The song goes on and on. Each line bringing more tears to my already wet cheeks.
Beautiful 6-year-old Missy has been my "daughter" for a little over two years now, rescued from a life that no child should ever be introduced into. She has seen things that most of us as adults only see on television or hear about in the news.
My husband and I have tried to offer Missy a new life filled with joy, love, and peace. 
I wrote an article about Missy this past year called, "Sara Kate"... the name she one day hopes to be called. In that article, I told how introducing Missy and her little brother, Eli to the outdoors had changed their lives. Missy's stuttering stopped, she found new purpose in life, and she literally learned to smile. I honestly believe that teaching a child to love and respect the outdoors and the creatures which inhabit it can make a difference in how they deal with life in general, how they treat others, and how they feel about themselves.
We have watched these little lives be transformed into normal, healthy, loving children. They play, giggle, participate in church and school activities and behave as 
most normal 2 and 6-years-olds. Missy loves to sing and has the voice of an angel. Several months after coming to live with us, I heard her singing the chorus of a song she had heard at church. "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow..." What joy this child has brought into my life!
Though there are scars that will never disappear, Missy has learned that life is full of choices and that the choices we make in life not only affect those around us, but often determine our futures. Missy watches everyone around her and she watches ME. In her eyes, I'm her hero and her best friend. She tells me that she will never marry. Instead, she will remain with me until she is 90-years-old. She'll take care of me as I have done her. But I know in time her little heart will sing another tune. She'll grow up, fall in love, and leave the nest as my older children have already done. But her devotion to me always makes me smile. The thought of her tending to me when she is old, and I'm even older, is almost funny, especially when you consider the fact that I am 40 years her senior! But her love and devotion is warmly accepted.
Living in a houseful of "outdoor-nuts" Missy has quickly adapted to camping and spending most of her summer days outdoors. She hasn't complained, even when our tents filled with water and she nearly got blown away in a storm. She doesn't mind a little dirt on her hands or cooking over a campfire. And Missy quickly picked up fishing as her favorite sport and has turned into quite a little angler, aggressive and competitive by nature. Once introduced to the world of fishing... she was hooked. Whether she's catching a mess of perch or a stringer full of trout, Missy is thrilled to have found a pasttime she loves and can share with her new family. It's a magical experinece that bonds us and an avenue of escape from the memories which haunt her.
She is learning to be a responsible fisherman, understanding that we only keep what we will eat and releasing the rest. She also knows that if she wants to continue to fish in the future, that the waterways have to be taken care of today. It all goes back to making choices. The choices that affect those around us, our enviroment, and our future.
Missy has discovered a world around her that is not dark or scary. In my daughter's eyes, the world she sees now is full of wonderful opportunities and adventures. She has also taught me many things about myself, my own fears, who I want to be, and who I SHOULD be. The obstacles that we've climbed have 
been many and at times I felt like giving up, but when I look into my daughter's eyes, I know we're doing the right thing. Giving up is not an option.
This past August we discovered that Missy had little-to-no vision in her left eye due to a congenital cataract. Though she had surgery in February, the sight in her left eye is limited. The cataract, present at birth, caused her visual system to be deprived of the stimulation needed for normal development. Being partially sighted has not held Missy back in exploring the outdoors or participating in outdoor activities. And this is one Mom who will make sure that Missy gets the same opportunities as any other child to enjoy the outdoor sports at whatever level she chooses, and in doing so, I know that Missy will be fitter, healthier, and lead a more sociable and enjoyable life.
As Mother's Day approaches I am proud to be called "Mom" by 8 wonderful children and "Grandma" by four beautiful little ones. And yes, I've made lots of mistakes along the way. Parenting is not easy by anyone's standards. But the one thing I did right, without a doubt, was introducing my kids to the outdoors and sharing a legacy handed down to me from my Grandfather. In addition, my older children have kept the fishing/outdoor sports tradition alive by introducing their own children to the wonderful sport of fishing and hunting.
Love your kids? Introduce them to the outdoors. The future of our outdoor sports is in their hands. What you teach your children today will mold their futures tomorrow!
