The last of the birthday letters (for this year!)

I asked B and the grandparents to all write letters to Sam for her birthday this year. . . my idea is that someday, I'll have all the letters to Sammie B from this blog made into a little book for her! Here's the last of the letters for this year! Now, I'll get back to my normal blogging:o)

Hi Sammie!

We are writing to you on your second birthday to let you know how very much we love you! You are a very special and very precious young girl. Sometimes we see you when we're in California at your home, sometimes we talk with you and see each other on the computer by way of the internet (thanks to Skype!), and sometimes we see you in pictures that your Mom, your Dad or your Nanny send to us. But even if we don't see you every day, you are always in our hearts. As each day, week, month and year have passed you have grown in so many ways. You have faced many obstacles that have been put in front of you – and you are becoming stronger all the time. But you are not only becoming stronger, you are also becoming sweeter and smarter with each passing day. We are so taken by who you are and who we see that you are becoming. You are such a wonderful, bright, life loving young girl. We are looking forward to seeing you more and to watching you grow in so many ways.

So much has happened to you over the past two years...there have been so many challenges and you have done so much to get where you are – from your corrective eye surgery, to the physical and occupational therapy for your low-tone muscle issues, to the restrictions on your diet to accommodate your allergies. You deal with these issues and, in the end, wind up with a precious smile on your face. A smile which warms our hearts more than you can possibly imagine. There are so many people that have come to know you and have been taken in by your sweetness and the beauty of your personality and the intelligence that we all see showing itself and growing – more and more with each passing day. We know that this will continue through your life.

We live far away from you and we see you as often as we can - but that is not often enough. We wish that we can see you more. The older that you get, the more that we see you enjoying your books, brimming with excitement at the zoo, creating art at your desk, or playing with your toy kitchen - and the more that we miss you and the more that we want to see you and to be a larger part of your life.

Samantha Abigail – please continue growing into the very wonderful and special person that we see you becoming; please continue loving and learning from your Mom and Dad; please continue enjoying your life - meeting and moving beyond the challenges that are in front of you. You are a special person with so much to give to others and there is so much for you to see and experience. Know that you are deeply loved by us and by so many people around you who will always be there for you.

We love you,
Nana and Papa