A bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils...

Honey baked ham, Au gratin potatoes, green beans and rolls has to be one of your favorite meals. I wish I could have captured the way your eyes lit up when you saw that we were going to use the china and crystal. Grandmama shared her wedding china which was a special treat and you couldn't believe that even Kaitlyn was going to be allowed to use it. I tried hard to remind myself that they are only things and the memories we were making we so much more important than the remote possibility a glass could break. They are after all only things! Try and remember that when you are a mom.


You daunted your princess crown and Kaitlyn wore her best pearls with her tutu.


You couldn't wait until after dinner to prepare your dressing room for the fashion show. Daddy found the perfect runway music and it played over and over as you debuted your fall collection.


Not sure what was taking you so long I ran back to hurry you along. I was tickled when I saw how neatly you had laid all of the outfits on your bed. Several pairs of shoes lined the floor and a chair for you to sit in was positioned very carefully in the center of the room. You were all dressed and taking one last look in the mirror to make sure your hair was straight. From head to toe you were perfection...you are perfection. A special father's blessing was given more precious that words and then you were off to slumber.


A scrumptious breakfast awaited for you this morning. We ate as a family. Even daddy hung around to spend some extra time with you this morning. A love note from him to let you know, well, I'm not sure since you haven't let me read it yet. Kaitlyn was sad to see you leave and you weren't quite ready for me to leave either.


From the van to the red line on the side walk where you must wait for the bell to ring. Then on to the classroom where you wanted me by your side every step of the way! I watched as you scurried to your seat. You carefully listened to the teachers instructions while you very slowly pulled your school supplies out of your backpack one at a time. Mesmerized I watched as you took everything in. It was then in that very moment that I wanted time to stand still!

A whisper I love you, a kiss blown good-bye and your first day of the third grade, at a new school, was underway. The moment you had been dreading for weeks, maybe even months, was here. Thankfully the fear turned into excitement after you met your teacher. This weekend was the first time since we have moved I heard you say that you couldn't wait for school to start. That piece of newsworthy information made me cry. Why you might ask? Well, because my heart hurts when you are afraid or lonely or sad. So my dear little one, those tears were tears of joy knowing that everything was going to be okay!

A romantic at heart I must admit your mommy never can get enough of a good love story, especially a romantic comedy as the critics call it. The best ones are the ones you can watch over and over never tiring of its jokes, sappy cliches and happy ending. Someday we'll eat chocolate, sit on the couch, laugh and cry together watching these movies.

Classics today aren't the same as classics from when Grandma grew up. Still a good romantic comedy can make your toes tap to the music and for a brief moment in time help you forget the worries of your world. You've Got Mail with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks is one of my favorite all time romantic comedies. I can watch it over and over never tiring. For some reason I've never forgotten when he said "Don't you just love New York in the fall. There is something about it that makes me want to buy school supplies. I'd send you a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address." Well I do know your name and I live at your address. Today I wish I had sent you a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils. I've always loved the idea and I know it would have made you smile. It would have made me smile. Unfortunately I didn't think of it in time. Maybe I'll send them to you on another day just because. After all there doesn't have to be a special occasion to say I love you and I do, oh how I do!!!!