Just So You Know

Hope and Harper,
 Just so you know, your mom and I love you more than you know. I think, most times, we love you more than even we know. It's a difficult thing, to be a good parent, perhaps the hardest thing we've ever done. We both teach, and we often hear this theme that we should assume that everyone is doing the best they can with their kids. I don't really know that I believe this, because I've seen some parents that don't really seem like they are trying very hard. But I want you to both know that we are. We are trying really hard. But it's not an easy thing to do. We feel responsible for you becoming the people that God has designed you to be. And we believe that God has designed you to be special, unique people. People who will do great things with their lives. And we believe that the way we speak to you, and the things we model for you, what we read to you, what we allow you to watch, and the time we spend with you will be directly related to you becoming who you were designed to be. And it's hard sometimes, to get all of that right, you know, it's hard a lot of the time. Okay, just about all of the time, it's hard, because you are like the most valuable thing we have, and it's terribly important that we take care of you, and nurture you, and make sure that you grow the right way.

It's important to us that you know how much we love you. Hopefully, we show you that in all these things. I'm not sure that you can always see that as a 7 year old, and a 2 year old, but we always love you.

And just so you know, we are working really hard right now to give you a better life. Honestly, you have a pretty good life right now, but we are working to make it better. Your mom wants to be able to stay home more with you guys, to be around you more, to play with you more, and to hug you more, and chase you more, and hear more about your day. It makes her sad that she is working so much right now, and not able to do the thing she loves most, and that is to be with you. That really is her favorite thing in the world, being with you two.  I need some alone time on occasion, actually, quite frequently I like to be alone, but your mom, she always wants to be near you.

I'm working on it. I don't have the answer right now, but I think I'm asking some good questions, and I think maybe I'll hit on an answer soon. We may have to sacrifice some things, and you may not like it right now, and you probably won't understand. But we believe it is what is best for you and our family. We want to be able to invest in you more, and be around you more, and offer you more opportunities. In order to do that, we may have to give up some things.

We Love You,
Mom and Dad