TruMama

I have always felt I had more than I deserved. When I was 5 my dad got cancer. I have told you the story many times, but it did make for a different way of life. You know he fought and he survived in a time when cancer had just begun. So, I kinda felt that I had cashed in all my luck. For everything else I received I felt as if I was cheating. And if I ever wanted more, I should do so in secret. I felt guilty for wanting. For years I struggled on this thin line of gratitude.

You did something amazing for me. You liberated me. You broke that lock.

For I had received something so precious. So beautiful. So special.
And it was a gift.
Maybe that gift was easier for me to accept because it was not just mine to receive, but mine and Grant’s. Whatever the reason, I finally felt worthy and you were mine. And I would be forever grateful.

I took on this new approach to life filled with gratitude. I was drowning alive in these beautiful moments with you.

Every little thing was extraordinary and my senses were exploding into pieces. My heart was overflowing with rapids of emotions and to get a grip on this new life it only made sense to be grateful. To stop and appreciate all that had been given to me. To recognize that these things I love more dearly than anything, could not be bought. I have to be thankful. What else could I be? As a child, I got the life of my dad when I was not suppose to and as an adult, I got the life of you. How did I get so lucky? I have come to realize it is not luck at all. It is the gift of God. To receive such gifts, is to be blessed. And when you are blessed, you should give thanks. Every day be grateful. Every day live accordingly. Every day. That is ThanksLiving.

Every day I wake up and am thankful for another day to share with you.
To hug you. To kiss you. To give you healthy food. To play with you. To laugh with you. To learn with you. To grow with you.
I love being at our house, with our dogs. Our home is cozy and loving and the most comfortable place in the world.
I love being at school with you. Watching you walk down the hall. Getting the best hug ever at lunch every day. And playing in my room after school.

Every day I see the world with these grateful eyes. I see beauty everywhere.
We walk outside and notice bright flower blooms. Clouds drifting overhead. The moon shining in the dark. The wind blowing across our faces. The songs of birds. And the scurry of squirrels in the trees. We notice.

Every day I think of this world. Not for only my lifetime, but for lifetimes to come. The future you will live in. The world you will be growing your family in.

A constant practice of gratitude keeps me focused. With gratitude in my heart, I am humbled by so much wonderfulness.
I simply have too much to be grateful for. I can not even keep up.
So I write. And I write. And I write.
I photograph. I share.

That is how I embrace this beautiful life.
Every night I write in my gratitude journal. Many nights you help me with this.
I go to bed grateful for another beautiful day. I rest in the graciousness of such a life.
This gift of a life.

Happy Thanksgiving.

I love you too much!

Your new favorite song.

“Only shooting stars break the mold.”

This is such a great read…I can’t put it down!
Seriously.
As a writer, I am excited.
I am excited that you have worked through the process of writing and published your very own book. I am excited at the amount of pride you had when handing this book to me.
As a teacher, I am impressed.
I am impressed with your invented spelling, voice, ideas, and word choice. I am impressed with your willingness to take risks and be creative.
As a mom, I am touched.
I am profoundly touched at the level of joy you share when reflecting on your life and the fact that when memories of your life surfaced as possibilities for your book…thoughts of me are weaved into this text. It means everything to me that you live happiness and see the beauty in moments. This book is proof that you cherish the life you live. It shows what is important to you. I am moved to near tears by what you see as the priorities in your life. I could not ask for anything more.

Me – My name is Tru. I am happy and funny. And I am silly too. I laugh if somebody laughs.

Family – My family lives together. I have a mom and a dad too. (photo – Dad, Tru, Mom)
Food – My favorite food is pizza. It is yummy with pepperoni.

Things I Like – I like to play Minecraft with my mom and dad.
Things I Like – I like to bounce on the trampoline with my mom. (photo – Mom, Dad, Woof, Dog)

Future Plans – Make robots in the future. It sounds good. (photo – Yay, Beep, Bop)

Writing puts our thoughts and our heart on paper. It is a way of sharing and holding our thinking still in that moment of time and it will forever be there.
This writing. Your book. Is your 6 year old mind. What a beautiful place!
I wonder what else is in there.

I love you too much!

We have heard of tree-huggers.
But tree-kissers?

You LOVE picking out the tree. And we get one the day they grace the sidewalks.
You LOVE looking at the tree.
You LOVE studying each ornament.
You always have.
We would spend hours walking around the tree talking about each ornament.
Same stories every day for the month of December.
You wanted to hear them again and again.
Each day, like you were seeing it for the first time.
Each story, like you were hearing it for the first time.
We did this together.

http://trumama.com/?p=829

You bring such fun and creativity to the little things we do.
You bring them with love.

I love you too much!

Cat in the Hat on the Dock

Cat in the Hat and the Minion

Cat in the Hat in the Cat

I love you too much!

The Cat in the Hat
Having some fun with Thing 1
Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!
I love you too much!

Getting to spend my days with you
is like finding tiny treasures along the shore.

Each little moment is something rare and beautiful.
I tuck them into my heart forever.

My heart is full and plump.
Bulging with pure love.
All the wrongs, made right.
All the shame, washed away.

With you, I have peace.
Soaring, tranquil peace.
Light as a feather

With you, I have grace.
Simple, elegant grace.
Fluid as a dancer

With you, I have joy.
Unabashed, blissful joy.
Bright as a flower

It is having everything I could ever want
all wrapped up in a single little smile.

It is when needs and wants are simple things now
like sitting next to you and watching you play your games
or talking with you about your favorite Star Wars character.

It is laying next to you as you drift off to sleep.

It is simply knowing you
listening to you
watching you
being with you.

With you, I have heaven in my heart.

I love you too much!

So many days I am sad because you never met my dad. Your grandpa.

But then I am sweetly reminded that you have.
He is with you.
He is a part of you.
There is a little Grandpa in there.

You have his silliness.
His quiet sense of humor that gets ya every time.

You have his gentleness.
His calm way of making each moment last forever. Like a deep, slooow breath.

You have his heart.
His ability to see others with compassion. To feel their joy and their pain.

There are little things that remind me of him.
Like your feet. With their beautiful arch.

Or an expression.

Little things that make me smile.
Little things that make my eyes water.
And for a moment I feel the warmth of his presence…
because there is a little Grandpa in there.

He was a great man.
It is comforting to know and feel that wonderfulness lives on.

Happy Birthday Grandpa.

It rained like we have never seen rain before.
And then it rained some more.
But we survived the 1,000-year storm.

(That is a waterfall coming off the sidewalk.)

This could have easily been our street.
We are SO lucky our house was fine.

Moments happen
Flashing throughout life

Pay attention to the flashes
For it is there you find true beauty

The flash
The moment
will then be gone forever