A letter from Me to You

Dear Baby Bear,

As you are growing and developing inside of me you have no idea about the world outside and how we are all preparing for your arrival. The world on the outside is a big place and can be very overwhelming at times so I thought I would take a moment to write you this letter of things I want you to remember no matter how big you get or where you are in the world.

First I want you to know that God loves you. There will be times in your life when things don't go the way that you have planned, or you seem lost and don't remember how you got to the point where you are. In these times always remember that God loves you and He gave you life for a reason. Jer 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future." You may not always know what God wants you to do but the best advice I can give you is to pray. Pray when you are lonely, lost, angry, pray when you are joyful and excited. God always wants to hear from you and is always ready to listen.

Secondly I want you to remember that I love you. You will hear stories of how sick you mother was during the whole time she was pregnant with you and these are not to make you feel guilty but rather to show you how loved and wanted you are. Everyday that I have been pregnant with you I have fought to keep you alive and make sure you were getting the best because I know that's what you deserve. Yes I will be honest and tell you that it was the hardest time I have ever experienced in my life and there were times when I wasn't sure I was the best mother for you, but I would do it all again just to bring you into this world and help you build the life I know God has planned for you.

Take time to listen. As you get older there will hundreds of new and exciting things that will come along and some of these will be great experiences, others will only bring hurt and heartache. When ever anything comes up always remember that your father and I will be here for you to talk to. We love you and only ever want the best for you. I know it may seem like we are too old, or that we don't understand what it's like but remember we have been children and teenagers, and we have experienced a lot of things. We promise to always be there to listen and try to see things from your point of view, all we ask is that you take the time to listen to us and respect the fact that we love you and really only ever want the best for you. We may not be able to protect you from everything but we will love you through anything.

If you are a boy I want you to remember to look up to your father. He is an amazing man who always believes the best in others and is always willing to give his time, energy and love to help with out ever wanting anything in return. You may think at times that your father is weird and yes I promise you that he will embarrass you at some point in your life, but he loves you and he loves his family. If you watch him, look up to him and follow in his footsteps you will be a better man because of it. Learn from his mistakes, grow from his wisdom.

If you are a girl the best role model I can hope for you is your Gramma Millman. She is a wonderful, strong, godly woman who believes in family, and is true to her morals. During the time that I was pregnant with you, your Gramma fought just as hard to keep you alive and trust me when I say I would have never survived with out her. She loves you more than you can even imagine and I still strive to be more like her. You could never ask for a better Gramma then Gramma Millman, and just by having her in your life you are blessed. Follow her footsteps, listen to her advice and strive to be as strong hearted and godly as she is. You will be a better woman for it.

Lastly I want you to remember to be true to yourself. Each and every day you will learn new things, grow in more ways then you can imagine and each day your personality will develop more and more. As you go through life you may feel pressured to do or try things, you may be unsure of what is right and wrong. All I can ask is that you take a moment to remember who you are and think about what you really want. If something doesn't feel right or seems to good to be true then walk away. God is always watching you and He will always let you know when something isn't right or when you should walk away from something. If you keep to your morals and listen to God's voice inside of you, you will be safer and stronger.

With all that in mind I love and continue to grow and develop. There are so many people awaiting your arrival, praying for you everyday and love you more than you can imagine. Please no matter what always remember that you are loved, wanted and are here for a reason.

With Love
Mom.