I Just Want You to Know (15 page)

In addition to the everyday notes, each Valentine’s Day I write a love letter to each child. While in the day-to-day routine I have to be tough, Valentine’s Day is a special time for me to remind them in various ways how much I love them. In fact, all day on Valentine’s Day, I ask the kids what Valentine’s Day means, and they respond, “Looove!”

The tooth-fairy notes came soon after that. Jon and I were sleeping when Mady presented us with her first tooth. On Mady’s note I wrote:

Dear Mady,

I would like to introduce myself: I am Miss Tooth Fairy! I flew from far away to collect your tooth—and thank you, by the way. I am working on a necklace. Enjoy your surprise! See you next time a tooth falls out! (But please wait until it’s warm outside, since I don’t like flying in this chilly night weather!)

Byeeeeeeee, Miss Tooth Fairy

Oh, and one more thing: Brush your teeth. I don’t like dirty rotted teeth! Thank you!

We left that first note with a $2 bill. (The dentist said the going rate in our area for the first tooth is $20. Not so much in our house!) We were so busy with the little kids when Mady and Cara started losing teeth, that at one point, Mady lost a tooth and the tooth fairy didn’t come for five days. She was heartbroken. We left her a note from the tooth fairy that read, “I’m sorry, I broke my left wing. I could only fly in circles.” We had to come up with something because we had been so forgetful.

I couldn’t keep track of only Mady and Cara’s teeth, so I can’t imagine how hard it will be with six of them. When they start losing teeth, I’m going to have to prepare preprinted notes and have them all folded and ready. Even the tooth fairy needs some organization and efficiency.

When Mady and Cara started first grade, I wrote napkin notes in their lunches almost every day. I remember how much little notes meant to me during lunchtime, and I want them to feel the same way I did. My mom used to write her notes in red ink with the same curly handwriting as my grandpa and she always signed them “1–4–3” (I love you).

In addition to the lunch-box notes, there is always a note on the dry erase board by the sink that I change periodically. For Thanksgiving it read, “I’m so thankful for each one of my eight perfectly amazing kids.” For Christmas it read, “You’re the eight best Christmas presents I could ask for.” For Valentine’s Day it read, “My heart belongs to each of you.”

The best surprise is that the kids now leave notes for me.

Mady received a plate to decorate for Christmas. Recently, when I was traveling, she decided to decorate it and then so sweetly chose to give it to me. When I got home, she left the Christmas plate in my room with two Post-It notes stuck to it. One note said, “Dear Mommy, I decided to decorate and give my plate to you, because you’re the most important person to me.” The second one read, “Do not touch unless you’re Mommy.”

I love the plate, but you know I will never ever remove the Post-It notes.

All those nights when I sat completely exhausted at my laptop and could barely see the computer screen through my blurry eyes, I continued to journal and make notes of our daily, seemingly mundane lives. Even though I thought I’d remember what happened each day, it has gone by so quickly that many of the memories have all but faded. With each journal entry, each note, each event and conversation recorded, my kids will have a permanent reminder of my love for them during these early years. But this legacy is far from complete: I’ll continue writing my kids love notes because I just want them to know how much I love them.

Our first day of ski school in Utah. It took two hours and lots of adults to dress all of the kids. I was so happy they had the privilege of learning to ski.

At the beach in North Carolina, Alexis greets “Dusty.” I have no idea where she came up with the name Dusty, but he is her buddy for sure!

All six kids giving one another “rabbit ears.” It’s moments like these that I can catch glimpses of the future…when they are all teenagers doing goofy stuff to each other (heaven help me!).

This is one of my favorite pictures of Aaden ever…from the snack in the corner of the mouth to the folded down ear.

Cara in her own design. She always came up with the most creative paper hats and masks.

Diving into our Easter baskets before church. There was no room for everyone to go and spread out their contents, so they ended up sitting on the floor around the dining room table…sneaking jelly beans (organic of course) at any chance.

Life’s a beach, isn’t it?

On a rainy beach day, Leah, Alexis, and Hannah made the pantry into a fun game—jump out and scare Mommy!