Milly and Shelby,
I am so excited that today is your birthday... excited and a little sad. I cannot believe that it has been four whole years since you were born and almost four years since I first met you. I remember the day you came home to us. You were so tiny and precious. You were scared and shaking, but over the first few days you grew to love us and trust us. It was love at first sight for us. I remember when your Dad came home from work and saw you for the first time. The smile on his face was priceless and watching you waddle up through the front yard toward him is one of my favorite memories of you.
The day you came into our lives you became part of our family and you became our top priority. That has not changed. That will never change. You will never know loneliness or neglect. You will never do without what you need and, I pray, you will never go without your wants being fulfilled. The two of you have my heart and my promise that you will always have the best and will always be treated with love and respect.
You have taught me so much. You made me grow up and put you before myself. You showed me that making choices that affect others require lots of thought and sometimes require sacrifices. You showed me that I can love someone so much that it makes my heart hurt and that even when I am pushed to the extreme in patience, I can still react with love. You have taught me that even though I love to spend money on shoes, clothes, and going out to eat, if you need something there is no question that is what my money will go to paying. You taught me what it is like to wish with all my heart that the pain someone else was experiencing could be my own. You taught me how fast my heart can race when you escape the fence and how relieved I can feel when I have you back in my arms again. You have made me a better person. You have opened my eyes, my heart, and even my wallet.
You are amazing. I thank God for sending you to us. I pray every day that you will be happy, healthy, and safe. I love you, my MilShelb. I love you more than you will ever know.
Happy 4th Birthday... and here's to many, many more happy birthdays to come.
Love,
Mommy
