The past couple of days have been a little rough. Not bad, just tough. My girls are taking things step by step. They have found little things to help them cope with their feelings. Nothing can replace their Daddy but they are finding ways to keep him close to their hearts. My son is searching for answers right now and he isn't quite sure which way to turn. He is confused and angry but most all, he is sad. He doesn't understand. He has so many questions but unfortunately, none of the answers make sense to him.
The hardest part of being a parent is feeling helpless. I am here. I can only hope that my children know that I am here for them now and with them every step of the way. I am doing everything in power to fill the missing link but that is absolutely impossible. Daddy is a pretty special guy around here!! He makes our world complete.
I wrote a letter to my children today. I think the part of me that feels so helpless right now took over. There are so many things that I want my children to know. I literally had to walk away from my list. This is actually one of the reasons why I am putting this on here. The other reason is because eventually, this will be printed into a book for my children as a keepsake and this letter is something that I want them to have.
A Letter to My Children
My Dearest Bryanna, Kalyssa, & Travin,
There are so many things about life that I would like to be able to teach you as you grow. One of the things that I am learning throughout this wonderful journey called parenthood is that you three are actually teaching me more about life than I could have ever expected to learn. Every step you take in your lives will lead you towards new adventures. Your adventures will bring you challenges. The challenges you face will make your lives that much more meaningful. I say this because I know that each one of you will take life’s challenges head on. You will stand up to each task and you will succeed in everything you set out to do in your lives. I know you will fall from time to time, but I also know that you will get up and keep trying until you get it right. I am sure you are asking how I can be so sure of myself. Well it’s actually quite simple. At the ages of 5, 6, and 10, you have shown me the kind of spirits you have within your souls. You have never given up on yourselves. You are strong willed. You each have a desire to reach new horizons. You are each determined to meet the goals that are set out in front of you. Watching the three of you strive, has taught me to never give up myself.
As your mom, I have had the privilege to get to know you better than anyone else. I know that each one of you has a heart of gold. You all have a special way of loving with your whole heart. You want to be there for the people you love. You want to comfort them with your big hugs and your sweet kisses. You want to write them little notes and hold their hands. You want to make them laugh. You want to see them smile. Above all, you want to make them feel special. And let me just say, that you Bryanna, Kalyssa, and Travin have the ability to make others feel as if they are the only ones who exist in this world. You have the ability to make others feel loved and cherished. How do I know this, because you make me feel this way every single day of my life.
I started making a list (you will become very familiar with the idea of creating a list because I have a list for everything). I don’t know if this list will ever be complete because as you continue to grow and change, I am sure this list will do the same. Take this a starting point. There are so many more things for us to discover. I am excited to learn with you as you continue your journey in life. The three of you are so different yet so alike in so many ways. You have taught me so many different things, each in your own special ways.
These are some of the things I would like you to know about life.
1. Love at First Sight – There really is such a thing! The moment you become a parent, you will love like you have never loved before. This love will be with you every single moment of your life and it will touch the deepest part of your being. Nothing will ever compare to the love you have for your children.
2. Love with all of your heart and make sure that the person you choose, loves you with all of their heart.
3. One of the greatest gifts you can give in life is compassion.
4. Having what “everyone” else has will not necessarily make you happy in life.
5. One of life’s greatest challenges is to find what makes YOU happy. When you find that happiness, hold on to it and cherish it because I guarantee that you will have worked hard to gain it.
6. There will be times when you will bend the truth to spare other’s feelings but remember that honesty is always the best policy. Be honest, not just with others but also with yourself.
7. One of the best gifts you can give yourself is a sense of humor. Remember that life is too short to hold on to the bad stuff. Find the good in every situation and move forward.
8. Family is important! You might not always agree with each other and there will be times when you don’t like each other very much but always remember that family is forever!
9. Love your siblings because as you grow older, they will be your best friends in life.
10. Not every friendship will last forever. However you will have moments when you will connect with someone for all of the right reasons and at the right moments in your life. Appreciate these moments and embrace what you have while you have it.
11. Never say goodbye to someone you love without telling them. Emotions are a part of who we are. Hugs, kisses, and words are meant to be shared.
12. Always say goodnight before you go to bed and never go to bed angry.
13. Never hurt someone’s feelings intentionally, even if they hurt you first. This one is tough (I know) but really the only one you hurt in the end is yourself.
14. Always try to find the beauty in the world around you including the people. This world can be a crazy place and sometimes things will seem unfair but it is a beautiful place full of beautiful people. Sometimes you just have to look a little closer to actually see it.
15. Always remember that everyone makes mistakes. Life is a learning journey. Without mistakes we can’t learn. If we don’t learn then we don’t ever really get the chance to experience life. Make lots of mistakes but always learn from them!
16. Never make a promise you can’t keep.
17. Always show that you mean the things that you do or say by backing them up with your actions.
18. Forgiveness is not always easy but try to remember that when given, it can be one of the most rewarding feelings in the world.
19. You will never be able to please everyone and you shouldn’t try. Always do what you feel is the right thing to do.
20. For every negative thought you have, try to find something positive to balance things out.
21. Listen when others talk. You’d be amazed at the things you can learn when you listen.
22. Always let your grandparents tell you stories, even if they have told you a million times. I promise you that you will cherish their stories later on in life.
23. Try your best to think of each day as a fresh new start. Every day brings a new adventure with new challenges to face and new people to meet.
24. ALWAYS take responsibility for your own actions. Remember everyone makes mistakes. If you mess up it’s okay! Just get up, dust yourself off, apologize for your actions, learn from the situation, and move forward.
25. Take pride in your accomplishments! Give yourself a pat on the back when you accomplish the things you set out to do.
26. Embrace the fact that we are all different. There is always going to be more than one way to do something. Hear what others have to say and share your own ideas. You won’t always agree but you might learn something new.
27. Creativity is in your blood. Always be who you are! Follow your own trend not someone else’s. It’s okay to be original!
28. Never be something you’re not especially for someone else. ALWAYS BE YOU! YOU ARE AMAZING!
29. NEVER EVER let the fear of failing stop you from doing something especially if it’s something you really want to do!
30. Always stand up for yourself and your beliefs. Never ever be a doormat!
31. Remind yourself that you are worth it and never let anyone limit your possibilities. Always remember that your possibilities are endless!
32. Offer your support when others are in need.
33. There are always going to be people in your life who are more popular, more successful, more whatever. Its okay to admire them (sometimes you will even wish you were them) but never let yourself believe that they are better than you because they aren’t.
34. Things in life are never free. You will always have to earn everything you want to gain in life.
35. Remember that life is always full of surprises.
36. Learn self discipline. It won’t always be easy but it will make you a better person.
37. Learn the value of patients. Good things really do come to those who wait.
38. Try to always have a back-up plan because you never know what might or might not happen.
39. Always remember that we as humans are all equal and we all deserve to be treated with respect regardless of race, religious or political beliefs, financial status, or who we choose to love. Our differences are one of the many things that make this country great.
40. Always be proud to stand tall for our country’s flag and regardless of what political views you choose to take in life ALWAYS support the troops who keep our country safe.
41. Always vote! It is your right!
42. Know your strengths in life but also recognize your weaknesses.
43. Don’t ever lose your manners. Ma’am and Sir are a part of your vocabulary now. USE THEM!
44. Find the time to figure out the shapes of the clouds during the day and the time to count the stars at night.
45. Always find the time to read.
46. Don’t be afraid to pull out a dictionary to look up words you don’t understand.
47. Embrace the fact that you are smart. The more you learn in life the more opportunities you will have.
48. Go to college even if you don’t know exactly what you want to study. It’s a once in a lifetime experience!
49. Travel as much as you can. There is so much to see in this world.
50. Learn to love photography. A picture really is worth a thousand words!!
51. Try to learn at least one foreign language.
52. Try to learn to play at least one musical instrument.
53. Play at least one team sport.
54. Volunteer your time for a good cause. You’d be amazed at the difference you can make in someone else’s life and your own.
55. Don’t ever be afraid to ask for help.
56. Remember to always keep the lines of communication open in all of your relationships. Talking is very important in life.
57. Take the time to enjoy a piece of art. You will be amazed at the things you will see when you take the time to look at someone else’s creation.
58. It won’t always be easy but try to appreciate different subjects in school. History, science, and math can teach you so many things about the world around you.
59. Never stop learning!!! Every day is a new learning adventure.
60. Exercise! It’s good for you!
61. Always eat a good breakfast…It is the most important meal of the day.
62. Always find time for yourself. You deserve it!
63. Always be a good friend!
64. DON’T EVER DRINK AND DRIVE!!!!
65. DON’T EVER GET IN THE CAR WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN DRINKING!!!!
66. Don’t text while driving either.
67. Drugs are not worth it! You are better than that!
68. Learn about cars (at least know how to change a tire, how to change the oil, and how to pump your own gas)
69. Learn to balance your money wisely.
70. Listen to your conscience or your gut. If it doesn’t feel right don’t do it.
71. Don’t try to grow up to fast. Enjoy being a kid. Once you become a grown-up, there is no turning back!
72. Trust mom & dad every once in a while. We have been in your shoes a time or two.
73. Keep a journal. There might be a time when you want to look back and reflect on your thoughts.
74. Write a letter every now and then. There truly is something magical about writing a letter and getting one in return.
75. If you ever see a shooting star, be sure to make a wish.
76. Dance in the rain with the special people in your life.
77. Sing in the shower. It can make your day a whole lot brighter.
78. Enjoy all types of music (even if Daddy classifies a band as “one of those bands”)
79. Turn the TV off every once in awhile. Sometimes “silence is golden”
80. Always be kind to animals. If you choose to own a pet, rescue one or adopt one. There are lots of animals who need good homes.
81. Compliments are good. Take them but also give them.
82. Presents are great, but always remember to give more than you receive.
83. Appreciate what you have in life, even the small things.
84. It’s okay to say NO.
85. Work hard in life but never ever let your work define you. You deserve more than that in life. You owe yourself more than that!
86. Make a list of goals. They will probably change a few times but it will always give you something to strive for.
87. Never ever give up on your goals!
88. You will change as you grow. Learn how to adapt to new situations.
89. (Something that I need to work on) Try not to interrupt when someone is talking. It is rude and it does hurt people’s feelings. They are sharing something with you for a reason so wait your turn.
90. Always celebrate your birthday! You are AMAZING and that calls for a little celebration every year!
91. Celebrate all of the holidays not just the big ones because after all, life is worth celebrating.
92. Pick and choose your battles wisely in life. Make sure you know what you are fighting for and why.
93. Learn to share yourself and your time with others. You have a wonderful soul that others would be honored to meet.
94. Help take care of the planet whenever you can.
95. Take the time to enjoy nature. This world is made up of oceans, forests, deserts, and mountains. Explore the world around you.
96. If you find something in life that you love or that is important to you, be passionate and enthusiastic about it.
97. When you are all grown up, try to remember to see the world through the eyes of a child every now and then. I promise that you will appreciate the world around you a little more.
98. Lead by example. You are all strong characters!
99. Always remember that you will never be too old for a hug or a kiss from mom.
100. Live your life to the fullest and make lots of memories.
101. Let your personalities always shine. You are who you are. You are all so different and YOU ALL make me so proud!!!
Bryanna & Kalyssa – Find a man like your Daddy. If he doesn’t treat you the way you have watched your Daddy treat me, he is not the one!
Travin – Be like your Daddy! He is a great man!
One final thought for you, my sweet children....
Always remember that you can do anything in life that you set out to do. You will always have our love and support guiding you no matter what path you choose to take. You will always have your family behind you. Nobody in this world will ever love you or believe in you as much as mommy and daddy do. And always remember that NOTHING I ever do in this life will compare to being your mom.
I love you all so much.....right up to the moon and back!!!
Love Always,
Mommy
My son and I have the same saying "To the moon and back!" I'm a big list person too, and this is a beautiful idea.
ReplyDeleteHope to see you around my blog sometime. I'm a new follower.
I hope writing it down has helped! It always seems to work for me. Awesome list....
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