Dear Mama…Thank You

Dear Mama,

 

I know it’s hard to be my mama sometimes. Sometimes I cry, sometimes I hit, sometimes I make life complicated…but thank you.

 

Thank you for the times you cry when no one’s watching because you care about my soul.

 

Thank you for the worry you have over my safety and well-being.

 

Thank you for taking the time to sound out words that I still can’t say.

 

Thank you for always holding me longer than you have to, for wanting to be near me, for missing me when I’m at school or church or just sleeping in my room.

 

Thank you for showing me the meaning of hard work, whether you’re in or out of our house.

 

Thank you for quizzing me on my alphabet, colors and numbers.

 

Thank you for the prayers you send up almost every minute for God to guide us through this life.

 

Thank you for the food you make that I usually throw on the floor.
Thank you for teaching me kindness, even when I don’t yet understand.

 

Thank you for watching me when I sleep; those moments when you could walk away but you just wanted to watch me sleep and wondered how on earth you got so lucky. You should know that I’m the lucky one.

 

Thank you for thinking of me every moment of every day.

 

Thank you for fixing my bed-head multiple times a day, but also thank you for the times you leave it alone because you think it’s cute.

 

Thank you for the baths filled with bubbles, shaving cream, squirt bottles and great big water messes.

 

Thank you for taking me to Target to sprint up and down the aisles on freezing cold winter days.

 

Thank you for singing silly songs so that I’ll open my mouth wide enough to brush my teeth.

 

Thank you for trusting me beyond what I can handle sometimes.

 

Thank you for believing in me.

 

Thank you for telling me you love me.

 

Thank you for teaching me to look into the eyes of others when speaking to them…even when they have no clue what I’m saying.

 

Thank you for teaching me manners.

 

Thank you for not putting up with fits…and then going downstairs to cry yourself.

 

Thank you for telling me about Lord.

 

Thank you for wanting to show me all the beauty in the world that you can.

 

Thank you for wanting more than just money and stuff for me – thank you for wanting Jesus for me.

 

Thank you for wanting to take care of yourself so that you can spend more years being my mama.

 

Thank you for teaching me the meaning of commitment, selflessness, sacrifice.

 

Thank you for wanting me to see the world.

 

Thank you for praying for my future spouse.

 

Thank you for praying for my friends.

 

Thank you for giving me ice water in coffee tumblers, despite the inevitable mess that will follow.

 

Thank you for being willing to share our story with other mamas so that they can be encouraged and loved through it all.

 

Thank you mama. Thank you for life, for love, for desiring not just happiness, but for wanting fullness for me. Thank you for supporting me, in every sense of the word. It may be a while til I know that these are all things I’m thankful for – and so much more – but thank you anyway.

 

I love you.