Love letter!

Owen Jerald,

This letter is to you but it's about the other man in my life, the one you're named after!  Your Dad also happens to be my best friend and husband!  An incredible man; we are so blessed to call him ours.  You spend the majority of your time with me and I will teach you everything from shoe tying to alphabet reciting and all that is in between.  But your Dad is also passing on invaluable skills every day of his life.  

He will show you how to be a man; each morning as he loads up his truck and hugs us goodbye you learn about hard-work and commitment.  As you watch him run his business and give his best even when no one is watching, you learn integrity.  You see him love me and you are learning how to pursue and cherish a woman.  As you play together; throwing balls, swimming in the ocean and, inevitably, performing various stunts that I won't hear about for many years...you are learning to enjoy life to the fullest!  As he consistently disciples you, you are learning wrong from right and that the world does not revolve around you but you do have MUCH to offer!  Most importantly, son, you hear your Dada talk with God and talk about God and you learn that real men find their strength in One greater than themselves!

Boys need their daddy.  I can climb trees and dig in the dirt with the best of them, but there are certain things that you absolutely need to learn from your Dad.  He will push you in ways that I wouldn't dream of, encourage you in activities I'm not even aware of and he will not let you quit once you start something.  He'll be your sounding board and coach.  He'll dream with you while keeping you firmly grounded in truth.  And you better believe he will be cheering just as loud as me when you're up to bat!  I couldn't have chosen a better role model for you if I had interviewed every guy on planet earth!  Thank goodness Jesus knew exactly which man we needed in our life.

I have learned countless lessons from your Dad in the past few years... I can only imagine all that he will pass on to you in the next lifetime!  He loves us so well and, by believing in us, brings out the best in who we are.  He is strong, creative, passionate and hilarious.  He doesn't have it all figured out and knows that he needs Jesus in every single day; that's what I love most about him!  I also love that he swings from trees on a daily basis and dives off cliffs in his free time :)  Pursue what God has placed in your heart, my son.  Live fully and joyfully!  And, more than anything, I pray that as you follow in your Daddy's footsteps you will learn to walk with your Heavenly Father!
All my love,
Mama