When you think back on your childhood and you think of momma, mommy or moomoo I want you to remember how much I loved making every holiday special in some unique way. For St. Patrick’s day I would make some of your foods green, for Valentine’s Day I would shape everything into a heart and for Christmas I started so many new traditions. Not only do I want you to remember the days that I ran through the sprinkler with you, how I set up scavenger hunts outside, and took you to the beach down the street, I also want you to remember when I dropped the container of strawberries and cried. How I sank down on the floor and cried. You both came over to me and gave me a hug. I wiped my tears and got up. Madison I want you to remember that you did indeed finally learn to ask others if they were okay when they seemed upset, because that day you did. I just replied with “yes I am, I’m just tired, and having a bad day. I want you both to know that it is okay to have a bad day, it is okay to cry when we are frustrated.
When you think back on your childhood I want you smile because you remember being in the kitchen with me, be thankful that I was standing at the bus stop waiting for you every single day, and remember those silly times when I danced out of no where just to make one of you laugh. Don’t forget about the times when I had to give myself a timeout because I was about to loose my cool (or already had) I don’t want you forget that it was me that taught you that no one is perfect. That Momma may be an angel in your eyes, but I’m not perfect and I would never expect either one of you to be perfect either.
When you think back on your childhood I want you to be thankful. I want you to feel thankful that you were lucky enough to spend summers home with me. We got to be lazy in the mornings, swim with friends and go on lot adventures together. Those adventures didn’t always end in giggles and sticky fingers, some of them ended in tears and misunderstandings because they were adventures for Momma and daddy too. I want you to remember that I was learning day by day just as much as you were. I pray that you remember that every day we learn and grow together from those hard times. They allow us to become stronger in the end.
When you think back on your childhood I want you to remember the not so easy times too. The days don’t always go the way we’d like them to, feelings get hurt, boo boos need to be kissed, meltdowns do happen and momma and daddy do yell and loose their patience. We are human. We make mistakes and we will continue to make mistakes, I want you to remember each and every one of those mistakes, it’s how we learn and become better people.
When you explain to the love of your life what it was like growing up I want you to tell them that your father is the hardest working man they will ever meet, that your Momma spent hours researching recipes to make you eat your vegetables, and that you want the same kind of marriage your parents had someday. I want you to share with this person that it was your Daddy who sat and did your homework with you each and every night, even when you cried through it. Tell this person that it was your Momma who constantly asked about your days and kept the lines of communication open so you would always feel safe and comfortable talking to her.
I fear that you won’t remember those days. Your older now, eleven and nine. Ages I thought were so far away during your younger years but here we are. You still see daddy and Momma argue, you probably see it a little more now than when you were little because you are more aware of what is happening. I may be working now but I still hope you remember the endless boat trips to the island, ice creams for dinner and vacations in York, ME. I pray that you remember that tears, mistakes and hard times are always going to be there it’s just what you make of the in between that really matters.
I love you sweet babies.
XOXO,
Momma
