A love letter about the beautiful chaos, ordinary magic, and extraordinary privilege of watching our children grow.
This is for you. No matter what life brings our way, I need you to know that you were my dreams come true—and so much more.
When your father and I learned we were expecting, our hearts overflowed with gratitude, excitement, and awe. Long before we knew your names, we knew we wanted to be parents.
I imagined tiny hands wrapped around my fingers, bedtime stories, scraped knees from learning to ride bikes, puddle jumping, dancing in summer rain, snowball fights, coloring projects that left glorious messes behind, and laughter echoing throughout our home. I imagined a love I could not yet comprehend.
Then life accelerated in the most beautiful way. It sped up even more when we learned another baby was on the way. Two beautiful little humans in two years—and suddenly our adventure had truly begun.
Seeing the World Again Through Your Eyes
Watching the two of you discover the world has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. Through your eyes, ordinary moments became extraordinary again: a ladybug on a leaf, seashells collected like priceless treasures, puddles begging to be splashed, rain tapping against the windows, and sunsets worthy of our full attention.
We watched you crawl, wobble through those unforgettable first steps, and then seemingly begin sprinting through life. We watched you learn to swim, paint without worrying about staying inside the lines, build forts, dance in the kitchen, travel with wonder, and occasionally create masterpieces on the walls instead of the paper.
Every stage has brought its own kind of magic.
The Beautiful Circus
Motherhood is an all-encompassing love unlike anything I had known before. It has stretched my heart in ways I never imagined possible. I make mistakes and fall short, but no role matters more.
Our days can feel like a beautiful circus: cooking, cleaning, organizing, teaching, scheduling, chauffeuring, creating, laughing, traveling, comforting, encouraging, and occasionally playing medic.
My oversized Mary Poppins bag has become an extension of me, filled with snacks, water bottles, coloring books, tiny travel games, cards, bandages, cough drops, honey packets, and every imaginable “just in case” item. Coffee became its own food group. Silence became both deeply appreciated and slightly suspicious.
Nothing has ever made me laugh quite like your uncontrollable belly laughs. Your joy has filled our home and reminded me again and again that happiness is often found in the simplest moments.
As You Grow
As you have grown older, some of my favorite moments have changed. I treasure our conversations—your questions, perspectives, humor, observations, and ideas. I love road trips with the windows down and music turned up. I love reading together, drawing, gardening, walking, and sometimes simply sitting in comfortable silence.
Those quiet moments remind me that life does not always have to be rushed. Sometimes the greatest gift we can give one another is our presence: extending grace, forgiving mistakes, offering reassurance, and making sure the people we love feel seen, heard, and valued.
Our days have been wonderfully full—homeschooling, horseback riding, tennis, golf, basketball, swimming, music, art, yoga, field trips, travel, playdates, and countless adventures. Each experience has been another opportunity to explore, build friendships, discover new passions, and grow in empathy, resilience, and confidence.
The Gift of Having Each Other
One of my greatest joys has been watching your relationship grow. The bond between siblings can be one of life’s great treasures: a built-in friend, confidant, teammate, and protector.
You will laugh together, tease each other, challenge one another, and hopefully stand beside each other through life’s greatest joys and hardest seasons. I hope you always treasure that gift.
Learning Who You Are
One of the greatest privileges of parenthood is simply learning who your children are.
I know your favorite foods. I know the look on your face when you are trying not to laugh. I know the difference between the tired eyes that need sleep and the tired eyes that quietly ask for a hug. I know your different laughs—each carrying its own kind of excitement, mischief, joy, or delight.
I love your creativity and the way you imagine possibilities where others might see limits. I love your compassion and the way you notice when someone feels left out. I love watching you care for one another and, sometimes, even take care of your dad and me with your own thoughtful hearts.
What We Hope to Give You
As your parents, we have always tried to balance two things that can feel impossible: protecting you from every hurt while preparing you for a world we cannot control.
We want to hold your hands tightly enough that you always feel safe, yet loosely enough that you can become exactly who God created you to be.
We hope to teach you not simply what to think, but how to think—with curiosity, wisdom, compassion, discernment, and courage. Seek truth. Ask thoughtful questions. Set healthy boundaries. Use your voice with kindness and conviction. Remember that your worth has never depended on pleasing everyone around you.
Strength and compassion can live in the same heart. Boundaries can be healthy while your heart remains open to love, growth, and new understanding.
Always Home
You are, and always will be, among the greatest gifts God has entrusted to us. Thank you for making me a mother. Because of you, I discovered that love has no finish line, no conditions, and no limits.
No matter how old you become, where life leads you, or how far your adventures take you, you will always have a home in our hearts, a place at our table, and parents who believe in you with everything we have.
This life we have built together has been beautifully imperfect, endlessly evolving, exhausting, exhilarating, and more joyful than I ever imagined possible.
Above all else, I hope you always know this: you have been deeply, fiercely, joyfully, and unconditionally loved every single day of your lives.
That will never change. You mean everything to me, and I love you A LOT.