Love Each Child

You Are Mine: A Poem for Hope Giver

by steve

We are still waiting on word that the adoption has been finalized.  And maybe it would be more appropriate to wait until that final word before posting this.  But, the reality of what I want to share is not affected by a legal document.  Regardless of when that adoption decree gets issued (we’ve been told it will be done in a few weeks), Hope Giver is ours.  It’s a heart thing.  It’s a love thing.

There’s nothing missing when I pick her up in my arms just because we haven’t gotten an official decree yet.  She’s my daughter.  I’m her dad.  And tonight, for some reason, I felt the urge to write down my thoughts about this in pseudo-poetic form.  It’s loose poetry, you might say.  Not a hugely obvious meter, not very neat tidy little lines that flow.  But it’s a father’s love for his daughter, and especially a father who has a connection to his daughter other than biological.

So, without further ado or apology, I share with you my thoughts toward Hope Giver…

You Are Mine: A Poem for Hope Giver

I wasn’t there the day you were born
I didn’t even know you were here
No one patted me on the back and called me “dad”

I missed the first words, the first laugh, the first steps
They took place in another’s home
And knowing I missed those important things makes me sad

But you’re mine now.  You are mine.
Just as sure as if I’d been there then.
You are mine now. Yes, you are mine.
And I’ll treasure the moment when
You became mine.

They say blood runs thicker than water
As if blood were the strongest of bonds
It would seem that the bond of our family could not be strong

But I’ve found love makes a much deeper bond
Going past genetic connections
And though I didn’t know it then, it is here you belong

You are mine now. You are mine.
Just as sure as you call me your dad
You are mine now. Yes, you are mine.
Just the thought makes me incredibly glad
To know you’re mine.

I can’t make up for the days we missed, although I’d love to try.
But I value the moments we have together
Seeing your smile and feeling your love brings a flood of tears to my eye
You’re my child now, just as if you always were.

You are mine now. You are mine
And my love seems to grow every day
You are mine now. Yes you are mine.
It gives me such joy to say
You are mine!

Hope Giver, I love you, sweetheart.  I love your smile, your kisses, your laughter, your hugs, your face pressed against the screen door grinning at me when I come home, the sound of the word “daddy” in your adorable voice, the way you call out the names of songs when I’m playing the piano for you like I’m some lounge singer taking requests, the feel of your tiny hand in mine when we pray together as a family, the way you look at me like I’m silly when I quote lines from the Veggie Tales DVDs while you’re watching them, the way you dance to jazz music, the excited look on your face when I pick you up and we dance together…

We may not have been there the day you were born, but you are most definitely Mommy’s and my daughter.  Thank you for loving us and filling our home with such joy.  If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were really an angel sent straight from our Father to our home.

love,

Daddy