To Maddie on your second birthday

If God had given me a glimpse ten years ago of what my life would look like today, I would never have believed him. I have endured some serious heartache in my life, one of them being losing my own mommy.

Losing my mom at the tender age of 18 left your mom with a huge void in her heart. Luckily God had a plan for my life and put your daddy in my path and we fell in love, got married and when we finally decided to start a family I never in my wildest dreams thought becoming a mother would bring back the ‘spark’ and my fight back. When the doctor told me that we were having a little girl – mommy’s heart skipped a beat. You were my absolute dream come true! When I had you, I knew that my hearts content had been fulfilled and that I had my very own best friend for life (very much like I was to my mom and she was to me).

Becoming your mom has been one of the scariest, challenging and surreal experiences to date. I have never learnt as much about myself like I do now. You have taught me how to be completely selfless, to put my needs last and to challenge myself every single day.

I unfortunately didn’t have my mom to ‘warn’ me or prepare me for what motherhood would be like or what I should expect. I wish I could have just one more hour with my mom to thank her for all she did for me. One day when you become a mom yourself you will understand. Becoming your mom has often brought me to my knees in tears thinking about all that my mother did for me and how I wish I could have thanked her for all that she did for me. The scariest of them all – the thought of not being able to see you live your life, finish school and choose a career to study, meet the man you will marry, see you walk down the isle and one day making me a granny… it breaks my heart knowing how my mom must have felt being on her death bed knowing she was dying and wouldn’t get to see her own daughter do all of this.

I am incredibly proud of you! You are all that I wished for and more. Being your mom is by far the most prestigious title I have and you are truly a product of God’s divine intervention and I have never been so confident in myself, proud of myself and more determined than ever to reach my goals to make you proud to call me your mama. All of this is because of you! Because you are my daughter and you chose me to be your mama!

I am so proud of your health, your fighting spirit – you know how to stand your ground, your adventurous personality and your sense of humour – you love making people laugh. Your soft and gentle nature and loving spirit. You are fiercely independent and you are so confident in your being.

Two years of loving you… I feel like I have loved you all my life and cannot imagine life without your cheeky smile and hair full of soft curls. Maddison Che, my daughter I thank you for all that you have brought to your dad and my life. You have taught us patience, understanding and have made us the fittest we have ever been.

I smile with glee just thinking about your next 16 years at home that we get to raise you and be responsible for your wellbeing. The amount of adventure and love you have brought into our lives already has changed our lives forever, I cannot imagine what is still to come but I can promise you that with God’s hand over our lives, we will give you our all, love you unconditionally, fill your life with fun and adventure, invest into all your interests and hobbies, give you the one-on-one attention you deserve and continue you to inspire you with the love mom and dad share for one another.

You make us stronger! I have never loved your dad more and the amount of respect and admiration I have for him is ten fold having watched his relationship with you. You are daddy’s little girl and the apple of his eye. He will never fail you, he will always be there at every turn and he will love you the way every little girl deserves to be loved!

I hope that you will forever know how proud your parents are of you and always know your worth, never lose your sense of adventure and continue to posses your gentle and loving nature.

Happy second birthday Maddison Che, your mommy adores you!

Here are a few clips of our favourite moments with you this year, I hope you look back on this video for years to come and know how deeply loved you are!