40 Letters of Love: Dear Gabre

Dear Gabre,

Today we celebrate your 7^th birthday. I almost wrote 8^th - I think because you have been talking about being 7 since you turned 6. You are always ready for a celebration.

I started to write this to let others know a little bit more of who you are, but then I would be writing to others. This is #40loveletters and this is my love letter to you. What is it that I want you to hear on this day about my love for you?

You are both a mama and a daddy’s girl with plenty of love and snuggles to go around.

You love all things shoes, especially if they sparkle and you long for the day you can wear high heels. You walk around the house in mine better than I can. Speaking of sparkle- you also love nails- bright, glittery and even fake. Your first grade teacher always has ‘fancy’ nails and it endeared her to you right away.

You have no fear. You will swim in 50 degree water, especially if your Aunt Lena is involved. You will jump off any height. You give me heart palpitations on the regular.

But most of all- you are Joy. 

You bring to our family laughter and celebration. At 7 you sometimes still confuse words that your dad and I find adorable and your siblings find hilarious. I should have known when you called a bathing suit “suit cases” at the age of 2, you would be a lifelong explorer of trying out new words.

Your joy explodes into big energy- you cartwheel your way around life- in the house, on the soccer field and much to your daddy’s dismay, through the restaurant. Any patch of clear ground seems worthy of a cartwheel.

In the past 3 weeks, something with reading has started to click and you are so proud. On Sunday you asked to sit and read to me two different times. I noticed the shift.

You see you hate things that are hard and avoid them if possible. With all that Joy, you aren’t quite sure what to do with sadness. You explain away a tear from a sad movie as something in your eye. You make us laugh when the book is too hard to read. You shut down in anger when one of us has hurt your feelings.

While I didn’t quite know where this letter was going when it began, now I know what I wanted you to hear on this day about my love for you. I love all of you- the Joy, the laughs, the playful spirit AND the anger, the sorrow, the times you are unsure.

You belong. You don’t need to hide away the hard pieces in order to be loved. They are just as beautiful. You are made in the image of the divine and She is smiling at all you are today as we celebrate your 7^th birthday.

Love,

Me