Dear Ellie,

Tomorrow you start third grade … THIRD grade!! I can hardly believe it. You turned 8 three months ago, and I must admit that you’ve finally reached the age where I get all sappy about the past when you were “little.” I mean, you are still relatively “little,” but I am often taken aback by how “big” you are now. I doubt that makes much sense to you, but trust me, you’ll understand if/when you’re a mother someday.

It sure seems like you grow more independent each day. You take almost every opportunity you can to show that you can “do it yourself” and to demonstrate how much you know about all.the.things. You do know a lot … you are a fast learner and you have a great memory … but you definitely don’t know as much as you think you do. You still have a lot to learn. But at the same time, you are teaching your father and me a lot. I am realizing more and more that motherhood is sanctifying, which is not always fun. But it’s absolutely worth it. It really and truly is an honor to be your mom and a responsibility that I don’t take lightly.

The world is a tough place these days. Sometimes it seems like there is a lot more to be stressed about than to be happy about. The past year felt quite long, mostly thanks to Covid, but you have weathered it well. You persevered despite challenging circumstances—wearing a mask to school every day, following new rules, and transitioning to virtual learning for weeks when I got Covid. You learned so much in second grade and really excelled at math. I’m still amazed at how much and how quickly you’re reading these days. And I’m so impressed with your talent for singing – you sang solos in front of an audience twice this year! Hearing you sing makes my heart soooo happy!

I am so grateful for you, Ellie Rose. I hope that you will always know without a shadow of a doubt that your parents love you unconditionally. I’m excited to see where this year takes you!

Hugs and kisses,

Mom