Seven years ago tomorrow, January 22, 2003, at 2:54 p.m., our precious Abigail Ruth entered this world on a sunny yet FRIGID Wednesday afternoon. Weighing in at a small 6 lbs. 12 oz. she wasn't much bigger than her stuffed pink bear! What a difference seven years makes! Today she is one of the tallest girls in her class.
Abby-
I cannot believe you are 7 years old! You daily live up to your name's meaning, "Source of Joy" because you provide so much joy to your daddy and me. Words could never express how much we love you and how proud we are that God gave you to us to raise here on earth. Your desire to learn and how quickly you learn things constantly amazes me. It is a blessing from the Lord. You are such a smart little girl (and you have the prettiest cursive handwriting!). Your level head and even-keel personality (a trait you inherited from your daddy) are a blessing that God has given you. Thank Him for it because it is a gift! You've also been blessed to be a little girl who makes friends easily.. be good to your friends and sisters, and treat them the way you would want them to treat you. A good friend is also a blessing from the Lord! Abby, you are loved by so many people: daddy and me, your sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, Meme and Papa Sam, Granny and Papa Don, your school teachers, your Sunday school teachers, and so many others. Abby, as much as all of these people love you, God loves you so much more! He loves you so much that He gave his one and only son, Jesus, to come to this earth and die on a cross for YOU!! He wants you to accept Jesus as your Savior, so you can spend eternity with Him in Heaven one day. Daddy and I pray everyday for you, and our number one prayer is that you will accept Jesus as your Savior and then follow Him faithfully and passionately all the days of your life... with no turning back!
As I have said before, while you never favor one child over the other, there is just something special about that first one. The first one is the "guinea pig" where you find out what works and what doesn't work. Once you get it figured out, God gives you the second child to show you that you don't have it figured out and you truly realize that you have to ask Him each day to help you be a parent because you cannot do it on your own. Then He gives you the third one, just for fun. As I was saying, the first one is special because every first I have gotten to experience with YOU first: the first time to bring a baby home from the hospital, the first time to try to potty train a child and succeed, the first time to take a child to Mother's Day out, the first steps, first words, first friends, first field trips, first music programs, first day of school, first kindergarten graduation.... you get my point... Abby, all of your "firsts" were my "firsts" too. You have made them a joy. You have made them, for the most part, easy. I know life isn't always easy being the firstborn.... especially when you have two little sisters (who, by the way, love you and look up to you so much). But Abby, God gave you to us first for a reason. He is using it to shape you into an amazing little girl and eventually into an amazing young woman He can use to do incredible things for His kingdom. Again, Abby, we love you so very much and we pray that you will have a wonderful 7th birthday!...... And many more! Lots of hugs and kisses!!!
- Mom and Dad
Abby: 1 day old (Didn't think she would have any hair or I would have brought a bow with me to put in her hair. Brought bows to the hospital with #2 and #3.... both fairly bald)
Abby's first birthday!
Second birthday: Aunt Jennifer make this cake.
Third birthday: Meme made this cake!
Fourth birthday:
Fifth birthday:
Sixth birthday:
Now look at her. Beautiful... inside and out.
