It’s overcast with a slight humidity filling up the air, it’s cool in the shade and the weather feels exactly like what this season stands for; The warmth of memories made during a hot busy summer, and the fresh clean air of what’s to come in the next couple months.

I’m sitting on the stairs of my front porch, watching my two children play on the front lawn, I can’t help but feel completely filled up. This summer truly was a wild one. It was hitting the go button as soon as the kids’ feet hit the floor and all but tapping out at bedtime. In between it was dirt and ice cream and coolers full of snacks, it was the lake or the pool or a weekend away with friends and family, it was road trips, scraped knees, sunscreen and sandy feet. It was play dates, all the kids in the neighborhood on our lawn at dusk, and ringing the dinner bell when dinner was on the table. It was summer time, and I forget the rest.

Now switching gears into fall, my oldest will go off 3 days a week and spread his wings. He’ll learn from wonderful teachers, surrounded by a group of what I anticipate to be amazing kids. Today we went to a meet and greet at his school and it was exactly what I expected. Bittersweet. I had to catch myself from staring at him in total awe. I wiped away the proudness rolling down my cheek. I could feel the love thudding in my chest. My happiness for him in this next adventure of his life was all consuming in this moment that was new to the both of us. So today, I’m not gonna tell you to enjoy your kids because you only have 18 summers, I’m not gonna write a letter to his future girlfriend or mother in law or any of that.

Instead, I’m giving my son these pearls of wisdom for his ever flowing treasure chest :

Be Present. You will never realize the value of a moment until it becomes a memory you so long to have back.

Be Good. Down to your soul, please be good.

Be Kind. Do kind. Act kind. Whisper kind, scream kind.

Be Smart. Think twice before you say anything, three times before you type it. And four times before you assume anything. Be book smart, street smart, self smart. Just be smart.

Understand your worth. You are a valuable and rare little man. God placed you in this world for a purpose, so find thatand my baby, run with it.

Boundaries are the fence around a field of love.

Know that you aren’t always gonna be for everyone. You can do everything right, and kind, and smart, all while being present and there will still be somebody who wants to knock you down. Keep climbing. Keep growing, and keep doing good, even when you feel tempted to reduce to their level.

Whatever the opposite of spiteful is, be that.

As long as you have love in your heart to give away, well, give it.

Know when to ask for help.

Say your prayers.

Trust your gut.

There are a million different ways to get to the same end point, think outside the ordinary.

As long as you have confidence in your actions, do whatever it is you want to.

You’ll never be too old to be checked for ticks.

Saying no is as important as saying yes. You’re in charge of making your choices.

It’s more important to be quiet than to be right.

Listen to your inner voice.

Mav, I know you better than anyone. You have sunshine in your soul, love in your heart, and happiness in your mind. You will succeed in whatever you give yourself to! You are going to do great big things and you’re going to do them with love. There isn’t a soul on earth who loves you like I do. You are rare, and I love you to the moon and whatever’s after that. This next weekend is the last weekend we have together before you grow like a wild flower, and I can’t wait to watch you b l o o m 💙😭