To my L's,
Today you woke up too early. Today you ran around naked while your dad and I chased after you and tried to get you dressed. Today you both refused to eat your breakfast while I ran around trying to get you packed up for our ride to preschool.
Lila, today you wore your pink Dora The Explorer sunglasses and carried a pink Barbie Igloo lunchbox and danced all through Target while Levi was in school. You spit out your cranberry scone and blew bubbles in your milk when we stopped at Starbucks. You giggled, skipped and cuddled your way through my heart and our day.
Levi, today you packed your Diego Rescue Pack with your very favorite pair of tractor underwear just because you had to have them with you. You stuffed keys, a baseball hat and some stolen gummy worms into your bag for school (I told you you couldn't have candy in school...) Daddy dropped you off and when we picked you up, you marched so proudly out of school with your handmade binoculars two hours later. You are getting so big that I find myself staring at you wondering if I am doing as much as I can to help you become the man I know you are going to be. That smile you have melts my heart everyday. You hopped into the car with me, Daddy buckled you in and kissed you before he had to leave for another business trip. Daddy kissed me and then Lila. We waved to him and told him to have a safe flight.
Levi and Lila, today we stopped for Happy Meals at McDonald's for lunch after school. When we got home, we saw a plane fly over the house and we waved at Daddy. We played with your kitchen, we played with the train set, we played outside. I did the dishes and you both watched a Strawberry Shortcake movie (it was Lila's turn to pick) while I made dinner. You both had a bubble bath and then some ice cream. We brushed our teeth and then you crawled into your beds and fell asleep.
Levi and Lila, today probably seemed just like every other day. You are both too young to understand that today was a very special day. Today was the first day of the rest of your lives. Today an honest, honorable, and hope inducing man became the newest leader of the free world. He became the President of the United States of America. Not more than sixty years ago, his father wasn't allowed to eat in certain restaurants because of the color of his skin and today I saw the possibilities for your future. A future with less hate, a future that is safer for you, more progressive in it's opportunities and a future where anyone can work hard and achieve their dreams. Anyone can. Today was an amazing day.
My hope for you both is that you grow up to be independent thinkers, honorable in what you believe in and creative enough to use your experiences for something that makes you happy. I will be here to support you, guide you, love you unconditionally and protect you forever.
Stretch your legs and run babies, run. I'll always be behind you.