Ever since I had Lexi, I knew I would have another daughter. She would have dark hair and green eyes (an odd combination to my blonde-haired, brown-eyed oldest child). I didn’t know anything else, but I knew she would exist. And I’d name her Harper.
When I found out I was pregnant, part of me knew it was time, but another part of me couldn’t believe that what I had always believed could be coming true. I was hesitant to label this baby as Harper or get my hopes up. We talked about other names and stayed open to the possibilities.
At the twenty week ultrasound, the tech confirmed what I already knew. It was a baby girl. From that moment on, she was always my Harper.
My little eight pound one ounce miracle came into the world on January 9th at 7:51 am, a few minutes before sunrise. She let her presence be known before the doctor even had her all the way out. The first time I laid eyes on her I felt like I had met the love of my life all over again. When they put her on my chest, she wrapped her little hand around my finger and stayed that way all the way to the recovery room.
We named her Harper Claire. Claire means “clear and bright” and that’s what I see for her. She is so sweet it almost hurts, but she is also strong, with a quiet fierceness about her. Lexi has big, big energy. She is a force to be reckoned with. Harper’s energy is quiet but it is fierce. She will be a good match for her sister.
Life is such a miracle. Children teach us that every day. I’ve spent a lifetime trying to figure out what is mine to do in this lifetime. I always expected my work in the world to be work. And there will be other work. But when I look at these two little humans that I’ve been given to care for and raise into this crazy world, I think that helping them discover and be who they are meant to be will be the most important work I ever do. They will be my greatest art, the best thing I have already given to the world.
