Day 57

13 years ago I checked into Providence medical center in Portland, OR at 6am.

 

I was young, scared and had no clue what was in store for me in becoming a new mother.

 

Being so young, I was naïve, innocent in my understanding of what motherhood was all about. I read

 

any book I could get my hands onto, proving to everyone and myself, that I would be the best mother

 

I could be. Some people worried with how young I was that it was too soon and I will agree with

 

them...yes, I was too young. I became a mother at 18years old but what I did have and could give my

 

daughter 100%, was my heart. My love for her was unconditional before she was even born, so deep

 

 it was foreign to my heart, a feeling of a overwhelming zealousness to protect her from anything that

 

 could hurt her. I wanted to give her everything. I wanted to see her grow up intelligent, strong,

 

courageous and spiritually minded. I wanted her to know she was a daughter of God who loved her.

 

After a long day of ups and downs, an epidural that half worked and 3 hours of hard back labor,

 

Diana rose entered into this world beautiful just as her name describes her with thick black hair,

 

 brown eyes, pink cheeks. and dimples. A few minutes after she was born, the grandparents and Keith

 

 were talking amongst one another as I held this little piece of heaven in my arms. As I gazed at this

 

 angelic little girl, she opened her eyes, looked at me and smiled. As she smiled, dimples popped up

 

on her cute pink cheeks. I told everyone, "Come look! She has dimples." By the time they turned

 

 around, she was fast sleep smiling with the secret that only her and her mama knew; she had dimples!

 

It took another month before her dimples made another appearance and everyone believed me :).

 

Today, Diana is a beautiful young woman who makes me proud in every sense.

 

She is intelligent.

 

Strong.

 

Driven.

 

Thoughtful and sweet.

 

She has a testimony of the gospel and loves to serve.

 

She loves her brother and sisters.

 

She has a desire to learn.

 

She is funny.

 

But most of all....

 

She is my daughter.

 

You made ME a mother.

 

You changed me and made me want to be a better person. You showed me what it is to love another

 

human being so much, you would do anything for them. I love you Diana.

 

I am grateful for YOU today and that 13 years ago, you made me a mother ♥