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Annual Thanksgiving Letter to My Daughter

November 22, 2005

Dear McKenna:

It’s time for your annual Thanksgiving letter again.

I can’t believe you’re five!

My heart is comforted by the fact that you have such a great life. Your life is everything I wanted it to be for you.

Every time I get a picture and see your smiling face looking back at me I know how lucky I am and what a great life you have.

At times five years ago seems like a long time ago. Other times it feels just like yesterday.

I happened to be talking with Stephanie, my best friend the other day. She was in the operating room the day you came into this world. She was telling me about a girl your age that is not as lucky as you. Every time I hear a story such as hers I am so glad you have the life you do.

Your spirit keeps me going and I often have dreams about you, good ones in which you are happy, reflecting your true life.

In those dreams I also see myself at your age and I feel like a Higher Power is showing me who I really was in Technicolor – innocent and pure.

None of this may make sense to you when you read this. But maybe one day in person I can better explain it to you.

When I see you I see the child I was and realize that God has a Master Plan.

I think it’s so great that you have so many friends at your age, that you have such a caring big brother, and parents who can take such fantastic care of you. It gets me emotional sometimes with happiness when I think about it.

I am very lucky because Vicki is so open to me and respects my birth mom role. She loves you so much and gives me updates all the time on you. She is so generous and giving and I know by the time you are old enough to read this you will know what I mean. You will have had several years with her by this time and will have the foundation of this wondrous mother’s love.

Larry is your protective father and you are the apple of his eye. He would do anything for you and I know that. By the time you read this you will have known a father’s love that is enduring and right.

Bryant loves you so much and is your protective, unwavering big brother. To see the two of you together in pictures and hearing all about your times together makes me feel good, knowing you are so important in each other’s lives.

My boyfriend loves you and he doesn’t even know you but he knows how important you are to me. He respects me for my decision. I always show him the latest pix of you and he likes hearing about you. He understands how much I love you.

As the calendar rolls around to another holiday I wish for you all the peace, love, and laughter your heart can hold.


Love,



Terri

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