Date: 12/13/2023

"This was the first time I saw Anna’s eyes. 7 days after she was born and so many things had already happened. I had a C-section and had to stay an hour away at a different hospital and before she left I saw her but her eyes were swollen shut. My husband was the only one that got to see her eyes. He was there with her when she had her first surgery to save her hands just hours after birth, he was there making the decision to allow blood transfusions and pain medication. He was there for so many things and I was living completely different memories hours away. I remember this moment so clearly because I was finally with her and when the swelling went down and she opened her eyes she just locked into mine. The pain I felt from the surgery was stabbing but I had to stand and I had to stay there because she wouldn’t look away so neither would I. These eyes are like nothing I’ve seen before and it’s clear to me that the depth of her soul is not matched by many. She is an incredible gift and my favorite part of this picture (besides her eyes) is the fact that you can see my reflection, and I know that in that moment no amount of exhaustion or pain would have kept me from letting her know I was right there." Jennie Wiklow Riley  #motherdaughter #eyes #beauty #nicu #soulmate #love