To my daughter

To my daughter, Cora Briony:

I am so glad that we got to bring you home with us today. We have known you were coming for a while now and felt sure you were meant to be in our family, but it is so nice to actually have you here. In person. So soft and warm and sweet. Sleeping in your daddy's arms.

It was so amazing to be there when you were born. Your birth mother is one of the kindest people I know and she let me be there at the very moment when you took your first breath. It was a much quieter breath that I expected, I kept waiting for you to start crying like your big sister did when she was born. But you seemed to be very calm about coming into this big, bright, cold, strange place. You just looked around a little, and then once you were wrapped up in a blanket, you closed your eyes and went right back to sleep as if it is what you expected all along. It seems you have been sleeping ever since. I have been waiting all day for you to wake up for a while so that I can look into your pretty blue eyes and so you can start to get used to me too. But you seem satisfied to open your eyes for a minute or two to check on things and then close them again and drift back to sleep. I wonder if you are saving your active time for 3 a.m.

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After watching you be born, it was hard for me to leave you there in the hospital, but I knew your birth mom was there taking care of you and that she needed some time with you before she could say goodbye. She loves you more than you will ever know. It was so very hard for her to let you go this morning. She did it because she believes that it is what is best for you, but I know that it ripped her heart out to do it. I know that my arms are full tonight because hers are empty, and I will be forever grateful to her for bringing so much of my family to me. Your birth father loves you too, and he wants you to be happy. I know he misses you and wishes he could be with you. If you open your eyes to check on things tonight and see some tears in mine, it is not because I am sad, because I am so happy. It is because I am thinking of them and how much they have sacrificed, and also hoping that they can find some peace tonight and in the days and weeks to come.

Your big sister Arden is so excited that you are finally here. She already loves you so much, and is so glad to have a little sister who can wear dresses and "pretties" in her hair, since we don't let her put those things on Dax. She is already three years old and has so much she wants to teach you. She wants to teach you how to walk, how to do somersaults, how to color. Maybe when you get older she will teach you how to ride a bike, how to put on makeup, how to drive. I know that there will be times when you will fight as sisters do. But hopefully you will get through those times and be good friends when you are all grown up like I am with my sisters, and that you will help each other when you have your own children. Sisters can be hard, but they can be your best friends too, and I hope that you and Arden will become best friends.

Your big brother Daxton probably looks huge to you since he is about 5 times bigger than you are. But really, he is still a baby too. He has only been here in the world for a little over 10 months himself. He smiled when he first saw you, and it melted my heart. But about 30 seconds later he tried to climb over the top of you so that he could pull your hat off and eat it, and it was then I realized that he doesn't know what it means to be "gentle" with anyone. Please be patient with him during these first few months, he is still trying to figure everything out like you are. Like we all are, I guess. I will try not to let him pull your arms off or steal your binkie too many times. I hope that you two "twiblings" will be great friends and playmates for each other. I always wanted a big brother growing up, and I know that when you are older Daxton will look out for you and keep you safe like big brothers do.

I am so excited to get to know you better when you finally decide to wake up. I am excited to watch to you grow and see if you look like your big sister or not. I am excited to see if your hair stays dark and curly or if it all falls out or turns blond. I am so excited to be able to take you to the temple in six months and have you sealed as part of our forever family. But right now I guess I should take advantage of the fact that you are sleeping and get some sleep of my own saved up while I can.

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I love you, and I will try to be the best mom I can be for you.

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Welcome home, little Corbie.