One of my fondest, most vivid memories is of the day my first son was born and that first night in the hospital with by beautiful wife and our new baby boy. Even today, 6 years later, I can distinctly remember holding him in my arms and the words that I spoke over him and to him that night. Just as vivid and memorable is the night that I experienced the same feelings with our second son, just fourteen months later.
It didn't take me long to realize that though my heart was full of love and full of words for my sons, there was no way I would ever be able to remember everything on my own and there was no way for them to one day, in the future, know what I was saying and feeling for them at these present moments.
So, began, letters to my sons.
I love the technological advancements that have been made over the years that have made communicating much easier through avenues such as emailing, texting, facebooking, tweeting, blogging, skyping and so on. But for me, there is still no better way to communicate and express myself than through a handwritten letter.
Today, I am the proud dad of 4 beautiful and amazing boys. My boys are currently ages 6, 5, 4 & 2. At present, my Kristy and I are also in the (very slow) process of adopting our daughter, Zoe Moon, from Ethiopia.
These days, I keep a journal for each of my boys in which I regularly write letters to them. The letters are usually written at random times throughout the year as well as a letter to each boy on his birthday every year. This has been an amazing way for me to communicate with my boys and also have a book of letters to one day give to each. Even now, as they are growing older, I have recently begun sitting down with them and reading some of their letters to them.
Not too long ago, I headed over to Barnes and Noble to pick up my newest journal. This one is a little different. It's pink. And I cannot wait for the day that I am able to hold my Zoe and begin reading all of the letters that have been written to her even while she is over 8000 away.
I'm curious, what are some of your fun and creative traditions?
3 comments:
I adore this!! I think that is one of the most amazing things you can do for your kids, what a legacy!
I would love to do this for our baby, I kind of already started too, but I have not done a very good job keeping it up...this definatly motivated me to get back to it. I would like to write something to the baby before we go in Monday night. :)
(My mom keep a journal like this when she was pregnant and we were little, I LOVED reading it, it was so special and personal)
Brian~ I love this idea. I do the same. I started a journal while pregnant for each of my children. My idea was to document through letters from pregnancy until.... I'm not quite sure when that will be. I am unsure if I will tell them that I am doing this? I may one day surprise them with it perhaps for college graduation, wedding day, or a random Tuesday? I write letters whenever I am compelled to do so, but ALWAYS on a birthday. It is my easier for me to blog and communicate in other ways, but I hold their journals very near to my heart and know that one day they will too...
Great stuff, Brian! I love that you are doing this with your kids.
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