Dear Elliott

1 Samuel 1:27      For this child I have prayed, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him.

Dear Elliott,

In the wee hours of this morning you came Earth side.  I know, for as long as your mother lives, you will hear your birth story.  She will repeat the treasured details to you when you need to feel loved, to put you to sleep, or to remind you how dedicated she is to you.  I'm writing you this letter to give you a glimpse of your birth day from my eyes.  You see, when you were born the world around your mother stood still.  Nothing else but you and her mattered.  For me, time was going too slow.  I was sitting at home watching my phone.  I was so anticipating you.

Finally, I was awoken and I could feel the love and pride in your mother's voice through the phone.  You did it.  You both did it together.  My eyes swelled with tears.  I immediately got dressed and jumped in the car.  Your mom and I began our pregnancy journeys together only 12 weeks apart, and here I was, with Forest in the back, making the trek to you.  The moon was so big and bright and my windshield was covered in small raindrops.  Such a strange morning for June.  I began my drive praising God that he protected you and your mom and kept you healthy.  I was in absolute awe of your role here on Earth already.

I rushed into see you and the first thing I saw was your mom nursing you.  You were trying so hard to latch and seeing you discover your world melted my heart to a puddle.  I know that you will never fully appreciate what your mom did for you until you see the birth of your own child, but trust me when I say that the complete exhaustion in your moms body couldn't even be seen through the pure love on her face.  She grew you for 40 long weeks and her job is not done.  Her body will continue to nourish yours for months to come and she will guide you, encourage you, and cherish you for the rest of her life.

You have a perfect nose and look so much like your daddy.

As I made my drive home the sun was rising.  The sky was pale blue and grey and the sun was a soft yellow as it creeped it's way over the mountains.  Cars sped by me rushing to wherever and I just couldn't imagine what could be so important.  These people were missing out on the most peaceful morning.  The sound of the road kept me company while I let my thoughts dwell on the beauty of your life.

You have come into a beautiful world.  It's important that you know that you were loved even before you arrived.  That you were prayed for, wanted, and treasured.  That you matter.  You are not small or insignificant.  You are not a fleeting thought.  You were meant to be here, exactly when you got here, and you have a huge purpose. 
You were born to a generation that has made great strides in changing the world.  We have come so far in activism, equality, technology, and science.  My generation has worked so hard to create a beautiful place for our children to live.  Our hearts are for you.  We have so far to go though, and it's so amazing to think that you will be a part of making the world a better place.  Every word you say, every step you take, has a ripple effect on the rest of the world.  Every time you smile you have made a difference.

As you grow I just pray that you spend your time searching for what makes your soul happy.  I pray that you follow your heart and fulfill your purpose.  I hope that at times of hurt or confusion that you never lose sight of your significance.  I pray that you fill your life, first and foremost, with love.  Know that this world is huge and full of opportunity, but small and full of connections.  I hope that you carry the feeling of knowing you matter so deeply in your heart that you are able to see how much every other person matters too.  I want you to take that with you every where you go, so that you can make connections with every person you meet, so that you can pour out your love to them.  I hope you have a strong thirst for knowledge and you never stop wanting to learn.  My wish for you is that you walk through life seeing every moment as an opportunity to listen, learn, and grow.  

The world is yours for the taking.

Happy birth day Elliott.  Enjoy your life.