It All Started With Her Beautiful Smile... A Mother's Reflection...

The date was July 28,2008, and the time was 11:21am. This was the moment that Mariah stole my heart and while in the midst of a hazy dream after I fed her she gave me the most beautiful smile that I had ever seen. In that moment my heart became so full and I was so overcome with emotion that all I could do was cry and stroke her head while telling her that she was the most beautiful thing that I had ever seen. In that moment I reflected on the events that led up to holding my daughter in my arms and my crying became a waterfall of tears of joy.

After forty-one weeks and a day of carrying her in my womb, almost thirteen hours of a very trying labor, and a sixteen minute Cesarean procedure, I heard her cry for the first time—there are no words to adequately describe that moment. MarcQus was so overcome with emotion that he cried uncontrollably while saying “baby that’s my daughter over there” over and over again. I had never seen him so overcome with emotion. It warmed my heart to see the absolute joy on his face the moment his long awaited dream of becoming a father was realized.

It was just that one beautiful smile that reaffirmed for me why having a child is the greatest blessing that the Lord can give you. He entrusts you with a precious life that you were able to create with the love of your life. That bundle of joy is a miraculous manifestation of God’s love. The love that you feel for your child is instantaneous and instinctive all at the same time. Caring for her is an amazing adventure, because she changes so rapidly. The love that she gives me I feel to my very core. So many times I find myself crying just thinking about the fact that I am a wife blessed with an amazing husband, and a beautiful child that is the perfect blend of her parents. These are the most important jobs that I will ever have in life and I thank God for granting me the privilege to take on these tasks.

Yes, it was that one beautiful smile that shook my world in the best way possible. It was the day that I fell head over heels in love with my daughter. Thank you Lord for such a tremendous gift. ..