Brooks' Birthday Letter

My Dearest Brooks,
Of course your birthday letter must be in Carolina Panthers colors.  I love you so much.  Words are not adequate to explain my love for you.  You are all of my dreams embodied in a 9 year old boy.  You are loving, generous, loyal, tender hearted, bold, adventurous, encouraging, exciting, self confident, snugly, helpful, respectful, smart, funny, athletic, coachable, hard working and the most wonderful boy I have ever known.
I am so very grateful that the Lord has seen fit to allow me the honor of being your mom.  Thank you for still snuggling me, kissing and hugging me no matter who is around, speaking works of thankfulness to me, praying for me, loving your Landry, working hard, making me feel like I am the special one and desiring time with me.  You haven't pulled away from me at all and yet your are totally capable of being your own person.  I love watching you grow and imagining the amazing man God will make you if you will simply follow His way.  Be wise and bold enough to follow God's desires for you.  Oh, what an adventure it will be for you if you will.
I adore watching you and Landry laughing, getting too wound up and running circles through our home.  This is such a happy and loving place.  I am so very thankful that you two enjoy each other.  Landry looks up to you far more than you will probably ever understand except to say that it is a lot like how you view Daddy.
Daddy is a conversation all its own...You two were truly made for each other.  You guys are like the two best friends ever and yet there is an awe and adoration in your eyes for him and an tenderness and adoration in Daddy's eyes for you.  What a blessing you are to him.  You make your awesome dad even more amazing.
Brooks, I appreciate your forgiveness and the way you challenge me to be the woman God created me to be.  I continue to grow in God's Word and in His strength to be the mom you need.  I am holding on to these days with deep joy as you sleep beside me on a winter's morning or run to me at afternoon pick up from school.  I hang on to these days of hearing every detail of your day and your hopes for what a school year will hold, what a football season can be and a what a 20 second race in a pool mean to you as a young man.
And a young man is what you are becoming.  How?  I am not quite sure where over 3,200 days have gone.  Where did they go sweet boy?  They have gone into the deepest, most cherished, precious parts of my memory.  As we prepared your poster for you to be "Celebrity of the Week" at school this week, I am so vividly reminded of all the days we have shared.  I wish they were as crisp as the moment they happened.  It all gets so mixed together and I am so thankful I am on my 4th camera in your lifetime because of all the pictures I have taken.  But, I know this, yours has been a like full of laughter and love.  Our days have been filled with each other and our family being together.  What a gift to all of us!  Changing your diaper, dressing you, feeding you, putting on your shoes and coats, opening your car door, buckling your seat belt for you, holding your hand in a parking lot, hugging good bye around the seats of our car in the morning school drop off, "roughing you up" after points scored or an amazing swimming race, numerous fist bumps when we are celebrating an awesome grade or achievement, holding you in my lap while reading (oh the hours we have spent that way - priceless), sitting across from you at the dinner table all these years, scratching your back at the end of the day, brushing your teeth, seeing you emerge from your room in your black blanket known as "Pharaoh Robe"... these have been the best moments of my whole like because they were with you.  With you my love.  We were together.  Looking in each other's eyes.  Touching each other.  Knowing that we were both loved, safe, wanted.