Well, Today You Are Five

Do you remember the evenings when you couldn't sleep, and we walked the house together in the early morning hours. You were wrapped up tight, lying on your side being slowly rocked as we moved from room to room. Well, today you are five.

Do you remember the day you lay on the living room floor, playing with your soft snail toy, and you realized that with enough effort and a little assistance you could roll over on to your back? It took a while for you to learn how to roll over on to your tummy again, well, today you are five.

Do you remember the time when you first held a spoon and smeared mashed up sweet potato all over your face as you learned to feed yourself? Well, today you are five.

Do you remember the time when you first pulled yourself up to stand at the side of the sofa? You know you wanted to take off and run, but your unsteady legs would not permit you then, well, today you are five.

Do you remember the time we took you to see grandpa Eric and grandma Carol and you were so small that you slept in the basket of the luggage cart at the airport? Well, now you are five.

Do you remember the day when you stepped away from your mommy and began to walk, ever so wobbly, but once you were up, there was no stopping you. Well, now you are five.

Do you remember the time when you came to the hospital to visit mommy and you met your little sister for the first time? You were just 2 years old when Emma came, well, now you are five.

I have so many wonderful memories of you my sweet daughter. Each day you provide me with a new memory, a new story to tell, a new lesson to learn and each day you provide me with a new reason to fall to my knees and thank God for the beautiful blessing that He gave to us when He brought you into the world. I watched you today with your friends, as you played and laughed and ran around with them. There were times when it seemed like chaos, and then there were times when you saw that someone wasn't joining in, or wasn't happy for whatever reason and you lived up to your name - you my little 'friend' would talk to the unhappy guest, or find them another toy to play with. You truly are a good 'friend' to everyone you come into contact with.

Well, now you are five - you are not all grown up just yet, but you are becoming a beautiful young lady, with princess tendancies, as long as the princess is ready at a given moments notice to climb a tree or race across the monkey bars. You have a sweetness in your smile that comes from the purity of your heart that brings warmth and comfort to everyone you meet. You have a strong personality that we will do our best to teach you how to use for great good. Even this evening you realized that you can lead and teach as you and mommy talked and you remembered that you taught Emma how to pump her legs when she is on the swing. You have a great future ahead of you and that will all fall in place in God's timing. You will have great adventures that will make me proud. You will take the gospel to places that I could never go to and you will see God's kingdom come wherever you walk.

Well, that is to come for you, but today you are five. Today you are still my little princess who climbs up on my knee for cuddles, who says, 'carry me' at the end of a long day, who climbs into our bed when you cant sleep - which means that your mommy and me dont get much sleep, but at least you feel safe.

My continuing prayer for you is that God will keep you safe and keep you close to Him as you grow up. God has great plans for you, and I pray that we will see them come about together.

Cara, I love you dearly, and as I said to you when we were first introduced in the delivery suite, I'm your dad, and I love you with everything I have. Never forget that, and never believe that there is anything that can come between us. Sleep well little princess, because today you are five.

I love you.

Dad