On this date four years ago,
we welcomed the daughter we had yet to know,
for nine months prior we got to watch her grow and grow,
then the time came for her to make her debut,
as we would come to know she had a pension even then
to sometimes move a little slow.

The world did not marvel at her entrance,
there was no fan fair except for our family,
for to them she had no celebrity or fame,
but we knew we loved her even before she had a name.

We welcomed our first born in to our arms,
our love was already with her long before she was born,
for she was our child before her identity was even formed.

She nursed that first night at her mothers breast,
and she slept that first night on her father’s chest,
her heart beat so tender,
so fragile and young,
the world for her still so new,
yet we knew this world would not tame her as in God’s favor she grew.

Four years have passed,
and she has learned to walk and to talk,
and run and be filled with laughter and glee,
her style and taste are becoming her own,
yet she still wakes in the middle of the night for hugs and kisses and for a while longer we know she is our little girl,
who has her mother’s heart,
and her father’s admiration,
for she’s a image of God and she will exists throughout the ages.

She’s thoughtful and pensive,
while playful and on occasion mischievous,
but her resolute heart beats tender and pure,
she bears the name Grace each new day with more ease,
and one day she will hear a greater father say,
“welcome home daughter, in whom I am well pleased”
until then she will here it from me.

Four years and nine months,
have changed so much of my world,
as I learn to father one precious little girl.