3 months old!

Hey my little princesita,

Your daddy has you dressed today in the most ridiculous outfit that I've ever seen on you.  Daddy was just trying to keep you warm, but I think we could call you baby gaga cause you are dressed up so funny - in a big blue and brown winter hat, long sleeved yellow onesie buttoned OVER the top of striped pants with teal socks and a flourescent orange flowered shirt over the top of it all.  I should get a picture of it for you.  Tomorrow I will try to wake up first and be the one to get you dressed. :)

It has been so long since I've written you last that I don't know where to start. I guess since you are now over three months, I'll start with your 3 month photo:

Here you are at 3 months old.  You are still growing like a weed, and doing all kinds of new things!  You are much more chatty now than ever, you like to tell us lots of stories, sing to us, and you have this deep belly laugh.  The other day we were hanging out and listening to Pandora radio and I sang you the song "My Girl" and you laughed so hard the whole time (probably at my terrible singing!).  You also love nature and the outdoors!  Daddy says you will be his little outdoors girl.  Whenever we are inside you are looking out the window at everything going on outside.  I love how the sunlight reflects off your eyes and I swear I could count the hundred flecks of blue in those pretty eyes.  You love to go outside in the morning and watch your dad play ball with Santa.  Your little head bobs back and forth watching her run and catch the ball.  You also love laying on a blanket with me to stare up at the leaves swaying on the trees and listen to me read you stories.  We got some "David" books cause your daddy says they are about him and they are really funny.  You get really into the pictures and even laugh at some of the pages.  I also love to read you "The Runaway Bunny" and "Counting Kisses" books.  Your dad and I have had quite the adventure driving all over trying to get a library card to get you books. (I'll have to fill you in someday) 

It is crazy how you are starting to have preferences.  We have been watching Baby Einstein on youtube and you cry whenever the clown comes on the screen and stop as soon as he leaves.  We also watch Baby Noah and you like watching the lions the best.  You also LOVE to skype with family and friends.  You get your face right up in the screen staring at the people we are talking to!  

I don't even know where to start to catch you up on everything over this past month.  I don't think any baby has ever had such an eventful life at so young as you have.  Dad calls us the gypsy family cause we are always moving around.  This past month you and I stayed with Grandpa and Grandma Dorr at their new house in Beverly Hills (Michigan, not Cali!) while your dad went down to the Dominican Republic again to pick up our dog Santa, sell our vehicles, and tie up all of our loose ends down there.  You also have had LOTS of visitors again this month, including Grandma B, Julie Dean, Great Aunt Brad, Cousin Suzie, Auntie Tracey (and all of her fam), Christina and little Ainsley, Uncle Darren and Auntie Melissa and her parents, cousin Rhonda, both of your great grandmas, Beatriz, and more (sorry if I missed anyone, there have just been so many!) Here are some pics of you staying at their house:

In Uncle Bradley's hat, already a Tigers fan!!  Uncle Bradley loves you so much that he came to see you EVERY DAY we were staying on that side of the state.  He sure loves his neice!!

Got you dressed up in your tutu for Grandpa's birthday party!

The family all together for Grandpa's birthday party

With your Auntie Megan and cousin Gavin!

At Uncle Junior's wedding!!  This was your first wedding, and your first dance with your dad, your grandpa, and your Uncle Bradley! (I was dying to get out on the dancefloor too, but had to sit this one out on my doughnut pillow instead.  Someday I can't wait til we can dance together!! :)

Julie Dean came over to see you and got all of these great pictures - there are tons more too! :)

Everyone loves this pretty bracelet from your Auntie Megan!

This picture could be a whole blog in itself.  Your momma's cousin Tara passed away this past month and we went to her "life celebration" with family.  Everyone wrote messages to send up to her on these balloons.  What a strong and beautiful lady, I can only hope that I will be the kind of person, wife, and mother that she was - everyone gave such amazing speeches about her.  I hope someday my life will be celebrated like hers was.

Your dad flew back on this little charter MFI plane that he used to fly when he was a kid.  He loved riding low and seeing all of the pretty islands from the plane.

Daddy sitting behind the pilot in the plane

When he got to Florida, this missionary pilot named Pilot Joe who flew him around as a kid (and remembers bringing lactaid to your daddy in Haiti cause he is lactose intolerant) went to pick him up and he got to stay at his house.  Dad says it was pretty amazing cause Pilot Joe's house was redone on this TV show called Extreme Home Makeover and they made his kitchen out of an airplane!  Daddy said he was a great guy and was excited to stay with him. 

Daddy with Pilot Joe at the made over house!

Pilot Joe helped to find a new (used) car and get daddy on his way up to Michigan.  

Santa with our new ride - a 98 Chevy Prism!

Santa in the passenger seat

He had some car troubles in Georgia but he made it back to Kalamazoo to drop off Santa and then jumped on the train to Birmingham to come and pick us up.  We tried to have a surprise welcome with Welcome Home! posters and throwing his favorite candy at him when he stepped out of the train, but unfortunately his train got there before we did.  Oh well...

Your daddy took this picture as we were disheveled trying to get the posters in order

Here are the posters... there are lots of photos of you with silly captions on them

Your daddy wouldn't let me open our suitcases until we got back to Kalamazoo. (we are staying at Grandpa and Grandma Mexico's house now)  Since we had to pick from a whole house full of stuff to put in just a couple suitcases, I spent hours making my list of what I wanted.  When I opened them up, I found that nothing from my list was in them.  It turns out that we got taken to the cleaners.  And as much as I pride myself on not being materialistic, I cried like a baby.  But then with a good hug from your dad, a big toothless grin from you, and Santa, well just being crazy spastic Santa, I knew it would all be okay.  As long as we have each other.  And Daddy reminded me of all the beautiful relationships that we built in the DR and all of the special memories that we have there.  And that's what matters about our time there the most. 

Even though it is hard not to go back to the DR and having to put our dream of starting a safehouse on hold, I want you to know that YOU are our dream come true and mean to more to your daddy and I than anything else in the world.  Sometimes people say they can't understand why bad things would happen to good people like us.  And here is the best answer I can come up with.  Compassion.  I have found, especially in these past few months, that people who go through the most difficult times are usually the first to jump in and help others who get into a situation similar to theirs.  The person who donated the largest sum of money to help you was a total stranger whose granddaughter had also had seizures just days before (an amazing story, I will tell you the whole thing someday!)  A college friend whose son was born with medical issues started a support group just to help us out.  A relative who has been through serious birth trauma herself has been by your momma's side since we got to Kalamazoo.  I could tell you about a bajillion more stories of people who have used their hardships to help us. (though these are not the only ones who helped you, a lot just helped cause they are family and friends and others with huge hearts who just love the bejeezes out of you too). 

But I just want you to know that even though you will go through some difficult times in life (we all do), God has a plan and purpose in all of it.  I hope that someday I can use the difficult times that I have gone through to help and bless others somehow too.  I have so much admiration for people who do this.  I think that people who have been hit the hardest with tragedy and hardship are some of the strongest and most kind and compassionate people I know.  Someday I can give you lists and lists of examples, but for now I will finish up this letter just by saying always hold on tight to your faith and know God never gives us more than we can handle.  Even when you're just hanging on by a thread, don't ever let go.

 So even though times are tough right now, we are holding on tight.  Your momma hasn't had the best news from the doctors lately, so we are holding on with all we have and I can't tell you enough what an amazing guy your dad is.  I know I've written it to you before, but I will never stop telling you how lucky you are to have him for a dad (and how lucky I am to have him as a husband).  He is so determined to help me heal and to take care of our family.  We made a long list of things I want to do with you when I heal that is hanging on the refrigerator.  Your daddy is always buying me all kinds of healing foods and other things to help me out, and doing projects to help out others in the meantime.  He is also starting a job now with your Uncle James to do agricultural work on farms.  He is excited cause he will get to ride on a four wheeler most of the day taking soil samples.  Your daddy loves that kind of stuff.  

Well little chica, I think that's all for today.  First a couple more photos of you in Kalamazoo....

In your headband from Auntie Laura

You go on lots of roadtrips!

Qdoba with Beatriz

You are a daddy's girl for sure!

I need to start writing more often so these letters aren't so long!!  I always have a million things to tell you everyday, it's just hard to find the time to sit down and write them all down!!!  Just know more than anything that you are LOVED.  I could never tell you enough how much I love you.  You make our lives worth living and are my sunshine that brightens up my every day.  Daddy and I love you more than words can say.  To the moon and back. xoxo

Love always,
Your momma