Gracee girl, I love you. My eyes are wet with tears. Let me describe to you the permanent image just taken in my heart while putting you down for bed tonight.
We have our bedtime routine where after scriptures, stories and prayer, we turn off the light and I sing you a medley: Gracee's song (from the tune of You are My Sunshine), I am a Child of God, Angel Friends (really called Angel lullaby), and then I lay you down in bed and cover you up and sing you the next two songs while we are both laying down and I get to stroke your sweet face. You usually look away or close your eyes during this part. But this time you looked straight into my eyes, our faces just a few inches apart. It's amazing what it does to my emotions when you look into my eyes like that. As I sat there gazing into your sparkling eyes, I sat there thinking how THIS is true happiness. I felt a rush of gratitude for a home to live in, for our comforts, for you and for dad. I just felt--as I have many times before--there is no greater happiness and fulfillment than this. I am tearing up again just as I write this. The two extra songs I sang were Angel Lullaby and Baby Mine. I sat there thinking about the words of those songs that to me, speak of the desires of a mother to protect their children and of peace. The words in Baby Mine say, "let your eyes sparkle and shine" and as I sang that your eyes were dark in the moonlight and sparkling up at me. Your look was peaceful and content. It made me so happy and honored to be your mother. I can't even imagine a greater honor. And as the lyrics say, "Baby Mine...rest your head close to my heart, never to part, baby of mine." We will never part. Thank you Gracee Ann. I love you.
Love, your mother