I am so blessed to have Addison in my life. I get teary eyed just thinking about the important role she has played in our lives since day one. We were NOT planning on a baby so soon. At age 21, I was still focused on me, me, me, and my wonderful new husband. We wanted to finish school, travel the world, make our fortunes, and then perhaps somewhere along the way, have a child or two. When I found out I was pregnant about 3 months after we got married, I was TERRIFIED. I felt completely unready to have a baby. I didn't know a thing about caring for a newborn!! After Addy was delivered at UVRMC in Provo, UT, I couldn't believe that the staff was just going to let me leave the hospital with this tiny little human!! No tests to pass, no credentials to show, no certifications required! I was going to take home the most important responsibility of my life, and all I had to do was deliver her into this world. Seriously, I was shocked by that.
Addy was such a great baby. At about 6 months old, she was such a joy I wanted 5 more like her. I knew at that point that I was put on this earth to serve my family as a wife and mother and that there was nothing else I would rather be doing. What a blessing staying at home with my children has been. I couldn't believe how much I loved my sweet daughter!! I didn't think it was possible to love anything or anyone as much as I loved her. Then, 2.5 years later Aidyn was born and a miracle occurred: I loved him just as much!!! I realized that your heart doubles in size with each child you bare. I also realized, that after having a baby as colicky as Aidyn, that one more was what I could handle.
Addy has always been wise beyond her years, amazingly intelligent, ultra cautious, and an artistic savant. She started talking at about 12 months, but didn't start walking til 18 months. I remember driving in the car on the way home from the grocery store one day when I was pregnant with Aidyn. Addy was about 2 and she pointed at something and asked me if it was blue or purple. I told her "Indigo". She thought about that for a split second, then replied, "Mommy, Indigo is a country, not a color." Even though she was incorrect, I knew I had a precocious, extremely smart child on my hands.
Over the years, some of my favorite inherent blessings, abilities, qualities and talents that Addy has exhibited and continues to exhibit are: a close relationship with her Heavenly Father and Elder Brother, Jesus Christ, the ability to soak up knowledge like a sponge, her passion and awesome talent for drawing and the arts in general, her love of music, her unconditional love and tolerance of everyone and everything, her social skills, the good choices she continues to make, her ability to focus on what matters most and to exclude outside worldly influences, her leadership skills, her quick mind, her soft, kind heart, her internal beauty, her compassion for animals and humans, and her testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Addison is an amazing individual. I know that she was sent to our family as an example of God's love, to provide us with a beacon of righteousness, and to show us the values of inner strength. I am so proud of the young woman she is becoming, and so blessed to call her my daughter. I love you Addison!!
