Letters--A Letter to Each of Your Parents

This blog may seem one-sided. I already know it. I love both of my parents. I love them equally. I just have a very different relationship with my mom than I do with my dad (who doesn't, right?) So here goes!


Dear Daddy,

I love you so much. I know you like to pretend that this surprises you, but you know it! I will tell you why I love you. I love you because you have shown me that men are faithful. You work hard. You stand up for yourself. I love you because you have changed so much over the past few years and I am SO proud of you. I love you because you are so good to Zach. I love you because you were interested in my relationship with him from the beginning. I love you because when I was little you used to pick up our breakfast at the gas station when it was your turn to take us to Grandma's. I love you because I am so much like you.

Although, I am a self-proclaimed MAMA'S GIRL. I want to be like mom so bad--I am still so proud of some of the traits I have from you. I am proud to come from you and from your family. I am proud to be your mother's granddaughter.

I am proud that I am tall and dark "like my dad." I am proud that my eyes squint when I smile. I am proud of being a lefty like you. I am proud that sometimes I boss other people around like you do. I laugh at myself when I tell mom what to do and she says something like, "Oh my gosh. When did your dad get here?" I actually laugh really hard at that kind of thing.

I love to make fun of you...for a plethora of things. I know you take this a little hard at times but making fun of you is hilarious. As I write this right now I am absolutely laughing to myself as I think about Shane and I telling each other about you listening to your girly music with your headphones on! HAAHAHAHA! You and your Hallmark channel, Enya, Little House on the Prairie, Oliver! Oh my goodness, Dad, you are hilarious!

I have lots of good memories with you. Some very recent. I love you and I am so proud to be your daughter. I am so grateful Heavenly Father sent me to you to show you the way.
Love,

Shar

Dear Mom,

I love you so much. I know that you know it and you don't pretend not to. You do think you don't deserve it--which is the furthest thing from the truth. I adore you! I want to be like you in so many ways.

There are so many things that I wish I had let myself learn from you--things that I love about you. I love that you laugh at things, even when bad things happen, you find humor in them. I love how selfless you are. I love how hard-working you are. I think I got SOME of this from you and dad, but not as much as I'd like. I think you are quite possibly the most amazing woman in the world.

Dramatic, yes, I have a flair for drama and we both know it! However, I do believe it. I had such a wonderful and rich childhood because of YOU. We have so many amazing memories. I have an even greater appreciation for all you did now. When I see the parents of my students sometimes failing miserably at the thing you did so flawlessly. I laugh when I remember and then I usually cry, of course--that I did get from you. I cry because I am so blessed and you are so good.

I know I tell you this all the time but thank you! Thank you for taking time to be a mom. Thank you for assuming that role with your whole heart. You never acted like being a mom was an inconvenience..a time in your life to endure. Sadly, I see SO SO many women that do. You weren't like that. How you had the strength to work full time, come home and listen to us and spend time with us, help us with homework, keep a VERY clean house, and make dinner--without a complaint I will never know. I do know that I don't know any other woman who does that. You truly did do it all.

You kept a very clean house. You cooked decent food (to this day I will always argue that you NEVER should have made me eat things I didn't want to eat :) And you excelled as a mother. You made up fun things for us to do. You would stay home for a week and we would wake up in the morning and pull out the couch bed and watch a movie while drinking hot chocolate. You taught us how to play a few board games and some car games. You took us to the mall and got us delicious cinnamon rolls. You took us on a vacation every year...usually without dad. Yet you never complained about road tripping with us in the car. And believe me (and I know you know) I would've heard you if you did. I heard everything.

I'm far more sensitive than you are, yet you handled me perfectly. You made me feel SO very loved. You did little cute things for Shane and I. You loved us perfectly. I have such a deep appreciation and gratitude for you. I owe so much of the woman I am to you. You have always been everything for us, our accountant, our advisor, our counselor, our doctor (sort of :), our cook, our Google, our secretary, our chauffeur, our best friend. Truly mom, there isn't enough to say about you.

Thank you for loving me like you did. I grew up a very happy healthy individual because I was so loved. I believe that is what I owe everything I am to...the love I had in my home growing up. Thank you for being my friend. I think I made good choices for a number of reasons, but one of them is that I always went to you. I never wanted to disappoint you. Thank you for teaching me strength by example. Thank you for teaching me to keep a clean house. Thank you for making me a little OCD about needing to open windows, turn on lights, and tidy up. :) I love that I take after you that way. There are so many times I utter the words, "This is how my mom did it, so this is how I do it!" You are a constant topic of conversation in our home.

I thank my Heavenly Father everyday for sending me to you! (Sound a little familiar:) I love you, Mom.

Love,

Shar