Her first loose tooth is officially lost!  Daddy was tickling her at bedtime last night when it popped right out!  So fun and she was absolutely ecstatic!  She’s been working on it day in and day out, for a few weeks now.  Seeing the fruits of her labor made her so proud and as you can see, she’s simply beaming with delight.  Adorable.

I love this milestone.  It’s a rite of passage for all children that should be an exciting event.  But as fun as it is, it’s a little bittersweet for me.  I can’t help but think about this milestone that her first mama is missing.  I feel sad for her first mama, for all that she hasn’t gotten to be a part of.  For all of the “firsts” that were sacrificed in the hope of a different story for her daughter.  For all of the future events that she won’t get to experience.  It’s heartbreaking.

But it’s also redeeming.  Because although those sacrifices helped to write the first chapter in our daughter’s life, they don’t define her whole story.  It’s also a story filled with love, grace, adoration, joy, thanksgiving, achieved milestones, and so much more.  It’s a story covered by our Abba Father, whom my daughter is growing to know and love.  Her first mama’s sacrifices have given me the honor of witnessing and experiencing intense beauty and redemption.  Even though I mourn for her first mama, I rejoice in the privilege she’s given me of being my daughter’s mama too.  With joy, I wholeheartedly celebrate this special rite of passage for my beloved girl.  And I pray that her first mama knows how very much our daughter is loved and treasured.