Love Letter from my Daughter

Last night was a great night!  I went up the street to have a drink with my neighbor.  Well, one neighbor turned into 2 or 3 neighbors, and one drink turned into 3 or 4 drinks.  So, I came home around 10:30 pm with my need for “girlfriend chatter” completely fulfilled, and my house was totally quiet.  (Thank you to my hubby for putting 4 kids to bed!)  I pulled back the covers to crawl into bed, and I found a note/card from my almost 8 year old daughter.  It was beautifully decorated, but the words are what struck me the most.  Here it is, misspellings (very few of them!) and all:

“Thank you mom for Doing My Laundry.  thank you for making me Dinner and thank you for buying me Lots of things.  I (heart) u mom.  thank you for being a great mom.  I (heart) u mom.  You Are the Best.  When I’m sad you make me happy because u are the greatest mom on erth.  your the gratest girlfriend their ever was.  I (heart) u.  I (heart) U.  Thank you mommy.”

My heart was bursting, my eyes were watering, and I felt warm and fuzzy all over.  The interesting thing is that my husband and I had an argument this morning (after last night’s note), and I drolled on and on about how I don’t get paid for my job, the fact that no one ever thanks me for the things I do, etc.  (you know the drill, ladies)  As I let the words spill out of me faster than a roaring-fast-flowing-white-water-river, I realized what I schmuck I was . . . because my daughter had JUST thanked me the night before.  And thanked me for some very specific things as well!  Shame on me!

Well, I can use the excuse that has become my good ol’ standby . . . “I have 4 kids under the age of 8, with no help, and I’m just a crazy lady, so give me a break!”  But, alas, I am realizing that the more I let go of things in my life, the more “life” I am able to soak up.  So, here’s to basking in the amazing things my children do and say that make my choice to be a “crazy lady” all worth it!  : )

P.S.  To my amazing, almost 8 year old daughter — Thank you.  I (heart) u, too!