September 30, 1996

"To my Baby, my First-born,

Your Daddy and I call you Zimmy. When I first found out I was pregnant, he started calling you Zim-Zam, and we shortened it to Zimmy. I kept trying to get him to call you something different, but then he heard someone named Zimmy call into a radio talk-show, and it cynched it. I just pray he'll remember your name after you're born.

I'm writing this letter to you on Monday night. You're scheduled to be born by C-Section one week from tomorrow. I go in on Friday for my pre-op work and then your Daddy and I report to the Operating Room at 9 a.m. on Tuesday (unless you come sooner). Grandma and Grandpa Hunt and Aunt Toni will be in the waiting room. Also, your cousins Alicia and James plan to be there. I have no idea who else may show up. Your Daddy will be in the Operating Room with me so he can hold you as soon as you're born. The doctor will hand you to him and he'll bring you around to me so I can see you for the first time. I'll be numbed from the waist down instead of being put to sleep so I can see you and talk to you immediately. Then Daddy will walk you out to the waiting room so everyone can see you and he'll take you from there to the Nursery where they'll weigh you, give you your first bath, and put you on a warming table while I'm being sewn up. As soon as I'm back in my room, Daddy will bring you to me so I can hold you and nurse you for the first time.

I hate that I can't hold you in the Operating Room - my arms will be strapped down and have I.V.'s and monitors on them. But your Daddy will be able to hold you and you'll know his voice. Every night, when we're in bed, your Daddy leans down and rubs my belly and says, 'Zimmy, this is your Daddy. Be good tonight and let your Mommy get some sleep.' Lately, he's also been telling you that it's time to come out and play with Dad. He's anxious to meet you. Then, every morning before he leaves for work, he rubs my belly and tells you good morning and that he loves you. I know you'll recognize his voice after you're born.

I'm sitting up late writing this letter because you're so active tonight I can't fall asleep. You had the hiccups a little while ago and my belly jumped for about a half an hour. I remember the first time I felt you move. I was only 3 months pregnant and was in the hospital when I felt a butterfly flutter in my belly. That was you. By 5 months, when they put the Fetal Monitor on me to listen to your heartbeat, you'd kick the monitor. It always surprised the nurses to see you kick out at the monitor. Your Daddy and I knew even then that you were headstrong and had a mind of your own.

That's part of the reason why I'm writing you this letter, my baby. I know that the day will come, probably when you're a teenager, that you'll feel like no one really understands you and your Father and I don't really know you at all. When that day comes, I want you to read this letter and know that you were loved by us both from the moment we knew about you. As you grow older, there may be things about yourself that you don't share with us, thoughts you have that we don't know about. But you need to realize that your personality was formed while you were still in the womb and we knew that personality. Like I said earlier, you're headstrong - a leader, not a follower. You want to make an impact on the world. You're restless - always moving, but you have a deep desire to do things the "right" way and to please others. Always choose to please God first and use your leadership skills to bring others to Him. When you feel that no one understand you, read this letter and turn to God. It was He who created you and knows your every thought. Your Father and I love you and we'll do our best but in our humanness, we'll fail you, despite our best intentions. God, however, will never fail you. He will hold you in the palm of His hand and be everything Daddy and I can't be for you.

Daddy and I are honored that the Lord chose to give you to us. We'll do our utmost to raise you in a loving home where you are secure and able to grow in your own gifts and strengths. We already pray and ask the Lord to give us wisdom in parenting. And, despite the things that we might do wrong, we hope you will always feel our love for you and know your great worth in our eyes. May God protect you and in one week I'll have you in my arms!

Your Mommy"


Happy 11th. birthday, my baby. We're still honored that the Lord chose to give you to us.