Addi Rose is turning 3
God is so amazing! He has blessed me so abundantly, in so many ways. Today, I am especially thankful for sweet Addi. I am thankful for my friendship with her mother, Kasey, and their family- Nick, Tammy, TD, Gwen, Scooby, Clifton, and Daniel. But this little girl has blessed me so. It is so amazing to love another person's child as your own. To look at her and feel your heart almost explode with love! I am so grateful.
I remember hoping that Kasey was pregnant and then finding out she was. I was so, so pumped! I had no idea though just how much I would love her daughter. No idea! For years, Kasey and Tammy kept Jayce once a week and we spent time together...even though there was no relation, I knew they just loved her. And that was that. But now I really get it--if Kasey loves my baby the way I love hers, wow. It is incredible that she could have loved my baby this much!
There are so many special moments with Addi that as she gets older, I know I'll eventually forget. When she was just learning to walk and we went to the mall together. She couldn't talk yet but she would walk up to me over and over and just put up her arms so I would hold her. (I've always been willing to carry her around. She takes advantage of that still!) Or the fact that she learned Jayce's name before almost any other word. I remember J and I bottle feeding her in her chair, lots of shopping trips and Build a Bears, countless hugs and kisses. I have loved watching her barely be able to say a word to talking in full conversation. Crawling to walking to running and constantly skinning those little knees. Many times crawling back and forth underneath me and Kasey's dressing rooms while we try on clothes. Playing dolls in her room in Clarksville and holding her on her birthday wearing Jayce's old dress. Halloweens and birthday parties and swinging her on Tammy's tree swing a thousand times. Many parties where she'd be so reluctant to go to anyone...but secretly I'd love that she'd always come to me! Hehehe! Oh so many memories already!
Having the opportunity to see her so much these last few weeks has been wonderful. She's a water-aholic so we've spent many days in the pool. She's fearless! We play games and jump and chase and twirl and make waves and tango and I could just do it forever with her! She can get me to do pretty much anything with that sweet voice: "but Aunt April, I want you to come to da pool too." Oh okay...I can't say no to that!(Kasey knows this and uses it!)
When she used to see me or J come around a corner she'd go, "It's April-Jayce!" Now, when she sees me it is "A-a-pril!" in her little lilting voice. Oh how it tugs at my heart!
Jayce and I fight over who will get to kiss her first. I love that as much as I love Addi, I think Jayce loves her more. She simply adores her and wants to be around her all the time. She talks about every little thing Addi does for days. Today watching them together at Nashville Shores, I about died. Really, it just floored me. At one point they were playing in the pool together leaning in to one another's face, laughing and dripping wet. I looked over at Tammy and knew she was thinking the same thing- how much we love these two girlies!
God is so good to me! He knew that I have so much love to give and that I needed an Addi Rose to give it to! I pray that as she grows, I will continue to be in her life. I can't wait to watch her grow! I hope that no matter where the Millers move, they will always invite Jayce and I to visit and that they will come home. I treasure this child like my own.
Happy 3rd birthday, Addi Rose. You are a shining example of God's love!