Dear Graysie,

My days are spent wiping bottoms, wiping tears, wiping boogies, wiping counters, wiping floors, wiping windows….well….pretty much you can sum up my life at this point as wiping! I love my time taking care of your brother and your two sisters.

Since we've moved into our house, I have met so many new friends. So many neighbors who are going to be a huge part of our lives. Most of them have kids who are Emma's age and we are learning the art of "the play date".

Often our house is filled with neighbor kids. Mommy loves having them here, not only because they keep your sister entertained but also because I am glad we are doing what we planned with this house. I feel like we have made the neighborhood kids feel welcome and loved inside these walls. I find out how welcome they feel when one of them walks in the house one day and I am not yet fully dressed. She talks to me like it is normal to see her neighbor undressed and I don't tell her it's not because I don't want her embarrassed. We have some tough times with the neighborhood kids at times too. Some mean words said, some hurt feelings, some leaving each other out. I must admit that sometimes I don't handle things well and I have to try and do better next time. At other times I am a pro and feel like I am mastering having a house full of kids.

What I don't realize while I am kissing other peoples children's owies and wiping their noses and helping them get on and off the potty is that my heart is being softened for you. For you, my brown eyed girl, who looks so different from your sisters and brother. For you, who didn't grow inside my tummy, but in Amanda's. My heart is being molded to care for something that I did not have a part in creating. I am learning to look into the face of a child who has hurt feelings and find compassion, even though I don't see my own eyes looking back at me. My days spent with the neighborhood kids are so much more than entertaining Emma. Yes, they are so much more important than that, but I won't realize it for quite some time.

I love you forever!

Mommy