My Girl,

I want you to know that I won’t be meeting you anytime soon, but when I do, you are going to be the most precious thing I will ever love. Dear God, you will put all my “first loves” and “heartbreaks” to shame because loving you will be the scariest thing I’ll ever have to do. The most incredible thing of all is that even though you’re going to be this tiny little baby, you are going to give me so much hope. Your eyes are going to shine brighter than anything I've ever seen and I pray to God that you use them to set your heart on fire. I want you to be kind and honest. I want you to reach for the stars and make your dreams come true. Be bold and beautiful when you touch the lives of every person you meet. I believe that if you have all those qualities it will make you better prepared for the obstacles you are going to face.

People are going to cut and pry at every curve of your body, and darling, you’re going to let them. You are going to let them tear you down until you feel as though you cannot breathe, but please believe me when I tell you that I am going to protect you and be in your corner throughout the entire fight. When you’re 16, that beautiful boy with those big eyes is going to come into your life and turn your world upside down. Be ready because you are going to fall for him way too quickly just like I did when I was your age. A month later and you will be laying on my bed telling me how much you love him and you think that he is the one you're going to spend the rest of your life with. But baby, as you now know that same boy is going to break your heart and you will feel the pain worsen every time you see him smile. My sweet girl, just know that that pain fades and one day you’ll wake up and realize that you’ve stopped missing him. That day will be a good day. That day will be a beautiful one.

Even as I hold you now in my arms, I understand that we won’t always see eye to eye. Some nights you are going to scream at me and tell me you hate me, but please know I’m doing this because I love you. I’m doing this because I’ll remember the very first night we danced around the living room and cuddled on the couch. I’ll remember the night you came into my bedroom crying after your heart had been shattered into a thousand pieces. I’ll remember the promise I made to you as soon as the doctor said “It’s a girl!.” I promise to always protect and love unconditionally. I promise to let you go and find yourself, but never let you get to far that you forget your way back home.

But my love, if you learn anything from this letter I hope it’s this; understand that you set my heart on fire and become the love of my life the first moment I held you.

I love you now and forever,

Mama