Every necklace
“I hope your first morning in your new home is quiet and sunny. A good cup of coffee, a box or two still to unpack, and a big proud feeling.”
“Your first night in a new place will feel strange, and all the noises will be new. By next month it will feel like home, because you make every place feel that way.”
“When you were little, you made me sit at your toy desk and take your quizzes. I failed most of them, and you were a very strict teacher.”
“I do not remember one word of any speech anybody gave at our wedding. I remember that your hands were shaking and you laughed at me anyway.”
“Your house, your rules. Eat cereal for dinner if you want. Just promise me you will eat a vegetable now and then.”
“You rush home from long shifts just to make bedtime, even when you are exhausted. The kids always perk up the moment they hear your keys in the door.”
“At every party, I can pick out your laugh from across the room. It still makes me smile every time, just like it did the night we met.”
“I hope your new neighborhood has a good coffee shop and friendly neighbors. And I hope you find your favorite walk before the first month is out.”
“You have taught hundreds of kids, but your newest student is the most demanding. No lesson plans, no breaks and all the love you have to give.”
“The first time you turn the key in your own front door, take a moment. You worked hard for this, and you deserve to stand there and feel proud.”
“You are strong in a quiet way that not everyone notices. I notice, and I have admired it since you were very small.”
“Your graduation photo is going right in the middle of the fridge. Right next to your kindergarten one, so everyone can see how far you have come.”
“You did not make a fuss this year. You just kept going, one day at a time. Your quiet strength carried more of us than you will ever know.”
“This is your reminder to drink some water, get some sleep and call your dad. Also, go easy on yourself. You are doing better than you think.”
“I am not changing a thing about your old room for a while yet. It will be right there whenever you want to come home for the weekend.”
“Your stocking still goes up every year, right where it has always hung. No matter how grown up you get, it is never coming down.”
“Every day you walk into a room full of kids who need you to be patient. And every day you find more patience than anyone has a right to expect.”
“You spend your days making sure everyone else is comfortable and cared for. Today it is your turn, and I have been planning it for weeks.”
“You have taught so many kids to read, count and be kind to each other. Now our own little one gets you first, and for keeps.”