Hannah

I stood there hollowing out the peppers.
Tops off, seeds out, diced then in two.
When you tore into the kitchen
Shivers all full of glee
They hadn't found you yet
All tucked in here with me.

And I thought that as I hollowed
Out peppers for you and I
God had carved a piece of me
When he formed who you'd be.

He carved a piece of Adam too
A rib from chiseled form
To make for him a helper
An equal, loved, a friend.

But when God made you,
He carved a scoop of dough
From the softness of my soul.
And he formed your little self.

There you stand so full of fun,
Of joy and trouble and love,
Brave and bossy and oh so fierce,
A piece of my heart walks free.

But in the hollow of my soul,
An aching echos soft.
Empty when once was whole.
Filling, draining, and again
Tides of worry and of love.

Lord you love this little one you formed,
And you know how dark the world,
So let her grow up
Strong and brave
because you've overcome
And loved her from the start.

Let her love you fierce,
And boss her fears,
And never forget her smile.