Last year at this time the thoughts of "it's impossible that I have an 8 year old" were running through my head. Now in what seems faster then it takes to drink a cup of coffee I now have a 9 year old. And just when we thought we couldn't love her more, we do. As she skips her way through life we are grateful that she came into ours. My heart skipped a beat this year when Erin announced that this birthday was important but next year was the BIG ONE. "What big one?" I foolishly asked. "I hit the double digits," she smiled in response, glowing with anticipation. It definitely gave me pause, then I sent her to say the same exact sentence to Dave. 😉 Now THAT reaction was worth selling tickets for. Dave, I think like all men, is finding it hard to watch his little girls grow up.
Erin as a young child not only wore her heart on her sleeve but we described her as one big massive heart. She was a huge glob of emotion. It didn't matter what the emotion was it ran true and fierce through every part of her body. It is going to make for tough "double-digit" years but my wish is that all of that love, joy, sense of fair play and right and wrong stay as strong and real within her as they were as a toddler. If so, she will be a tremendous adult.
I write letters to my kids on their birthdays and will give them to them when they are adults. My letter to Erin this year contains the wish that she will forgive us any traumas that we put upon her, that we will always try our best but not always be perfect, that I promise to pay for the therapist's bills for her to work through all of the things that we WILL screw up and hope that she will always understand that no matter what we will always love and respect her. (I think it is a pretty realistic view of parenthood 🙂
We love you Erin! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
