Love.

Yesterday marked three weeks of opening our home and hearts wider than we thought imaginable to a beautiful little girl. It is hard to believe that three weeks have come and gone so quickly and how fast we are adjusting to our new role as parents.

Looking back at my pregnancy blog posts, a time when sleep was uninterrupted by a hungry or gassy Little in the opposite room, or a time when I couldn't steal snuggles from a sleeping and very cuddly baby on demand, I had a image in my head that plagued every ounce of my imagination, of how life was going to be with our precious new life. We have been extraordinarily blessed, and we recognize that with every breath we breathe, but if we're speaking honestly, life with a newborn is much harder than most people care to disclose. As captured as our hearts are by our little Ellery, we are exhausted from lack of sleep and sometimes feel helpless when we can't automatically stop her uncontrollable cries.

Our life is different. We're not the same people as we were just a month ago. Our schedule revolves around feeding times. Our focus is on satisfying our daughter. We are parents. We feel helpless at times, but most importantly we love, every minute, every step of the way. Love surrounds us. Love comforts us. Love reminds us of how blessed we are, even in the toughest times. The love of family, the love of a spouse, and the unconditional love we hold in our hearts for the little girl that now shares our last name, gets us through the sleepless nights and other difficulties that parenthood brings.