There is no friendship, no love, like that of the mother for the child.

They placed you in my arms and for the first time I looked in wonder at your face, something I would do over and over for the rest of my life. I could not believe this tiny perfect child looking back at me was my baby. I counted all you fingers and toes like new moms do and said thank you to God for this beautiful child.

You grew and grew and before I knew it you had become a child with likes and dislikes and a personality that everyone loved. I watched in amazement as you learned to do so much. You were thrilled with everything around you, you walked and talked in a wink of my eye. You laughed at silly things and cried when you were sad about little things. You learned it all so quickly although it seems like yesterday that you were first put in my arms.

Before I knew what happened you started school one day and I cried when the bus picked you up because you weren't just my baby but a child going out into the world. You have become a wonderful person and now you are grown with children of your own. I miss the times when you were young and I am so proud of the person you are. If you were not my child I would go out of my way to know you. But to me you will always be the little baby they put in my arms for the first time.