in the midst of my family's current struggles, they give me a perspective that I don't think that I would have if I they were not a part of my life. So, to Nate and Tricia... Thank You for sharing your journey. May God continue to bless you and your sweet baby with health and a long life full of wonderful memories made together.

Tricia,

Here are a few things that I can't wait until you experience...

*Rocking your baby to sleep and watching her drift off to dreamland while in your arms
*Reading Gwyneth her favorite book so many times that you have the words memorized... and she does too, so she catches you if you try to skip a page
*Falling asleep mid-Twinkle Twinkle Little Star because you are so tired... and she is so not
*Watching her walk around in footy pajamas
*Realizing that Gwyneth is actually saying words... not just sounds
*Taking your little girl to the zoo, and watching her get excited over every animal... then laughing at yourself because you realize that you are acting out the way a gorilla moves and sounds in public
*The first time that you have a Christmas morning where Gwyneth "gets it"... and you get to become a kid all over again
*Watching Nate play baby dolls, have make-up applied, and play Pretty Pretty Princess... while loving every moment of it
*Taking your princess to the grocery store dressed in her princess dress and her little plastic high heels... and realizing that everyone that has ever had a little girl is now looking at yours and is remembering theirs fondly
*Hearing her read her first book to you as she slowly sounds out each word
*Walking with her on the beach
*Snuggling with Gwyneth and Nate in bed on a Saturday morning

There are so many more... Right now, I am just so happy for you each time that you get to see Gwyneth and hold her and see how much she is growing and how well she is doing.

My baby girl is 11 now. It feels like yesterday that all of these things happened for us. I have loved every moment of it and can't wait for you to get to share endless special moments with your sweet one.

I am praying for your family daily, and I can't wait to hear the word that you have your new lungs, Gwyneth is out of the NICU, and you are all home together.

Amy