[35 weeks]

September 24, 2013
35 weeks (8 months)

Dear Kenton,

Hello my handsome warrior!

Sure do love you!  
Sure do miss you!  

I miss those super tight hugs - like that day we started Christmas break 2012 - when you came sprinting down the hall of the halfway house because we'd beat you there (you'd been at clinic getting a transfusion) and you threw your arms around me right there in the doorway of our room - or like every morning before you'd leave for school - and like every single time I'd be leaving to come home when you were still at PCMC or at the halfway house.  Yeah, I miss those.  No one gives a hug quite like you.  McKayslin gives great hugs and I love those hugs too!  We all miss your hugs.

I miss that giant smile.  The one that was nearly always present on your face.  The one that could light up an entire room.  Change an attitude.  Lift a dark cloud.  We all miss your smile.

I miss tripping over your cowboy boots.
And your Schleich animals.
And your cars.
And your tractors.

I miss finding drawings of horses in random places.

I miss having sketchbooks and drawing pencils lying around every room of the house.

I miss the notes in my scriptures, in my school bag, in my purse (although you taught your little sister well, because she does this now!). 

I miss hearing you pluck out songs on the guitar and on the piano.

I miss hearing you play your favorite song on your iPod 20 times a day.

I miss hearing you sing along.

I miss you asking for eggs for breakfast every.single.morning.  ;)

I miss cooking breakfast.  
Because McKayslin and I eat cereal almost every morning and you hated cereal.  

I miss cooking your favorite foods - cilantro lime chicken, pumpkin pancakes, pizza sticks...  You loved everything I cooked and were always the first to tell me how delicious dinner was (even when sometimes it wasn't!).

I miss you sending the "love you Mom, have a good day!" texts when the bus had just rounded the corner, or when you first got to school, and always when you got home from school.

I miss waving to you and blowing you a kiss every morning as the bus left - I asked you several times if you wanted me to stop because I was embarrassing you and you always said no.

I miss having a shopping buddy when I go to craft stores.

I miss buying Schleich animals.  And sour cream and onion Pringles.

There are so many things I miss.

Every day I miss you.  

I read something the other day that I wish I would have read when you were little.  It was talking about the best way to cheer your children on.  Simple words... "I love the way you..." instead of criticizing, or yelling, or "encouraging" during sporting events mainly.  But I've thought a LOT about that over the past week or so.  Oh how I wish instead of being so hard on you I simply would have let you know that I was proud of you.  

Do you know how proud I am of you?  
How proud I've always been of you?  

Instead of "helping" (which I realize now really was no help at all!) by yelling during sporting events, piano practice sessions, and homework time, I should have told you:

"I love the way you play baseball with your whole heart!"  

"I love the way you don't give up when you're wrestling someone older and taller than you!"  

"I love how you know each karate motto and how you live them!"  

"I love that you share your art with so many people!"  

"I love how you play goalie with every ounce of effort and concentration you can muster!" 

"I love that you're learning to play so many songs!"  

"I love that you're developing your musical talents!"  

"I love that you're not afraid to perform a musical number in church!"

"I love watching you in the musical!"

"I love that you're working hard - I know this math is tough, can I help you?"  

"I love seeing your hard work pay off when report cards come!  Being on the honor roll is a really big deal!"

"I love that each morning you get my vitamins ready for me before you head to the bus!"

"I love that you take Sparky potty every single morning before you'll eat breakfast so I don't have to!"

"I love that you text me little 'love you Mom!' notes during the day!"

"I love that you're the perfect big brother!"

"I love that you serve so freely and without any desire for a reward!"

"I love that you're always looking for ways to make someone's day a little brighter!"  

And when I think about this, I often think of the day you sent an e-mail, it was a Friday, you were recovering from your BMT and you were SICK!, yet you noticed that one of the nurses (she wasn't even YOUR nurse this day!) was having a pretty rotten day, so you e-mailed me and asked me to bring her a surprise when we came to the hospital that afternoon.  I asked you what and you KNEW that she loved doing puzzles to relax, so you asked us to pick her up a puzzle or two.  We did.  And you were able to give them to her before she headed home that night.  She thanked you with eyes full of tears.  You always could read people so well, and you always wanted to make them smile!

"I love your courage in being friends with everyone!"

"I love that everyone knows what you believe because you live your beliefs proudly!"

"I love your example of faith and courage!" 

I LOVE YOU!!!

Yep, I so wish I'd realized how hurtful my "help" was.  
I'm so grateful for your forgiveness and your unconditional love.  

Because of you, I am more aware as I talk to McKayslin, to my class, to my friends.  
I'm sorry I didn't do better with you.

It's been a rough 8 months without you.  Sometimes I wonder where the 8 months have gone because time seems to be flying by.  Yet other times, I feel every crushing second of those 8 months without you.  

I was remembering the other night the last solo you sang in church.  It must have been March or April of 2012.  Right before you got sick.  It was the song "In That Holy Place" by Sally DeFord.  You sang it so beautifully.

Holy temple; hallowed walls;
filled with heaven's light
Where the Spirit teaches truth
and testifies of Christ
There within that holy place
our hearts are made as one
United by the power of God
in pure eternal love

House of learning; house of faith;
house of peace and prayer;
House of glory; house of God;
I’ll feel his presence there
I will stand with heart and hands
kept clean and pure each day
Worthy of the blessings found
in that holy place

Holy temple where we learn
creation’s grand design
Where our souls will be endowed
with power from on high
There we kneel, our hearts prepared
to cov’nant with our Lord
And there his Spirit binds our lives
in love forever more

House of learning; house of faith;
house of peace and prayer;
House of glory; house of God;
I’ll feel his presence there
I will stand with heart and hands
kept clean and pure each day
Worthy of the blessings found
in that holy place

Holy temple where we bless
our loved ones gone before
Where eternal ties are sealed
by sacred priesthood pow’r
There we turn our hearts to those
who gave us life and birth
How beautiful that holy place

where heaven dwells on earth 

This song plays in my mind often.  
I can hear you singing your testimony of eternal family.  
And it makes my heart smile and my tears fall.

My son of many talents - I love that you shared your talents so freely.
I love that you have blessed the lives of so many.

And mostly, I love that I am your mom.

I love you forever.
And miss you always.

Thanks for being awesome.
For loving me.
For forgiving me.
And for teaching me.

Keep being awesome my heavenly missionary!

Love you, LOVE YOU!
Love,
Mom