To My Children

Dear Max, Ryan, Jason and Evelyn,

I've been thinking lately about what I want you to know, what I will try to teach you as your parent.  I want you to know how wonderful you are.  You are children of God.  I pray that you'll always, always know how much your dad and I love you even when you don't agree with us or you're mad at us.  Even when we disagree, we love you. 

I pray that you'll lean on the Lord through happy times as well as hard times because you'll have both.  I would take away your hard times if I could or should but I want you to be strong and faithful. 

I pray that you'll always learn, through the scriptures, through other good books, through conversations with many different people.  I pray that you'll always be open to new people and new places, seeing the beauty in all around you.

I pray that you'll be happy through life,  happy for others.  Laugh often.  Be joyful when your loved ones experience joy.  Don't begrudge others' happiness just as you would never hope for them to have hardships.

I pray that you'll enjoy life and the people around you, seeing people the way our Savior does, with love and without judgment.

I know we will make mistakes but I pray that you will feel the redeeming love of our Savior.

I pray that you will be wise with your finances but not so concerned with money that you think that it is what life is all about.  Be giving.  Work hard and be grateful for what you have.  There will always be people with more than you and less than you.  Don't feel entitled to anything. 

I pray that you will be positive, examples and leaders.  I want for you to know when to lead and when to follow.  I want you to know that I want these things for you and for all of us.  I hope that you will love the Lord, because you see that I love the Lord.  I hope that you will love life because you see that I love life.  I want to do all of these things because I want them for you and I know that you see me everyday.  I want to be an example for what you want to do and not the opposite.  It is because of you that I have made many of the choices I have made in my life.  It is because of my love for you, because I believe that you were meant to be mine, because I have felt of your existence before you were born.  Because of you, I changed the path I was heading down as a teenager, because I knew it would affect you.  I've felt your love before you came to this earth with a few very special experiences that I will tell you about.  Everyday, I am grateful for you.  I can be tired or frustrated, but everyday I am grateful for you.  I hope you always know how much I love you.