Dear Hudson,

My sweet little Hudson! The past year has seemed like the longest year but also the fastest year yet! So much has happened since you were born and mommy has learned so much about herself and about what it means to be a mommy to two babies. Since the time you were born, mommy and daddy felt called to move to South Africa for two years to work with a family in Durban. We started to raise support and prepare ourselves and friends and family for our big move. When you were about 8 months old, mommy and daddy found out that the family we were going to work with was going to be moving back to the states to take a job at a church. We then did more research on whether or not we were still needed on the field, and God clearly closed the door to that ministry.

During this whole period, you were growing up right before our eyes. From the first week you were born, when we all had horrible COLDS and we didn't know how we were going to make it at home with a newborn and a 2 year old, to the first few months of literally NO sleep and your insane colic, to your 9 month birthday when mommy made a horribly difficult decision to stop nursing you, to your three ear-infections in a month at 11 months, all the way until your first birthday, it has been a CRAZY year!

This past year has really given new meaning to the song "It won't be like this for long!" Mommy would sit up with you, rocking you like crazy with huge tears flowing down my face ALL NIGHT because you wouldn't sleep, and I kept telling myself, "It won't be like this for long." "He will sleep and I will sleep again." "He's only going to be like this for a little while." As I would sit with you ALL DAY while you were screaming and not letting me put you down, I would tell myself, "It won't be like this for long." "I will be able to cook a meal without hearing you scream again." "I will be able to go get my haircut again soon because he will EVENTUALLY be ok for a sitter." The list goes on. I tried so hard not to wish away those first precious months with you because, I knew, "It won't be like this for long," but in reality, I couldn't wait for the day that you would sleep through the night and the day that I could leave you with a sitter because I needed a break. That song really has such a double meaning, and I learned that the hard way. Now, as I'm looking back on your first year of life, "It won't be like this for long" has shifted meaning and now shows me that you truly have grown up SO fast into my little red-headed man!

Mommy and daddy love you so much Hudson! We pray that you will grow up to love Jesus and that you will live your life for Him. You are such a joy and blessing to our family!

All my love,

Mommy