I can't decide whether to laugh or cry

I think I've written about this before, but Ryan and I have had a Community Group that has met at our house every Wednesday for the last 3 years. These friends have become like family to us, and we love them dearly, dearly, dearly.

Last night they gave Ryan and me a book of letters that they'd written to Blythe. It was so sweet and so precious. When they handed us the book, I could only read a couple of lines without tearing up, so Ryan and I read them together when we got home last night.

They ranged from sweet and touching to laugh-out-loud-funny.

Here are some of their words for Blythe...

"You are loved, even before you are born. You are a child of God and a child of two wonderful parents. We love you little Blythe and can't wait to see your sweet little face."

"Now you are almost here. We have been praying for you and will continue to pray for you. We are praying that you would know Jesus and grow into a godly woman."

"As I mentioned before, we have our own baby named Cannon and it was decided long before you got here that he would be your husband. Then the Lipscombs came along wanting to adopt a baby boy and the competition started to heat up, but I knew we could handle it. I thought we were in the clear because the Sales were suppose to have a baby girl (intended to be your BFF) but it turns out they're having a boy too! So the competition will be fierce when you're old enough to date, yet you will have your choice from what I know will be three wonderful, God-loving men and you can't go wrong.

P.S. If you choose Cannon, you can come with us to Disney World when you turn 5."

"Dessert should be eaten first. I kid! I kid! This rule only applies when you move out of your parents' house."

"Boys are sometimes strange. This is unfortunately the case for several years, but when they come out of their "funk" be sure to find one that loves the Lord, follows Him with all his heart, and will treat you as a princess and love you for exactly who you are because, girl, you are worth it."

"At least once in your life you should visit California because pretty rad/epic things come out of that state. You should especially try Del Taco."

"Welcoming you into this world are: 2 amazing parents, 1 "special" dog, 4 doting yet loving grandparents, and a group of EXTREMELY rad friends. I can't wait to hold you."

I wanted to share one of their letters in its entirety because it was so touching...

Dear Ryan and Allison,

Soon you will be holding your precious newborn daughter in your arms for the first time. This amazing, gorgeous, little creation with the sleepiest yawns and most adorable smiles will snuggle in the safety of your arms knowing she is secure and loved and cared for in every way. You will feed and change and rock her, sing to her, take her for a drive or stroller ride to calm her (when you would sometimes rather be watching the World Series) and be able to pick out her cry from that of all the other babies in the church nursery while still approaching down the hallway.

Blythe will lose teeth and baby fat and your car keys (which you will give her because they are unbeatable entertainment while you are trying to finish a conversation with another grown up). She will gain the ability to roll over, then crawl, then walk, and then say her R's (and you kind of wish she couldn't because it sounds so much cuter when she says "weally" instead of "really").

When you send Blythe to kindergarten you will stand in the doorway of the classroom with all the other first time parents trying to catch one more glimpse of her to make sure she is settling in well (she is) while all the old-time parents scurry away, relieved to have another child in school.

You will make all your own organic baby food and sanitize her pacifier and keep her off of the floor in public buildings and tiptoe and whisper when she naps. Then she learns the word "no" and suddenly Blythe is refusing her favorite snack of bananas and you just bought ten pounds of them at the store and you find yourself eating bananas and baking banana bread and finally throwing them away in the trash, all mottled and brown, wondering if bananas will ever come back into favor (they will, but you won't have any in the house). At the mall Blythe doesn't want to sit in the stroller anymore because she can walk (ever so slowly, and never in the direction you're trying to go). You don't put syrup on her pancakes because it's unhealthy but her little friend gets syrup on his and she cries and refuses to each them. You now put syrup on her pancakes.

You start breaking all your "I will never let my child do that" vows you made before you had one, and find yourself buying candy in the checkout line at the grocery store and letting Blythe wear flip-flops to Grandma's (who believes shoes should give good support) and taking her to a July birthday party wearing her Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer light up sweatshirt because it's her favorite. She fixes her own hair even though you could do it better.

Blythe makes you feel elated and proud and terrified and vulnerable all at the same time. She is delightful and mysterious and confounding and so beautiful you can't take your eyes off of her when she is in the room. You worry about all the mistakes you will make and then all the mistakes she will make. You cry harder than you have ever cried and laugh harder than you have ever laughed and love more than you have ever loved before. Your heart is walking around outside your body forevermore. Sometimes realizing this makes it hard to breathe. Then you remember that Blythe is in the palm of God's hand. And so are you. Always.

"See, I have engraved you win the palm of My hands..." Isaiah 49:16

We are so thankful for this amazing group of people! Blythe will be blessed to enter the world with such loving, supportive families around her, and we are blessed to call each of them friends.