As I sit here in a hospital room looking at my precious 7-year-old daughter I am incredibly thankful for both her birth mother and her mommy.

You see, if her birth mother had not chosen to give birth, to complete the pregnancy, and had not chosen to seek out a way to provide her with a life for the future, I would not be sitting here today.  Some days I wish I could look her in the eyes and say thank you.

Thank you for giving me one of the greatest joys of my life.  Thank you for allowing me the honor of being called Daddy by this tiny treasure. Thank you for choosing life when you didn’t have to.  My heart is broken by what I read in the news today and how this a choice at all.  My heart is broken that it is not only allowed, but celebrated as a victory by so many today.  But I am choosing to say thank you to Lottie’s birth mother – thank you for choosing the difficult path.

But, I also say thank you to her mommy.  My wife, who has been gifted in too many ways to count, is Lottie’s mommy.  Gloria, from the get go, has been a force to be reckoned with.  She fought with passion, pursuing Lottie before we even knew her face.  She fought even harder once we had her in sight.  And She fights still as she manages and provides unbelievable care for youngest of three (at least for now).  So, on this day, as you have cared for Lottie uniquely in this hospital room I want to say thank you yet again.

Thank you for treasuring life enough to bring two children into this world.  Thank you for loving them with a motherly love that can only be given through the grace of God.  Thank you for pursuing Lottie and passionately advocating for her best care.  Thank you for being the nurturing, grace-filled, mercy-giving, mommy that you are.  Lottie is healthier because you are her mommy.

And…Thank you Gloria for pursuing another child yet again.  I am already thankful to another mother somewhere in India who has chosen to not abort, but instead has chosen life for the boy that will be our son.