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I’m a new mother.

Harriet Pate Grunewald arrived into this big world on March 28 in Florida and my husband and I cuddled her in our arms for the first time on March 29 – Good Friday. (We dubbed it Great Friday.)

She’s nothing short of amazing – beautiful, alert, calm, and so easy to soothe. She’s only thirteen days old and already giggling in her sleep. She’s an old soul, to be sure.

My husband and I rented a beachside apartment until we received clearance from the State of Florida to return home to Minnesota – it was our little hideaway, our respite from all the craziness that came before. 

Words cannot express how this little being has already changed our lives. Everything is different. Everything.

We are so incredibly honored that Harriet’s birth mother chose us to parent this beautiful child – this young woman has displayed so much grace, maturity, and strength, and it’s difficult to think about not knowing her more intimately. She’s unsure if she wants to stay in touch, which we honor and respect. No matter what, I will be forever curious about her future and her wellbeing. 

God, please bless this woman.

It has been crazy important to me that we feed this child breast milk and what began as a simple inquiry about “how this works” on the site, Human Milk for Human Babies, blossomed into several months’ supply of human milk for our daughter. I am humbled, blown away, and so grateful to all the women who have stepped up to say, “I have milk – I want to help.” I am eternally grateful for their mind-bending generosity. 

God, please bless these women. 

I can’t begin to explain the gamut of emotions that has coursed through me since we started this process last summer. It took forever, and yet, it has all happened so fast. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner to take this journey with and seeing this tiny human in the arms of my wonderful husband makes all the troubles of the world melt away. 

My assistant, Mary, who is an adoptive mother herself, told me a few weeks ago, “You just wait. The magic of adoption is incredible – as this baby’s arrival draws closer, things will start happening to you that will blow you away.” Indeed, the magic and serendipity and synchronicity and vibration have been palpable and chilling – in the best possible way.

Little Harriet, we will do right by you forever and ever.

God, please bless this baby.