The Love Letter...

Dear Carter and Kindra,

I love you so much and when I see things like I saw today, it makes me love you that much more! I can not believe how hard you worked today! I can not believe how much you helped me with my project. What a fun adventure it was!

The yard was a mud pile. The car was temporarily destroyed. Your clothes and shoes were a mess. The house is covered with muddy footprints. We were dripping with sweat. When it was all said and done, we were exhausted. And yet, we made the best memories ever!

I don't care about those things that were temporarily and completely chaotic. All I care about are the memories that we made as we did it together. These are the projects that you'll look back on and remember. These are the days when I realize that you are growing up so fast and how much you thrive on making me happy.

As I began this project while you were at school, I was beaming with pride that I had begun this all by myself. Proving that I could do it alone. Proving that I had not lost my touch. Proving that it's all mental. It makes me such a happier person when I feel like I have crossed something off my list. I need it. I crave it. I live for it.

But I also learned something else today. That sometimes in our lives we need help and we need to allow the help to happen. Could I have finished this all by myself? Yes...but did we grow more as a family, creating memories, and learning that it's OK to get help, to listen, and to just laugh when times get crappy, frustrating, or just plain miserable? Yes!

I love you. I love you. I love you. I need you both so much and I don't know what I would do without you. The best was after we went to the sod farm and they loaded our car chuck full of sod, we were driving home and I got the distinct feeling of joy and of love. That I also need to remember that our attitude is a choice. We can choose to be grouchy or we can choose to be positive. It's all mental. It's all mental and I needed to remember that!

Thanks for your help! I am so proud of you and know that you can do whatever it is that you choose and put your mind to!

Love Mom

ps please don't grow up and remember me as a slave driver because YOU wanted to do this!