a new day dawns

I will lift my eyes...

My heart hurts.

My little girl had to have surgery yesterday

to fix her decayed teeth

and well, it didn't go as planned.

They could only fix half of them

and they pulled the other half.

They pulled the top front four,

the ones that you can see.

The ones that show in her pretty pictures

and in her silly ornery cheesy smile.

The ones that she uses to say certain sounds in words.

The ones that help her bite into food that she says is yummy in her tummy.

I know it had to be done at this point

and there isn't a thing I can do about it.

But my heart still hurts.

I am still struggling accepting her new normal.

I know it's nothing compared to what others have to go through.

I know that it is a temporary thing until her adult teeth come in

several years from now.

But my heart still hurts.

I have loved that mischievious little smile for two years now.

And now it's different.

Her nose still wrinkles like her mommy's

and her dimples still show like her daddy's

and her eyes still twinkle like the stars,

but it's different.

And that hurts my heart.

See?

before....and.....after

but

do

you

see

how beautiful she is?

I pray that I can see her only as God sees her.

More so...

I pray she can see herself as God sees her.

I pray God steps in between this mama bear

and anyone who dares make fun of my daughter.

because she is still perfect

she is still beautiful

she is still Elli

my princess

my babydoll...

she is still so very loved.

And if I know my daughter

(which I do)

this won't do anything to her

but

help her glorify her Heavenly Father!!!!!!

and hopefully, prayerfully,
make her less like her earthly mother
and more like her heavenly Father.