I Love You

Even though circumstances keep us apart now - unfortunate but necessary; even though we have had a rocky relationship, struggling with respect and kindness, I love you so very much.  I treasure the memories of times we shared.

~ Giant birthday cookies made just for you.

~ Snuggling on the couch reading stories together.

~ Talking out in the garden when I was weeding and you would pick up hundreds of small rocks for me.

~ You bringing me little dandelions from the yard as a sweet offering.

~ Talking over your school day on the way home, working through relational issues for solutions to make your life a little easier.

~ Pushing your little plastic wheel barrow around the yard wearing Grampa's hat.

~ Helping you build lego projects.

~ Singing in the car together, your favorites over and over again. Sometimes, you'd ask me to sing to you as we drove home from wherever we had been.

~ Watching as Sunny D would sneak into your room when you tried so hard to get in ahead of him.

~ Answering so many questions.

~ Watching you roll around in my 'teacher' chair after school.

~ Listening to you practice your piano so beautifully.

~ Consoling you when your fish died.

~ Answering your questions about 'remembrances'.

~ Showing you how to make a 'concoction' in the microwave.

~ Riding your bike around the school playground while I got my room ready for the next day.

~ Laughing at funny things we'd read or see on the internet.

~ Walking on the beach so many times.

~ Traveling the country with the Hendersons, enjoying the sites - remember Hearst Castle?  Carlsbad Caverns?  The City Museum in St. Louis?  And, stacking smooth rocks into stacks on the Oregon Coast - you built 11 1/2 of them, if I remember right.

~ Pushing you on the swing and helping you to get on my motorcycle.

~ Building snowmen in the backyard.

~ Listening to you sing yourself to sleep in the car.

Despite how difficult things have been, I will always love you unconditionally and will focus on the happy memories now.  There is nothing you can do that will change the way I feel about you. I pray for you every day, my son.  I pray that one day, we'll be able to talk together.