Dear Burke {a letter on your 2nd birthday}

dear sweet boy, 

i love you. more than anything. more than a sunny day, sushi, and a good book. seriously, you make my world go 'round. watching you learn, grow and experiment with each one of your five wonderful senses has given me such pleasure these past two years. {has it really been two years?? my goodness} i couldn't have imagined this life just two years and one day ago. i couldn't have imagined how happy i would be. how much i would learn to love. how far i'd be challenged. and how deeply my life would be enriched. but just like that my world turned upside down and i am so deeply in love with my job as your mama. i wouldn't want it any other way. so on your second birthday, i just want to say a few things. pray a few prayers.

i pray that you'll never lose your contagious smile and soft warm eyes. you have a way about bringing out the best in people, from those you know to strangers on the street. when you're around the world is all right. your smile penetrates any barriers and your eyes let them know it's okay.

i pray that you'll always possess a passion for life the way you do now. you take life by the horns, excitedly navigating your way through each moment of each day. no obstacle is too big for you. you're a problem solver and a daredevil. you eye up an obstacle, run a few quick calculations in your little head and then dive in full force, smiling all the while. and even when you stumble or fall, you bounce back up and try again. nothing keeps you down and i love that about you. 

i pray that you'll always have a generous and empathetic heart. you may be a tough kid when it comes to bumps and bruises, but you have the most pure and authentic heart. you've cried when others have cried...empathizing with them. you share your food and toys even when unprovoked. when your sissy cries, your first instinct is to pray for her because you think she might be hurt or upset. when you notice someone with a boo boo, you kiss it. and then you pray for healing. you adore your sister and she adores you. even at your young ages, my eyes tear up with the adoration you share with each other. it is really so precious. the thing i love most about you is that you love everyone without inhibition. you don't see size, color, or disability. it's like you see straight into a person's heart and you just love them. i want to be more like you, Burke. i want to love like you do. 

happy 2nd birthday, sweetheart. i love you.

xoxo,

mama