A letter to my children

Dear Children,

I hope I am teaching you to be selfless, responisble, respectful, and honest individuals. I hope I teach you to be a leader, but not the type of leader who puts themself ahead of others. I hope I teach you to serve others. I hope I teach you that no matter what you will always have me by your side. I hope I teach you that I love you more than you can ever truly comprehend until you become a parent, but I will never be able to love you as much as God does. I will never be able to offer you a gift as valuable as the gift your brother Jesus Christ gave you. I hope you know that I do not love you in spite of your difference. I love you because of your differences. I do not and never will love you all the same. I love you all in a unique way because our relationship is unique just as each of us are unique.

I have high expectations from you. I expect you to learn from your mistakes and grow from them. I expect you to give 100% in all you do. I expect you to exceed the expectations of the World because the World has continued to lower their standards. I expect you to continue to be accepting of all people. I expect you to help others as often as possible. I expect you to give to others. I expect you to be a graceful loser and a humble winner. I expect you to show respect for people and property at all times. I expect you to be honest at all times. I expect you to try your best to be like Christ in the way you love and care for others. I expect you to live in a way that makes you worthy to live with God again. I do not expect perfection though.... just 100% effort.

I will do my best to teach you these things by example. I promise to not be a "do as I say not as I do" type of parent. I promise to listen to you. I promise to have fun with you. I promise to do my best to find appropriate consequences that will help you learn rather than to "punish" you. I promise to be fair. I promise to respect you as an individual, but that doesn't mean that you do not have to earn it. I promise to support you in all your endeavors. I promise to love you unconditionally. I hope you know by now that a promise means a lot to me. I hope you trust it to be true when I make you a promise.

I love you always and forever,
Mom