Six Wonderful and Amazing and Emotional Years...

Right before diagnosis, October 2007

To my hero...my beautiful, vibrant, hilarious, 9-year-old daughter Lilyboo,

For six years now I have watched you grow into a little lady. A seemingly perfect blend of maturity and innocence. I have woken up to your beautiful face smiling at me. Whether you are rolling around sideways in your bed with your hair all messed up, or you are running full speed into my bedroom at 7 AM, you are there.

Alive. Breathing. Growing. Living. Being a kid, my kid. My hero.

You are almost 10 so it may seem weird that I have said "For six years now." I wasn't so sure this would happen when you were 3 and we found out you had Type 1 Diabetes. Every horrible thought that a mother should never think, I had. Every ounce of worry that you wouldn't wake...it was there. It still is sometimes.

Sometimes I look at you and with no reason whatsoever, I tear up. It's so hard to take in...the severity of it all. The beauty in being your mother. The amazing little person you have become. You think I'm nuts pretty much all the time because of these tears. It embarrasses you but you still smile, and blush, and feel very, very loved. The thought of not having you is too much so I don't think about it often. If I did, I couldn't live.

You are going to finish 4th grade at the top of your class, as you always do. You are going to start really liking boys soon (God help us all). You are going to want to stay alone in the house after school one day in the next few years. You are going to babysit Henry. You are going to learn to drive...and go to school dances, and hold someone's hand. You are going to go to college one day. And I am going to cry even harder when you do. You will get married and wear your namesake's beautiful watch and carry her handkerchief down the aisle on your daddy's arm. You will have beautiful children and love them like I love you. You will cry too. A lot. You are so much like me. We are two peas in a pod. You will do all of this despite your disease.

Today, we celebrate six years of your living.

I love you so much Lilyboo. I am so thankful for every breath you take. I am so proud that you don't let diabetes dictate who you are. Or Celiac for that matter. You have come so far in six years...we all have. We will never stop fighting and we will all remove our tattoos when you are cured. I believe that and so do you...it will happen. Until then, keep living my precious, beautiful baby.

Love,

Mommy