Sunday, September 5, 2010

Dear Sweet Daughter,

Happy fifth birthday to the sweetest girl I know! Every night I thank God for you, and ask “Please help me to not screw this up”. Thank you for teaching me that you learn best by example, and that means I have to model the person I’d like you to become. I have learned to stand up for myself, and for what I believe in. I’ve learned to ask myself what it really is that I do believe in. I have learned to push past my comfort level in many areas. Besides all the joy you bring into my life, I’m becoming a better person because of you. Thank you, Sweet Girl.

Love, Momma

7 comments:

  1. I'm not a parent, but isn't that what parenting is all about?

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  2. FrankC,

    I'd like to think so, but as someone who was raised in the "do as I say, not as I do" method of child rearing, it's not how I saw parenting happen. It's taken a lot of conscious effort to not reflexively echo the words and behaviors I was raised with. I'm not always successful, but then I have the opportunity to teach SD how an apology works.

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  3. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SUSAN!!! I missed seeing you this year! Keep up the photography work!!
    Love, "Miss Karleen"

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  4. Happy (belated) birthday, Susan!

    And to Susan's mom?

    "Please help me to not screw this up"

    That is the prayer of every good parent right there.

    The funny part is that I was telling that very thing to my 9 year old son just yesterday morning...

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  5. Happy (belated) birthday to the coolest little gunchick, and future librarian, I ever had the pleasure to meet. I still have the picture you colored for me and I smile when I look at it everyday. You are a treasure, thank you for existing. And thank you, too, Nancy, for your part in it all. :)

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  6. Happy Birthday Susan! And to her mother....well said, my friend.

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  7. Happy Belated Birthday to SD - and Nancy, you're doin' it right. When I got my boy back from his 2nd deployment to Iraq and realized what a truly fine man he had become, I got the chance to nod with the realization that we'd done something right, too. Nature vs. nurture, good parenting yields fine adults!

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