Dear Connor - 4 Years, 1 Month

Dear Connor,
In preschool you made a turkey and the teacher wrote what you were thankful for on yours… Stego. You are thankful for your big, green stuffed dinosaur. I am thankful that you are able to have a big, green stuffed dinosaur to sleep with in your comfy, warm bed in your flannel PJs, with your brother, Mommy and Daddy sleeping close by.

I’m thankful that we have two beautiful children and even more thankful that they are healthy and safe. I think of all of the children in the world, that are hungry, scared or without someone to cuddle them each night before they sleep. I think about the children that don’t to celebrate a holiday with an abundance of food or get to snuggle down under the covers waiting to see what Santa will bring the next morning. I think of all of the children that would be grateful to have one of the toys that’s stuffed under your bed, or just one of the 20 gallons of water we use frolicking in the shower together. We are beyond lucky. We are beyond blessed.

I could probably think about it until I felt guilty, but instead I just do what I can to make the world a better place and hope that in your life you will too. I hope as you get older and you read this, that you pledge to make a difference in someone else’s life. I hope that you are filled with gratitude for all that you have and that you recognize that although you may not drive the car that you want, or be able to have your own bathroom, that just having clean, running water is miracle enough.
I really hope that you find your brother to be less of a nuisance and more of a blessing, even if right now you are constantly fighting. You are so lucky to have a sibling. Someone that knows you better than anyone else in the world and someone that loves you unconditionally. I will always believe that while we were all blessed by bringing Tristan into this world, that it blessed no one more than you because we gave you something that only we could give you… a best friend. Right now he’s a best friend that you can’t resist whacking on the head whenever you walk by and it’s entirely possible that even when you are in your 20’s you’ll still take the occasional tumble together over which TV program to watch, but you’ll always have each other.

I’ve always tried to maintain gratitude for the things that I have, even when things are at their worst and it seems like there is no way out. I really think this attitude has pulled me through the darkest times of my life and has given me a constant, solid appreciation for the life that I’m living.
This Thanksgiving holiday, I’d like you to know that the thing that I’m the most thankful for is my family. I’m thankful for my wonderful husband, my beautiful children and the people that love us all so much. I’ve always been so thankful for something as simple as running water that I can’t even describe the magnitude of blessing I feel for having a son as amazing as you are. I love you.Happy Thanksgiving,
Mommy