Day 8 - A Thank You Letter.....

(Today's challenge is to write a thank you letter to someone who has changed your life...)

Dear Gianna,

I perhaps don't sit down and truly think about how much you have changed my life until someone points it out. It of course has been changed for the better although we do have our "off" days!

You have taught me so many things in your short 3 1/2 years so far and I'm sure I have many more lessons to come and I look forward to learning them from you.

I have learned most importantly to think of someone besides myself. I do still have my selfish moments but I think I have them less often now that you are in the picture! You have taught me how to love others more selflessly and more completely. I think I can love your daddy even more now that I know how to truly love someone and you are the one that taught me that. To think towards others the way I think towards you - I want you to be happy, I hate to see you upset or in pain. When you are sick I want to take all of that from you and bear it myself. I never want you to know fear or loneliness or the pain others can bring to you. Yet I want you to experience life to the fullest!

You have taught me patience, I can't say that's a virtue of mine and I still stumble almost daily but you are teaching me to take a breath and think things through before I do them or say them. You are only three and I forget that sometimes.

You are teaching me to be curious again - all your "why" questions make me think a little deeper sometimes. And I start asking "why".

You have taught me to be proud of myself and what little I've accomplished in life so far. There is so many more things I want to do and see and although my mental drive isn't where it should be yet you are helping me get there.

I don't want to teach you the wrong thing or to go the wrong way - I think so much more about what I do and say now. But I also want to teach you to be independent and think for yourself.

You are already teaching me to let go.....I know I can't hold on to you forever. I don't want to be a clingy mom who can't let her child do anything on her own! So I'm learning now to let you have your moments of freedom and independence already, even if for the time being that means I let you walk through the store without holding my hand! I am learning, slow but sure!

Thank you, my sweet girl, for all the things you have taught me and will continue to teach me! You changed my life and I will never regret you! You are truly the delight of my heart!

All My Love -

Mommy