For Anna.

To my precious little girl on her first birthday:

Anna,

On October 10, 2008 at exactly 3:45 p.m., you made your grand entrance into this world. Three weeks early, I might add (not that I minded - I was so ready to meet you). From the first moment I laid eyes on you, I knew you were a miracle. From your tiny little fingers to your tiny little toes, every part of you reconfirmed my belief in God. How blessed we are that He deemed us fit enough to be your parents, that He trusted us to care for you and to love you with a love that is beyond description.

Those first few weeks were a blur. How we managed to function during that time is beyond me. God carried us through somehow, He gave us the strength to deal with the uncertainty, the new worry, the sleeplessness. Looking at you with your wide eyes trying to take in every new thing, I realized at that moment that I was important, I had a new purpose. That new purpose was to be your mom, to be the best mom I could possibly be. To be your example and to teach you to love others, to care for people, to be compassionate and loving towards all things living and to be an example for future generations.

What a monumental task for me. However, I have a great example - my own mother. Your Mimi.

To watch you grow this past year has been the greatest treasure in my life. I would give up everything I own just to see you happy in life, to know that you are safe and secure and to know that you feel loved every single day. To see you smile and to listen to you laugh, there are no words. When I watch you meet new milestones and see how strong you are, to see how big you're growing every single day, I feel such a sense of pride in the beautiful child you are and the wonderful woman you will become one day. I look forward to many years of happy times, and even the sad times - that's where we become grounded, that's how we learn our strengths and improve our weaknesses. Just know that I'll hold your hand through both good and bad times.

I'm looking forward to this new year and all of the changes we'll see you go through. I want to cherish each and every day with you. It's all a gift. Thank you for being my daughter, and thank you God for blessing our lives with Anna.

Happy Birthday, Anna Banana. We love you.