I recolored one paper from Kim Crothers' Sour Grapes for this page. (used to be at PDP, but I can't find it for sale now... )
The goal of this page was to get something off your chest, to kind of rant it out. This poem was born of that for me, when I wrote it. I just had to get the bitterness and anger for my ex off my chest and focus on what was really important, which was how much I love my daughter.
This was a super awesome challenge, I thought... I've been wanting to make this page for a long time, ever since I started DigiScrappin, I knew I wanted to make a page like this, so I am STOKED to be able to now...
When I was in college, and Rachel was 2 and a half, almost 3, one of my teachers had a Valentine's Day poetry reading. I told her I was going to find a great poem about a parent's love for their child and read that. She said I should start writing because I was never going to find one. I spent many hours in the library proving her to be right, there just wasn't one to be found.
So, about an hour before the reading was to start, I sat down and wrote this. It was an amazingly healing moment for me, it really helped me to let go of anger and move on to the love I have for my daughter. It changed who I was as a person and as a parent. I am so grateful for that, because I immediately became a better mother, and more free as a person.
Here's my page:
And, here is my poem in case you are interested:
Thanks So Much To You
by Sarah (Schlenz) Henderson, Feb 14, 1999
There’s a fetus in my stomach
It’s something very new
It’s been there for three months now,
Thanks so much to you.
But, a fetus is a baby,
And a baby’s lots of work.
They take a lot of money
Because of their great worth.
But, a baby is a child
A person all their own,
For moms and dads to fuss over
And see how much they’ve grown.
Do you think you’ll do the fussing?
Do you think you’ll spend your time?
From somewhere deep inside of me,
I know that I’ll spend mine.
I’ll walk and talk and coo,
And I’ll be loving all the time.
But, I can’t help but wonder,
What will happen in your mind?
Will you see her first steps and smile,
Beaming and boasting all the while?
Will you sacrifice all your plans
Just to make them up anew?
Will you change everything about yourself?
Will you?
Well, it’s three years later,
And I have my answers.
Her daddy’s just a picture,
Because you didn’t change your life, sir.
I thought I would be mad.
I thought I might be sad.
I never thought for one moment
That I’d be so glad!
You see, a baby is the best thing
To have with you everyday,
And a baby is the best one
To share with all your pay,
Because babies can return your love
With just a simple look,
And that’s something that I never got
From any poetry book.
Oh, I love my baby!
I love her all day long!
I love to watch her play and grow
And get so very strong.
I love having a baby
And not sharing her at all.
I love to see her smile each day
And catch her if she falls.
I love that when she’s hurting,
It’s me she wants to see.
I’d love for her to stay this way
For all eternity.
I love to kiss it better
And hold her if she cries.
I know this is the kind of love
That truly never dies!
So, I wanted to take this moment
Just to look at you and say
That what you gave was a true gift,
Even if you didn’t stay,
And in my life, I’m never really blue,
Because I have my Rachel,
Thanks so much to you.
This layout was completed March 5, 2008!
Huggles all!!
~Sarah~
