Happy Birthday Dorothy: Year 2

Dear Dorothy,

Happy Birthday my beautiful girl.  I hope that wherever you spent your day, you felt all the love that was being sent to you.  If you were here right now, I would wrap my arms around you so that you could feel every bit of it.

I spent some time today imagining what we would have done for your second birthday if you had been here with us.  I like to think that we would have had a little party with family and friends.  Or, maybe, we would have gone someplace special with just the four of us.  Whatever we chose to do, it would have been very special.  Just like you.

On the surface, today looked kind of normal.  Your dad and I spent some time together this morning, eating our favorite breakfast sandwiches and watching Top Chef reruns in our jammies.  After I picked up your sister from daycare, she and I went to the grocery store to buy some items for dinner and we picked out ingredients for the birthday cupcakes we’ll make this weekend.  When we got home, there was lots of playing and music and hide-and-seek behind the curtains.  Right before dinner, there was a visit from a new friend of mine, who made a cake for you.  A simple day, full of simple acts but all things that brought comfort and smiles.  It’s kind of how I imagine you; the type of person whose presence inspires happiness.

Below the surface of today, there was so much love.  Compared to the subtle quiet of last year, this year you were remembered with such intensity.  I lost track of how many times I heard or saw your name today.  There were acts of kindness done in your honor and flowers sent.  There were messages of love and remembrance.  It made my mother heart so happy to know that people love you.

That’s all a mother wants in this world.  All I want for you and your sister is for you to know love.  I worry so much that there is an expiration date on the love people feel for you, but today helped to ease my worries.  As long as I keep saying your name, the love will find its way to you.

So, happy birthday dear Dorothy.  I will never stop wanting you here with us.  I hope that you know we love you so very much.

xoxo,
Mama

Photo by Stephanie McCabe on Unsplash