Happy 1st birthday, Nora!

September 21, 2016

My dearest Nora Mae,

Today is the day!   You are officially ONE year old as of 7:46am!    This past year has been the most amazing experience of my life.    Truly.    When your brother was born, I wrote him a letter every month and then again on his birthday.    This past year (and even now), I found myself so captured in the presence of you and Elliot, that throughout the year I wrote down little things here and there and today I have put it all together for you for your first birthday letter.

You have heard many times throughout your first year that you are my love and my joy.   And you have heard me say the same thing to your big brother.    It’s true.   When Elliot was born, we were told we would never have another child.    You were an unexpected miracle and on the day you were born I felt this overwhelming feeling of completeness.    I never knew my heart was missing anything until you came along and filled the void.  

It amazes me how much I learn from you.   You have taught me how to slow down and to just take life in.    Everything can wait.    It can.   As a mother, it’s always interesting to see what it is your children react to.    What is it that they enjoy?   What captures their attention?    For you, it is trees.    That simple.   Trees.   When you are able to look outside or be outside, you stare in awe at the trees.   I first heard you giggle while we were standing outside just doing something simple, looking up.  And in that moment, you taught me that in life it is important to look up.   Look up for the positive side, but also look up to God and know that He is in control.    

When I found out I was pregnant with you, I knew you were a girl.   I just had this feeling that I was going to have a daughter.   When I found out that I was in fact having a little girl, my heart was exploding.    Your brother was in the room with us for the appointment and my goodness was he excited.    He was very involved in my pregnancy with you and even now he is incredibly over protective of you.   I wanted to make sure that I gave you a strong name.

You are named after my Nana, Eleanor.    Eleanor was a big part of my life and I have strong memories of her even now.    I chose the middle name Mae for you after Doris Mae.   Doris Mae was Daddy’s grandmother.    This is a woman who was ALWAYS nice to me.   ALWAYS kind to me and was the first person to welcome me into the family.    When I was going through infertility, Nan gave me her rocker.    She told me that if I sat in the rocker and prayed, that eventually, God would give us a baby.    She had tremendous faith in the Lord.   As we were setting up your bedroom, I would sit in that rocker and rub my belly and pray for you and women suffering through infertility.    Even now, a year later (and probably for the rest of my life), I remember the feeling I had when I first nursed and rocked you to sleep in that rocker.   To some people, it’s just a chair.  But to me, it’s something far more special.   

When it came to choosing your Godparents, I made an interesting choice.    I chose my big brother, Chuck (whom you call Uncle Trouble) and your Auntie Jonelle.   Auntie Jonelle and Uncle Chuck used to be married and are best of friends.   Despite his nickname, Uncle Trouble is a good guy.   He’s funny and he’s tough.   My Godfather has always been loving and over-protective and that’s exactly what I wanted for my baby girl.   Your Auntie Jonelle is a tough cookie, too.    She is the perfect female role model for you.    She’s smart and she knows the value of a good education and the power of a strong relationship with the Lord.   There is no one else in this world that could fit her mold and it is my deepest hope and prayer that you all remain close.

Happy 1st birthday my sweet girl.    You have made our family complete and we love you with all our heart!

Love,

Mommy

   

Elliot's 3rd birthday letter

November 7, 2014

Dearest Elliot,

            Happy 3^rd birthday!!!    Another year has gone by and you remain continually blessed!  Mommy and Daddy are so blessed to have you as our son.   You’re such a good boy.   You have a contagious smile.   A friendly spirit.   A caring soul.   Your laugh can brighten anyone’s day.   

            Each year as I prepare to write you your birthday letter, I like to take a “look back” to see how far you have come in the past year.    I then decided to go a bit further and see what I had written since the very beginning of this “project.”      I have written over a dozen letters to you so far and it’s neat to imagine you many years from now possibly reading them to your wife, or your own children.   You’re growing up so fast.    Too fast.   My letters to you include the following topics:  listening to your heart, things you have taught me, forms of love, forgiveness, curiosity, happiness, exploring, friendship, the story behind your name and your existence, the importance of remaining forever young, Ireland, laughter, and learning.  

            After looking back on letters I have written, I decided to take a look back on this year in photos.    You experienced so much in one year!    And it dawned on me… that your experiences were all special things, but simple things.   Assateague Island, Berry Picking, Car Shows, Caverns, Christmas, Church, Horses, having a pet Lizard, riding your first train in Jim Thorpe, Snow, being in a wedding, going to the zoo…. So many experiences!    Mommy & Daddy aren’t necessarily rolling in the dough.   We don’t drive fancy cars.   We don’t have super fancy things.   We can’t afford to go on a cruise or to Disney World.    But what we do have is we have love.    We have true happiness.   We all take joy in the simple things.  

           

            It took me a while to think of what my message to you would be this year.   You are so bright.   You are a sponge for knowledge.   As you continue to grow you are starting to get a true grasp on not only what is right and what is wrong, but you are learning about faith and your Church.   You are growing in faith and you don’t even know it.   Faith is believing in things you don’t necessarily see.    I want you to know that as you get older, you will feel tested.   You will have moments where you feel so very stressed out.    In those moments, I urge you to not only come to Daddy and I … but to turn to God.   God is like the wind… always present.  You might not always feel Him…. But he is there.   You are blessed with two parents who not only love you very much, but Mommy and Daddy love each other very much.   We will ALWAYS be here for you.   And if for any reason you can’t come to us – we urge you to go to your Godparents or your Pastors.   These are people you can count on to steer you in the right direction when you feel lost.   And my sweet boy, as much as I don’t want to admit it, there WILL be times where you feel lost.  

            Elliot, it is important for you to understand that faith is more than just knowledge about God.   It is more than just saying you love Jesus.   It is more than just doing the right thing.   Faith is all encompassing.   Faith is knowing Jesus, loving Jesus, and following Jesus.    Being a Christian is a whole body affair.   It’s your mind, body, spirit, thought, word, deed and act.  It affects your head, heart, feet and voice.  Your father and I hope and pray that you continue your quest to know and understand God.   At such a young age, you are already filled with such Grace.  

            There were many times in my past where I wasn’t so sure in mind that you would come.    But in my heart, I had faith.   I knew I was destined to be a Mommy.   I was destined to be your Mommy.   I kept faith and kept faithful to God.   Mommy and Daddy prayed very hard for you.   Before we knew it, you were on your way.    

My sweet son, you are a Child of God.   You will ALWAYS be a Child of God.   NOTHING can change that.    For the past three years I have not missed one day… I tell you every day that you are my love and you are my joy.    You are my greatest blessing.    On this, your 3^rd birthday, I want you to know that you are a true testament to the beauty of faith.    God has blessed me.   I am honored to be your Mommy.     Grow in your faith my sweet boy, continue to blossom and shine.   Trust in God always.   And know that you are loved very much.     You are an answer to my prayers, and I know God has wonderful things in store for you.   Keep the faith.   I love you.

Happy Birthday! 

Love,

Mommy

Happy 2nd Birthday, Elliot!

My dearest Elliot,

It is the eve of your second birthday as I sit and type this letter to you.   I find myself thinking, "Wow...what a year!"   and "Where do I begin?!?"   My first thought is, "Time flies when you are having fun!"   As your mommy, I find myself falling more and more in love with you every day.   I remember when you were first born and how smitten I was.   I found myself wondering, "Will this feeling fade?   Will this feeling change?"  For me, the answer is 'no.'    You constantly amaze me.

C.S. Lewis once wrote, "Joy is the serious business of heaven."   I'd like to add to this and say that joy is also the serious business of parenting.  

This year has been a year of growth for you.   Your vocabulary, especially!   You love to talk.   You're able to tell us what you want and you make your own choices.    You know your body parts.   You can identify pictures.   You have great balance.   You are amazing with a ball!  You've got a great arm, kid!    You love to run, climb, walk, and dance.    And sometimes you take a break from these things to remove your socks and shoes.   You're experimenting and pretending a lot.    I love to watch you analyze and imagine.    You're learning to draw/write - it's so darn cute!   You greet people with hugs and kisses.   You are using the potty more and more each week.   You're in love with books.  You're never without a car/truck/train.   And still, after all this time .... one of your favorite things to do is to take a rest with your head or your hand on my heart.

The other night, you took my breath away.   We were watching one of your favorite movies (Finding Nemo) and you had your hand on my heart.   I pointed to my heart and said, "What's this?"   You replied, "HEART!"   I then said to you, "Do you know you are my heart?"

You let out one of your beautiful laughs and said to me, "Duh, mommy!"

I then asked you to point to your heart.   And you did just that.   You pointed to your heart and you said, "Mommy."  It literally took my breath away.   You are without a doubt, the love of my life.   For the past two years now I have told you every single day that you are my love and my joy.

"His banner over me was love."  (Song of Solomon 2:4)

My biggest hope and dream for you aside from happiness, is that you always follow your heart.   You are already overflowing with God's Grace.    You don't earn grace, and you don't "deserve" grace; you simply receive it as God's loving gift, and then share it with others.   You are barely two years old and you already do this.   You have such a beautiful spirit and I know it will only continue to blossom.  

I know in time years from now you are going to come up against some tough stuff.   Heck, you might even come up against some tough stuff in the next year as we begin to face the supposed "terrible twos"...  And as redundant as this may be, I want you to know that Mommy and Daddy will always be there for you.   We are always in your heart.    Follow your heart, sweet boy.   It will take you to the most extraordinary places.   Never regret loving someone, never take someones love for granted, either.  

Listen to your heart.   It's where your values live.    Everything you are learning about God from us, your family, and your Godparents rests in your heart.    No one will ever be able to take that away from you.  This upcoming year you will be learning more about God and prayer.   God delights in the prayers of His children - prayers that express our love for Him, prayers that share our deepest burdens with Him.  "The unfailing love of the Lord never ends!"  (Lamentations 3:22)..... nor does the love your Daddy and I have for you.

Elliot, you are the love of our life.   We are so blessed to have you as our son.    You bring us so much joy.   I have been thanking God for you ever since I first heard your glorious heartbeat in March of 2011.    I thanked God even more two years ago when I finally met you face to face.   You have changed my life for the better.    And just as you have grown, I have grown.    And we will together continue to do so.    You are my greatest blessing.  

Happy Birthday, sweet boy.    My love.   My joy.  

I love you with all my heart.

Love,
Mommy.