I am writing this letter to you, while you sit next to me at Starbucks. You just bobbed your head in celebration of finishing something on your schoolwork I assume. I immediately looked back to my screen after I saw it so you wouldn’t notice me looking at you. My phone just buzzed in my pocket and I picked it up to see a text from your girlfriend asking if she could bring over decorations for your birthday to set up before you wake up tomorrow. I have to actively work on hiding my excitement to keep the surprise. 

This is our second Starbucks date this week. If I’m honest, I arranged the first as a way to have some control over the amount of schoolwork you are doing. Bribing you with Starbucks was an easy way to get you to come. However, after the first date, I’ve been looking forward to this one all week. I don’t get a lot of one-on-one time with you because of your work schedule and the demands of raising your siblings. On Saturday when we came I figured we would silently work on our tasks, drink our drinks, and head home. Sitting in the passenger seat in my car you began to open up. You started talking to me about random small things, something we haven’t done much over the last year. When you told me you brought a deck of cards for us to play when you finished your school work I was so happy I was sure I would burst into tears right in front of you, making you wish you would have never brought the cards. I taught you how to play Golf, and even though I won every game, I could tell you still enjoyed it. 

We are at a different Starbucks today, but after we sat down in the comfy green chairs in the corner and pulled out our laptops, you also removed a deck of cards from your pocket and set it on the table between us. 

I can’t believe you will be seventeen tomorrow1. You are about to be a senior in high school, only a year before the year I became pregnant with you. It hasn’t always been easy. If I’m being honest, some years have felt like nothing but hard. I am sure you would agree. But in case I haven’t made it clear already, every single year has been worth it. I would not trade a single moment for a moment with anyone else in this world. 

The day you were born, so was I. I know that sounds clique but it is absolutely the truth. I had no idea who I was until the day I became Brady’s Mom. You saved me. You make me better. We may not always see eye to eye. There will be more yelling at each other, I’m sure you’ll slam a few more doors. I’ll say the wrong thing. We will both have our feelings hurt. This is all just part of being in relationship with people. I promise, no matter how angry either of us ever becomes, there is nothing in the world that would make me not love you. Every single part of your personality, even the parts that rub against my personality, is what makes you, you. I love every part of you. I’m forever grateful God gifted me with you, after fourteen hours of long labor, seventeen years ago. I hope this is your best year yet kid. And I hope it includes a lot more Mom and Brady dates. We can add Chipotle and Olgas into the rotation when wifi isn’t a necessary part of the outing. Man, now I want a basket of snackers.

Love, 

Mom. 

Some of my favorite photos of us, before anyone else. Probably blurry because I stole them from facebook but I love them anyway.