To My Daughter ....

Dearest Natalie:

There are a couple of things I want you to know: First, I am so very proud of you. You are such a remarkable young woman. You are beautiful and talented and smart and honest and extremely kind and funny and athletic and so very fun to be around. You brighten my day by just walking into the room. You never give up, even in a fight, even when you are wrong (you can thank your Nana for that!). You make people feel better about themselves when they are around you.

I know this is impossible for you to believe, but the last 12 years have flown by. Heck, my baby girl, the last 18 have gone by in an instant flash. I remember the day you were born: We had scheduled a Cesarean section so they could take you 2 weeks early so you would not be as big as Garrick. I got to pick the day and pretty much the time. From about mid October, people would ask when I was due and my reply would be, "Oh...December 4 at 12:00noon!" It got me a lot of looks but it kinda set the road for us and our relationship. It was the start of what has ended up being a very close friendship between two great girlfriends. It was kind of our first inside joke. You were born December 4th @ 12:34pm...a little late, because you were starting your personality and you were not going to start your life coming on time; people would so start expecting you to be on time! The day you were born, it snowed, a lot; almost a foot. The hospital was quiet. My mom had taken Garrick home and dad had left for bed. It was just you and me in our room. I was laid up and could not get out of bed that first night because of the surgery, but they brought you to me. I remember one of the nurses coming in and asking if I just wanted them to take care of you that night so I could sleep; I remember thinking...ummmmmm NO! So, they brought you into my room and because I could hardly move, they placed you in my arms. I fed you and we slept. All night. You slept in my arms all night your very first night on this earth. We bonded. We had a chat about you and your future and the things I expected. We talked about how boys had cooties, except for daddy and Garrick, of course. We talked about how I was going to dress you in pretty pink dresses and how you were going to like it! We talked about me learning to braid your hair and how you would always be beautiful. I predicted that snowy day that you and I would be best of friends...I think I may have even insistent on it!

We may sometimes fight and you may roll your eyes at me a time too many or I may roll my eyes at you for being too young to understand. We may leave the room once in a while just to get away from the other. We may even say some things that we don't mean and totally regret. But, we are best friends, Natalie. I love you like I love no other girl in the whole wide world. I laugh with you and talk with you about things I just don't with anyone else. I have a friend who told me once that she told her daughter she wanted to get closer to her and her daughter said, "Like Velvet and Natalie are?" (Best compliment ever, BTW.) I don't think we can fake our relationship...I think anyone that knows us, knows who we really are and knows that we definitely like being around the other.

So, my darling baby girl, as you graduate high school today, know that I have never been prouder of you. Know that every day of your life, I have loved you more every day than the day before. I love you more now than that day they brought you and placed you in my arms; this is because I know you now. I know the wonderful woman you are. I know what a tremendous person you are. I know that girl who still takes my breath away every time she walks into a room. As you go on with your life and do all the things that I want you to do, always remember you have my heart, my baby. Always remember that no matter where you are or where I am or how many miles between us, I love you more today than yesterday. Always remember that I am missing you and my heart is never complete and is never full until you are home and under my roof. You will forever be my baby, my Nattie Jo, my sweet, sweet Natalie. And...you will forever be my closest friend.

Loving you,

Mama
XOXO