Day 05 - A Thank You Letter to Someone Who Has Changed My Life.

Dearest Lovely, Valiant, Gift, and Hubby (their Daddy),

I've been given an opportunity to sit down and really think hard about something very important. I am addressing this letter to some little someones and a big someone who have changed my life - and goodness, have you!

Lovely, from the moment I looked into your eyes I knew my life was anew. All of the sudden it wasn't just me anymore, it wasn't just Hubby, and living day to day as we had been - we were a family and given a blessing to nurture and put first in our lives. Every day you smile, giggle, and do your famously cute facial expressions that remind us of Charlie Brown cartoons and bring such joy into our lives. Your imagination is amazing. I look at you and see myself at your age and feel so proud, so excited! You are so smart too. Being the oldest, you also are the refiners fire - putting your Daddy and I through our paces and showing us what we need to be doing as guardians of you and your siblings. We are your parents, but God entrusted you to us - in the end, you and your siblings will go back to Him and we're just here to help guide, form, enjoy, and witness the growth as time passes WAY too fast. But, what would I do without you? Where would I be without you? At times, I want to force, not form - and being a parent means learning to let go. I'm not the one in control. I would like to think I am your teacher, but really - you, Lovely, teach me. You teach me ALL the time and I adore it you cute, befreckled, musical, brown eyed girl. You look up to me everyday while still grabbing my hand, hugging me, checking to make sure I'm "still there" and that your are "just checking" on me. You are my world, you form me every day, and lead me to always look upwards in thanksgiving. I stop what I'm doing each time I hear you play the piano. When you sing, I sing along. I am a lucky, blessed woman to have been given such a gift in you. Your name, among many descriptions, is lovely, and beautiful in form - and truer words could not be spoken. Lovely,  I love you.  You have changed my life forever, for the better.

Valiant, you tiny pixie and spitfire all rolled into one! Where would I be without you? YOU made Lovely a sister. What an amazing gift you are to her. She is a fantastic gift to you. You are at an age where you follow her around the house to be near her, and just yesterday you woke from your nap to learn she was not home and you cried for her for so long. You are just starting to really put your words together, and hearing you tell all of us that "Eye uvv ewww" when you see us and "Gah Besss Ewww" when we sneeze just make our hearts melt. Even your baby brother reacts to how you say his name in your little way, and you've led us all in calling him in the same inflection. You gave him his first nickname - what a great job!! You have a smile that closes your eyes in a crinkle and makes people feel good. You are a singer too, quite the budding artist. Everything is a song to you. Don't ever stop the refrain - let it go on and on and bless others as you bless me and your family. I treasure our snuggles and our cuddles. You and your sister are growing far too fast, so forgive me when I ask you and Lovely to slow down a little. Keep sharing your hugs with others. You have no idea how much better that makes others feel when you embrace them arms outstretched. If only we all could be that way to each other all the time.  It would be heaven on earth. Your name means valiant, and strong. I can already tell that at age two, you live that description loud and clear. So, to you my little piece of heaven - Valiant, Eye Uvvv Eeeww. You have changed my life forever, for the better.

Gift, I've only known you face to face for three months, with only 40 weeks of unity and movement before that. Just like your sisters, you had me in your spell from the moment I knew you were in my tummy. You expect me to be a better person and to grasp for my full potential. You and your sisters have revealed one thing in me I know you would want me to change - how selfish I am - and how much I want to fight that and grow into the person you need and want me to be. I'm selfish in how I want to stop time, baby you, keep you little forever. I've also shown how selfish I am when you cry out at 3am and I want to sleep, or at 7pm when the girls are in bed and I sit down to relax and have "me" time and you remind me it isn't just me anymore. In fact, you AND your sisters do that well - call me out on my selfish tendencies and refine me into a better person. I'm a flawed, limited person - but when you look at me, and smile your gummy smile and settle in my arms or turn your head at the sound of my voice - I feel like a superwoman and your everything. I need to prove I deserve you. You and your sisters try to make me a little better, a little more holy, a little more selfless each day. Don't ever stop. I will continue to make mistakes, and I pray you will forgive me for them, but having you in my life, sleeping by my side at night, cooing and talking to me during the day is music to my soul. I'm a far more blessed person having you, my son, in my life than I was without you in it. I can't wait to see who you become as you grow. Your name means Gift - and I can't wait to see what you give to the world. I love you. You have changed my life forever, for the better. 

Dearest Hubby. Where can I possibly even begin? The words on this page only exist because of you (and of course God). But without you there would be no Lovely, Valiant, or Gift. Doesn't that slap you silly? They are here for a reason and life purpose and that is because I met you. You literally changed my life. It is mind blowing. We've been together over twelve years, and married for nine and we truly have tasted each and every word of our vows in various degrees. We've had sickness, we've had health. We've had good times and bad. We've had better and we've had worse. But in all that, I have felt your love and have felt cherished. We've overcome and will continue to fight the good fight from this day forward until death parts us. We left that honeymoon phase a long time back, but we've entered richer territory haven't we? I think we are both learning every day that romance is no match for love. If a person was to really read Corinthians 13: 1-8 they would see love is not easy, or remotely romantic. Love never fails. We may fail, but fighting for our vows is love. Every fire pit that our bare feet have walked through has only strengthen us at the test's end. I have a life partner who demands I try harder every day to be my best, and daily you change my life. You are the epitome of sacrifice (I'm still always right - HA!) to your family.  I'm not sure what I would do without you. I am better for knowing you. You are simply a miracle. Hubby, I'm so deeply in love with you. You have changed my life forever, for the better.  

I've gone on and on and yet I still feel I haven't said enough or rightly. I guess I'll have to keep on attempting to live it.  At least I have the perfect muses under my roof.   THANK YOU.

I give you all my love,
Yours always,
VM