The First Born

For those of you that know our first born daughter, you know what a gentle child she is. Madison has an "old soul", as Scott likes to call it. She connects with life in a way that would make anyone jealous. She's a worrier, a perfectionist (be warned this is what happens when two type A personalities breed!!) a gentle friend and she takes the job of "big sister" very, very seriously. You can bring tears to her big beautiful brown eyes just by looking at her cross or you can bring the biggest toothless smile you've ever seen to her face just by asking about her day. She spoiled us as new parents because she was such a wonderfully peaceful child and she continues to spoil us with her determination to give the best that is in her every day. She makes me realize that my cup is so full and never, ever half empty.

One of the things I cherish most about my relationship with Madison has been the talks that we have shared just after she goes to her religious education classes. We've spent many evenings sitting at our local coffee shop with steaming hot chocolate (hers is light on the chocolate please!) talking about what her class learned that evening, only to find that I was learning too. This little seven-year old continues to teach me more about life than I ever thought possible. She has taught me about my faith, my faults and my ability to love someone more than I ever thought possible. She is special in ways I don't even know yet. And lucky for me, as her mother, that she takes me along for the ride:)