Our lives are changed forever since this tiny creature came into the world.

There are the many practical ways life is different. The ways we expected such as sleep deprivation. But what I was least prepared for was how different life feels. Neither of us was prepared for the wealth of emotions that accompanies the new title of being parents. Beautiful, messy, strong emotions.

The first week I cried every day. Dustin teared up over a nice work-related e-mail. In 28 years of knowing Dustin, I have seen him tear up probably twice and once was during an episode of The Office. Our girl has filled our lives with overwhelming joy and overwhelming responsiblity. It's almost comical that we're surprised by how strongly we feel because it probably seems so "duh" to those that are parents. I think it's just something that you can't know until you know.

And now we know.

When my grandmother was still alive, she once told me that when they placed my mother in her arms she thought: "Now I have everything I've always wanted." Ellagirl, when I heard you cry for the first time and your Dad brought you over for me to see, I wept thinking the exact same thing. Your entrance into the world, although painful and oh so long, is the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to us. What joy that God has given you to us! Our prayer is that you would grow in the knowledge of the gospel of Jesus. That He would captivate you, challenge you, direct you, and prepare you for all the good things He has prepared in advance for you to do. We love you so!