Happy Birthday Jessica!!!!
May 19th is Jessica’s birthday. She is 15 years old this year. I miss her. I think of her and Erika often, and pray for them often. I still see empty places at our dining room table where they should be. There are empty seats in our vehicles where they should be sitting. Everywhere, there are places in my life that are missing the two daughters that God gave me.
God gave me four children. Here is something about them you may not have known: they are each 2 years apart from the next. Holly was born in 1993, Jessica in 1995, Mitch in 1997 and Erika in 1999. We waited for 18 months from starting the adoption paperwork until getting Jessica and Erika – the same amount of time for 2 pregnancies.
Jessica is a bible reader. She would underline and highlight her bible – and not just a little bit. We gave her a bible for Christmas and not too long afterwards a large amount of it was already written in. I hope she still is doing that today. I pray that she is a good role model for Erika and have no reason not to believe that is the case.
Jessica is a wonderful girl, caring and concerned for others and seemed to be concerned that things were fair for everyone. I hope and pray that the people she is living with now love her and Erika as much, or even more than I do – and that they would sacrifice anything for Jessica and Erika. Adoption is not something you try out. You either do it or you don’t. There is no in between.
As Yoda says: “Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.”
While they were with us, I tried to explain to them how much I loved them and what I would give up for them (my life), just as I would gladly sacrifice my life to save Holly or Mitch. I’m not sure they understood what that really meant. I will always without question, give up everything I have to get Jessica and Erika back.
Holly and Mitch are in a play and one of the girls in the play was born on the same day as Jessica: May 19th, 1995. Guess what her name is…..it’s also Jessica.
Happy Birthday Jessica!! I love you!
