Dear Aiden

Dear Aiden,

This year…your birthday came on the heels of a great sadness.  You…along with the rest of us…had to say goodbye to Claire.  Claire was so special to us all.  She was your little sister’s best friend.  And she was like a little sister to you too.  She loved you so much, sweetheart.  And I know you loved her too.

We have learned while walking this road with our little friend…that sometimes in the midst of some of our greatest sadness…God can still give us a reason to sing.  And you…my darling…are a reason to sing.

I look at you…with your silky, dark hair; your deep, grey eyes; and the freckles that are perfectly splashed across your nose and cheeks…and all I can think is, “She is so beautiful…this daughter of mine.”  I confess…when I examine your face while you are telling me a story or trace it with my finger tip while I am tucking you in at night…I don’t see myself.  And I love that.  I know you are mine.  I remember when the two lines on the stick turned pink…promising that you were there.  I remember you growing and kicking my ribs.  I remember you being tucked inside and I remember when you entered this world.  There is no doubt you are mine.  But you possess your own beauty.  And because of that…I’m kind of in awe of you.

You let me influence you, no doubt.  You wear bandanas, and top knots.  You like pink lip gloss.  And you appreciate comfortable fashion.  You aren’t afraid to go to the store in your sweats with your hair in a messy bun…but you also aren’t afraid to go in your Easter dress and curls.  We aren’t too concerned with what someone will think about us, are we?

Annslee and I came to the school to celebrate with you at lunch.

       

We brought cupcakes to your class…which in pure, Aiden fashion you told me you wanted at 10:00 the night before.

I stayed up the night before your birthday, after everyone else was in bed.  The house was so quiet.  I slowly and methodically wrapped your gifts and placed them for you to see when you came down in the morning.  I thought about how much I love you.

You wanted breakfast dinner for your family party with Granna, Grandaddy, Honey, and Uncle Kevin.  I think we are going on 3 years in a row with the whole, breakfast dinner deal.  You know what you want…and that is such a great thing.  This year…we did made to order omelets.  You took people’s orders on your little note pad.  You wanted ham and cheese.

It took you a long time this year to come up with something that you wanted for your birthday.  You talked about getting clothes and shoes to send to our sponsor child in Honduras…which showed your heart…and your growth.  You finally landed on a necklace from Daddy and I…

…a basket for your bike (such a good choice, in my opinion)…

and a Vera Bradley backpack from Granna and Grandaddy.

Friends from school made you cards, beaded barrettes, and gifted you with things like googly eyed rings…letting you know how much you are thought of.

You are important to people, darling.  You have always been important to us…but as you grow, you are becoming important to so many others.  You make people happy…by just them being around you.

You are quietly confident.  You gently love.  You show compassion beyond your years.  You are thoughtful.  So much so…that you took your sweet time making your birthday wish this year.

I don’t know what it was…but I do know that you took your time in making it.

You amaze me everyday with your solid handle on who you are and the worth that you hold in this family…and in this world.  And this is, yet another way that we are different.

Shine on, my sweet girl.

I love you the mostest,

Momma