To
My Family,
Last night I was on a 5 hour flight to Seattle and kept thinking about how
wonderful these last few weeks have been.
It’s been awhile since I’ve traveled, and I was flooded with emotions as I
thought about each of you.
Grace:
I
love your determination and desire to be so independent at such a young
age. Yesterday all of your
siblings were out playing in the snow and you wanted to join them. I helped you put on your snow pants and went
to put peanut butter on my English muffin.
When I turned around, you had already put on your own boots and were
asking me to help you put on your jacket.
You remind me of your older sister and how determined she is when
she puts her mind to something. I love
holding your hand as we walk around, but your preferred method of travel is in
my arms (which I love). You’re very
caring towards your siblings and are learning how to say so many words and
sentences. You are quick to say,"sawee E-I *(sorry Eli), and we rarely remind you to say "dank you mommy "(thank you). You really do complete our
family.
Eli:
Son,
my heart melted as I walked out the door and you called down from
upstairs “I love you dad.” You are
growing up right before my eyes. One
thing I appreciate about you is how quick you are to forgive, whether that it be fordaddy for sometimes not making wise decisions (sorry about the sledding
accident), or your siblings when they are unkind to you. I love that you love to wrestle with me and
always want to go to the store or run errands with me. In a lot of ways you remind me of myself when
I was a boy, always wanting to be with grandpa.
Your smile is so unique son, and it really does brighten up my day. You’re learning so much both in school and at
home, and I love talking to you about Jesus. This past Sunday we had our little “home church service” and you knew so
many answers to the questions I was asking.
You’re like a little sponge. I
love you much and am grateful to God to be your daddy.
Chloe:
You
are so competitive just like me.
Remember that’s it’s okay to be competitive, but I want you to learn that
God cares less about whether you win or lose, and more about your heart and how
you respond during and after the game (win or lose). I
pray you learn this much earlier in life than I learned it. It’s been a lot of fun coaching you in
basketball this year and seeing how you really seek to persevere in basketball
and so many other areas in your life.
This is a wonderful attribute to have and it will take you far in life. I love how curious and inquisitive (you ask
lots of questions) you are. That’s one
of the reasons you’re so smart, because you’re always asking questions. You are also quite diligent in getting things
done whether that be your homework right after school or reading when I ask you
to. Lately I've seen you grow in gentleness with your little sister. She adores you greatly, and its been fun watching you two play together. You know the house is never quiet when you’re around, and I appreciate hearing you sing.
You’re such a beautiful girl, and I love being your daddy.
Noah:
Son,
you crack me up. I love your sense of
humor and your growing interest in reading these days. One area I’ve seen you grow in recently is
kindness. Yesterday you spent a lot of
time organizing Chloe’s room while she was in the kitchen making breakfast with
mommy. It was fun to see how excited you
were in blessing her with an organized room.
I enjoyed our snowball fight yesterday and sledding with you the last few days. Your love for the game of basketball and our
Wizards is growing. You’ve come a long
way in this sport, and I’m confident that if you put in the time and practice
hard you can be a very good basketball player.
I’ve enjoyed having you stay up a little later these days and getting
some more quality time with you. Often times during the day your younger siblings seem
to get more attention. Son, remember
that sports are a blast, dreaming about flying on a broom like Harry Potter is
entertaining but the most enjoyable, the most amazing thing you could ever have
in life is a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Noah, you’re a handsome boy, and I’m very grateful to God that I’m your
daddy.
Reema:
How
to put down in words all that is in my heart always seems impossible. I love you so much
honey. I love raising a family with you
and being with you. Whether it’s in the
kitchen being your sous chef, (I want to do that more), watching a movie with
you and the kids on the couch or driving to various events, I just want to be
near you. One thing I’ve recently been
made aware of is how sacrificial you are.
Perhaps it’s because I’ve been home for the last 6 weeks, but man, no wonder
you’re tired by the end of the day. Yesterday we were all excited to build an igloo together as a family, and when I got
outside Grace seemed really tired and without batting an eye you took her
inside and put her to bed. I’m sure you
would have preferred to be outside with the rest of us, but you did what was
best for our daughter, and you've been doing it for 10 years. Thank you for the
way that you serve our family and lay your life down. I must add how gorgeous and overall stunning you are, but you don't draw attention to that and your beauty really comes from with in. I'm grateful for the godly example of a wife and mommy you are to our girls. ( Have I ever told you that you make my heart flutter the way you look at me?)
One
of my favorite things to do when away on travel is thinking about coming home
to you. I love thinking about what you
and the kids are doing throughout the day, wishing I could teleport back home
and sleep next to you. Know that the best part of my travels is when I cross
through the front door and arrive home to you.
There is no other place I would rather be.
Remember
that the kids don’t need (nor do they have) a perfect mommy but rather a mommy
who’s desperate for Jesus. Continue to
press into Him, be quick to confess, and enjoy these days that we have with our
young ones. Lastly, know that I’m a happier
man, better husband and father and more like Christ because of you Reema. Thank you for marrying me and choosing to
love me the way that Christ loves the church.
All my love,
Daddy
