Little Girls

So today is a very exciting day here in Stafford, at least in my circle of friends. Chloe Noel Griffitts was born this morning at 10:50 AM. She's beautiful and pink and swaddled securely in her basinette at the hospital. She weighed in at eight pounds and an ounce and is nineteen inches long. The happy parents are Becca and Ben Griffitts and her big brother is Noah. She has great-grandparents, grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins galore, who are all very excited to see her finally. On top of that, she has a church family that can't wait to hold her and oo and ah over her (myself included). Her number one fan outside the family has to be Molly who texted me and said she was crying like a idiot over her. What a little gift from God. This little girl will no doubt be well loved, spoiled even. I was at the shower, I saw all the pink and soft and beautiful things that were lavished on her, and she wasn't even born yet. That is how it should be for all little girls.

Today, officials in North Carolina announced that yesterday they found the body of a child near a road near Fayetteville; they believe is 5-year old Shaniya Davis. This is NOT how it should be for any little girl. Last week, her mother reported her missing from her home. That same day, Shaniya was seen on a local motel's video surviellance tape with Mario Andretti McNeill, but had not been seen since. Police arrest McNeill and charged him with kidnapping. A couple days later, Shaniya's mother was charged with human trafficking. I can't help but think back to when Shaniya was born. Was she met with the same love and excitement that Chloe was met with today? I hope so, from the pictures I've seen of her, she looked like a well-cared for, happy little girl. So, what happened? What would drive a mother to sell her child? What would drive you to put her into the hands of someone who would discard her along the side of a road like an empty McDonald's bag? Why didn't someone, anyone see what might happen? Surely, this was a choice her mother was teetering on the edge of for some time. Why do we all live with our eyes closed?

So today, just as my heart bursts for the joy of Chloe's advent into the world, it cries for the loss of a little girl I don't know, but hope I don't forget. God help me live with my eyes (and my heart) wide open.