Your Grandmother loves to brush your hair while you tell her stories of your day. She sits and talks with you, listens to your adventures and hangs on your every word. Your artwork covers her fridge; Child protection for soccer your handprint covers her heart.
Your Grandmother’s next-door-neighbour, well into her nineties, waits for your visits. She savours every moment of those visits, sitting in her sunroom, listening to your tales of soccer games and school adventures. She insists child protection for soccer on teaching you to play the piano, she wants you to be able to play the music that’s in your heart.
The cashier at the store, always asking where you are, how are you doing in school, do you have any Girl Guide cookies to sell? She insists that we come through her checkout when we’re in the store, child protection for soccerjust so she can chat with you. She calls you her sweetheart; you call her “Heart”.
Your friends at school, and you have so very many, plan their summer holidays around your birthday party. They couldn’t possibly miss it! One friend couldn’t be there, and his parents insisted on taking you out for your birthday a month later. He couldn’t believe he had to go to the lake and miss your party. It broke his heart.
Your soccer coaches know that you’ll be at every game. Even when you’re sick, you’ll be there, to cheer on your teammates. When a game has to be cancelled because of bad weather, they call and speak to you personally so that you’re not too upset. They know how much you love soccer. Some of your past coaches still come to your games, just to see you run like the wind, play hard and strong, with passion and spirit. Your love of the game has touched their hearts.
The dog lady. Oh, how she loves to sit and talk with you! She brings her dogs to the park in front of our house and waits for you to come out to talk. She spreads out a blanket and for half an hour or more the two of you sit out there and throw toys for the dogs to catch and you talk. She even made a midnight drive on a Hallowe’en night to tie purple balloons and a bag of candy to our mailbox. Even her dogs love you, and they don’t like children at all. You’ve touched their hearts.
Our old next door neighbour, who still invites you over to “work” in the garage. Wood projects, art projects, car repairs, whatever it may be, I can count on you to be dirty and happy when you come home from his house. His wife often sends you home with your own “personal purple flowers”, because you have brightened their day with your smile and energy. You’ve definitely made your mark on their hearts.
Your first grade teacher told me that you were a gem, a joy to have in the class, an absolute treasure. “If all children were like her, the world would be a wonderful place.” Those were her exact words. She thought you were helpful, cheerful, persistent, and absolutely wonderful. Even though things were sometimes difficult for you, you never gave up. She had tears in her eyes when she said goodbye at the end of the school year. Your spirit, determination, and wonderful attitude captured her heart.
The Instructional Assistant that another student had in Kindergarten fell in love with you. She was somewhat acquainted with the family, living just around the corner from your Grandmother, but had never really met us. She always stops us on the street, in the store, wherever we meet, making sure that all is well with you. She invited you over for a “pool party” in a kiddie pool during the summer holidays, brought you a birthday present last year, and even another one this year! (Soccer Lego! She knows you very well!) You have a hold on her heart.
The list goes on and on my darling. You touch the hearts of almost everyone you meet. Your father and I are always amazed by the fact that no matter where we go, there seems to always be someone calling out hello to you, someone asking how you’re doing, someone anxious to talk to you. This weekend was one we won’t forget for a while. You became RollerBladeGirl as well as SoccerGirl, and went off around the block for a bit of practice. But what should have been a ten-minute “spin” turned into 45 minutes of panic for your father, your brother, and me. Where is she? We called everyone; your brother went on his bike around the block, around the next block, and no sign of you. We knocked on every friend’s door, but no one had seen you. Families all around the neighbourhood were out riding their bikes, looking for my girl, your uncles jumped in their cars to start searching. “I found her!” I heard your brother call. You made a new friend, just two doors away from your best friend’s house. “That’s wonderful that you made a new friend, but you must always, always, always tell me where you are!” I told you. I cried when I saw you, your brother even cried with relief and told you, “I don’t know what I’d do without you!”
It was your seventh birthday this weekend. Seven wonderful years with you in my life. I am truly blessed to have you here with me. I felt so badly that we weren’t able to have your party this weekend, but you understood. You never tried to make me feel bad about being sick, you just wanted me to get better so that we could have your party another time. You filled my arms with hugs, and my heart with love this weekend, and more than that, you made a difficult day bearable for me.
I remember last year, the week before your birthday, praying that my father wouldn’t die on your birthday. I prayed so hard that he’d pass away either before or after. I knew the time was near, and I wanted his pain to end, but not on your special day. But he did die on your birthday. And we decided not to tell you, so that you wouldn’t carry that memory of your birthday throughout your life. And you had a wonderful party; we celebrated bravely and happily. I was so worried that this year, this first anniversary of my father’s death would make it hard to celebrate your birthday. But God knows what he’s doing. Although I had child protection for soccer sadness in my heart, the joy of having you in my life made the pain bearable. The miracle of you made the loss of my father easier to endure.
You are an amazing golden child. You touch so many hearts without even know that you do it child protection for soccer. You have an amazing beauty, both inside and out. You are loving, kind, considerate, helpful, and persistent. You never give up, child protection for soccer always accepting a challenge with enthusiasm. You can have it all, my darling. Those beautiful eyes, that golden hair, the adorable sprinkle of freckles and your wonderful gap-toothed smile give you an outward beauty that no one can deny. Mix that with the immense beauty of your soul, and the world is yours for the taking. You amaze me every single day, sometimes you look up at me and I am overwhelmed by the love I have for you. I thank God for you every single day of my life.
I love you so much, you have my heart………always!
