Those of you who come here just for the sewing, feel free to skip this one. I’m taking a moment to mush out.
Tyo
Dear Tyo,
When you were born, I looked at you and was overwhelmed by how much love there must be in the world, if every mother feels this much looking at her baby for the first time. I was young, and scared, and excited, and uncertain of just about everything, but my love for you was instant and immense and unremitting, and being your mother has been, and continues to be, the most exhilarating adventure of my life.
Today, you graduated from grade six. In a few weeks you’ll be twelve. You’re not yet a woman, but the shape of your childhood is changing, and everything about you hints at the changes that are coming. You amaze me, challenge me, and drive me nuts every single day, and the privilege of watching you grow is the most amazing gift you could ever have given me. You are strong and confident, passionate and compassionate, vulnerable and astounding. I know you’re going to have to work hard in life—as you already do—to overcome your particular challenges, but I also know that you have the will, determination and, yes, the charisma, to do just that. You are already becoming the person you dream of. And I can’t tell you how excited I am that I am privileged to watch you, be there for you, and probably even get in your way from time to time, on this journey.
I love you to the moon.
I know you’re sad to be leaving your school and moving away from so many friends—and you have wonderful friends—but I am so excited for the things that you are doing, the person you are becoming, and the adventure that lies ahead. I know that wherever you go, whatever you do, you will shine like a beacon. You are one of those people who lights up a room, whose smile gets under the skin, who inspires us just by breathing, and if you choose, I know you’ll change the world, just as you’ve already changed all of us who know you.
As the story says, I love you to the moon
and back.
***
Ok, I’m going to go blow my nose now. I’ll be back with some sewing stuff later…
PS, if anyone asks, I’m blaming this whole post on K-Line.
Tanit-Isis Sews 
Oh, what a lovely post. I’m totally teary!
See what you started?!? 😉
You have me sniffling over here! A beautiful post for you beautiful girl!
Your, I mean.
“how lovely”, she said while wiping tears away from her eyes.
Aw, what a beautiful post! One of my favorite things about your blog is how genuine you come across. The highs and lows – it’s so refreshing! Congrats to Tyo. 🙂
Aww, thanks! That is exactly what I strive for, actually. 😉
She is very pretty they grow up so fast.
Tears in my eyes. What a beautiful post.
She is so feisty and so adorable, and SO much like you. You have just given her a huge gift by putting your feelings on paper. Just make sure you save it for her so she can read it when she has her own children. And that photo? The best.
She read it last night and came and gave me a big hug. It’s so good to have the good stuff written down, because it’s so easy to forget when things are rough…
AAwwwww…. now I’m all sniffly. *SNIFFLES* Also, how awesome is that mockingjay pin? AWESOME that is.
Yeah. She bought it with her birthday (party) money on the weekend. Unfortunately it didn’t make it home from being worn to school…
Beautiful. Bravo for putting such lovely and heartfelt feelings on paper.
Aw, sniffle….she is adorable! And yes, I too noticed the mockingjay pin.
I have yet to feel particularly poignant about my kids’ growing up milestones. Then again, my kids go to a K-8 school so they haven’t had the big graduation/change of schools yet. I might get verklempt over Oldest graduating 8th next year…
Well, I actually did really well through the ceremony and all the lead up. Then I sat down and started to write a flippant post about our crazy week, and, well, this happened.
That is lovely. Thank you for sharing. I don’t fully understand the love for a child (being childless) but helping raise a young girl to become a strong, confident woman must be so rewarding.
Congrats, Tyo. My book club is called The Mockingjays. 🙂
I totally respect the decision to remain childless—but for me, parenting trumps it all. It might be the only important thing I ever do with my life. It’s what makes all the other stuff (and I do a *lot* of other stuff) worth doing.
geeeez, warn us in the beginning to grab some tissues, would you? 🙂 🙂
Beautiful post! I think I’ve got something in my eye…
Aww. Sigh. Smile.
I’m just all gershmigglyfuddled. Yeah, I just made that word up, but there aren’t any others to describe how your post makes me feel.
Thank you :)))
It’s a good word—I know exactly what you mean. 🙂
Gorgeous. Where’re the tissues….sniff
Seconded, thirded, fourthed.. whatever its up to now. This was simply lovely. Sigh.. why do the babies have to grow up so darn fast?
Aaaaw. Sigh. 😉
(You should print this out read it during one of those mother-daughter-puberty-rows, to put things into the right perspective). Lovely photograph!
You’re absolutely right. /sigh. Because we do have those, oh yes, we do…
Bawling my head off here! That was so obviously written from the heart, just lovely. My older son finishes primary school next year, I’m going to be an absolute wreck! x
Aww. I go back and forth between sadness and excitement—though really when it comes down to it, I guess we just need to enjoy the journey, right?
Such a lovely letter. My DD just finished 5th grade and I’m already feeling the sting of all the milestones and elementary school lasts that will occur in the next year. BTW, that mockingjay pin is a constant accessory on my DD. We put it on a necklace chain for easier summer wear 🙂
A chain would be a great idea! If this one reappears (I think she lost it on the school bus) or we get another one, I will definitely think about that.
That’s so sweet. She’s so lovely, and I just know I’m going to blink and my girls are going to be graduating 6th, too.
They change so quickly when they’re really little, you really feel it. And then once they’re in school there’s a bit of a lull… and then this whole puberty thing sneaks in. Aiee. I really couldn’t tell you where the last five years went.
You know my general feelings on small human beings, but that was beautiful and sniffle-inducing. Your love for Tyo comes through so strongly! So sad that the Mockingjay pin didn’t make it home!
LOL. I wasn’t overly fond of small human beings until I had my own (I found them intimidating, I think.), but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I’m still trying to wrap my mind around twelve-year-olds, though. I didn’t like twelve-year-olds even when I was one.
Awwwww….
You know, that grade six/grade seven year is such a change, especially for girls. I teach kids up through fifth grade. Whenever they come back to visit me I’m always amazed at how much they’ve changed. They start turning in to their own person. I keep crossing my fingers that I’ll get to experience being a parent soon enough.
Looking back at photos from even last summer, I notice such a big difference!
I hope you get your wish soon. I came to parenthood more or less accidentally, so the thought of people who *want* to be parents having trouble getting there (whether for financial or life or biological reasons) absolutely kills me.
That is a really beautiful post. I’m still getting my head around having an 8 year old. It seems that time keeps speeding up the older my children get.
Oh, my brittle heart is melting!
Isn’t it bittersweet to watch them turn into someone amazing, but leaving behind the times when they were just your little ones? My eldest just graduated from high school and I’m sniffling a lot myself these days.
You have a way with words. I’m also getting a bit teary here. My sister just left for prom looking so grow up. I can picture her like Tyo all dressed up for the last day of sixth grade it feels like yesterday. Congratulations to Tyo. Love the outfit.
wonderful.
Tyo is a lucky girl to have such an amazing momma! Beautiful post… (and beautiful girl!)
Oh, what a beautiful post! “sniff” : D