She's 5. I can't stand it.

Our little girl has reached an amazing milestone. She's 5. She's a WHOLE HAND! How can this be? Where are my babies? I look at my son, at 8 and this little beauty, now at 5, and I can remember every.single.moment from the day they were born. I can tell them anything they want to know about when they were babies, infants, toddlers, and "little kids" (because they think they're just "kids" now - not "little kids").

I've written Elena's birth story (though compared to our son, hers was pretty uninteresting). I've written her a birthday letter. So today, I think I'm just going to draw upon the week that I've been through, and just give utter and complete GRATITUDE for this gift of her in my life. I've had five amazing and wonderful years as this gorgeous red head's mommy. Every crazy little thing she does and says, I thank God for the opportunity to be here for it. She wasn't planned in our books, but God had her mapped out long before she was a inkling in our thoughts. Every piece of that red hair was placed on her head by a creator who is so magical, we cannot even fathom why He does what He does.

As I sat with people from my past at Nick's funeral, I thought, "How would my life be different, if I had taken a different path and made different choices?" And I couldn't even imagine it. Any one choice made differently might have altered the gift I know as the present. And each of the people along the way played an amazing role in my life; they each had a part in leading me to THIS path, this place...the path that includes my awesome husband of eleven years, my son who gives me strength daily, and this beautiful little girl, who made the package complete.

I wouldn't change a thing.