Dear friend, I thought about you today. I don’t know if you remembered that today marks three years since you gave birth to a little girl. I can only assume that it crossed your mind. I spent some time thinking about you – wondering what your life is like, what you think about your decision, and if you ever wonder about your little girl.

Hannah's 1st Birthday

January 2009

I want you to know, above all else, that we are thinking of you today. We know nothing about you, but we are thankful for you and your sacrifice. The decision you made three years ago, although I am sure it was difficult, has made such a difference, not just in our lives but also in the lives of many others.  I wonder if you ever regret your decision. I can’t answer for you, but I can tell you that we love Hannah with all of our hearts, and we can’t imagine a life without her.

I wonder if she is like you at all. Does she have your engaging personality or your amazing smile? She has the ability to light up a room and command attention from the moment she enters until well after she leaves. Does she laugh like you do? That laugh gets me so tickled, and she brings so much joy when she laughs. Did she get her love of music and dancing from you? She is drawn to all kinds of music and will dance no matter who is there. I’ll take some credit for her rhythm (or lack of it), but…and I don’t know how to ask this…do you shake your booty when you dance? She does that all the time, and I don’t know why. Does she share your sense of humor? She not only loves to laugh at others, but loves to make others laugh, and she is genuinely funny. Does she get her determination and mischievousness from you as well?

I have to tell you, there are so many things that she does that make us question if she favors my side of the family or her mothers, only to remember that she is adopted. She is such a great child, and we love her so much. She is a great sister to her older sister and her little brother. She is loving and caring and so sweet. She is really smart, too. I know everybody says that about their child, but this is true. She can already say her alphabet and spell her name. She kept hearing her sister asking for G-U-M, and she quickly figured out what that spells so she can get some too.

I could keep going, but I just wanted to tell you that Hannah is doing great. We can’t celebrate her birth without thinking of you and the sacrifice you made that made it possible for her to be a part of our family. She loves us, and she is greatly loved in return. We owe so much to you, and we can never thank you enough.