Linden Knot
“You remember how I take my coffee and which old songs make me smile. It is the little things you do that tell me how much you care.”
“I have been given credit for a great deal that was half yours or more than half. I have let people think it because it was easier than telling the longer story.”
“Your desk is probably covered in mugs, candles and cards from twenty small fans. Here is one more, from the fan who has been cheering for you the longest.”
“There are a lot of grown ups here today and most of them are a little nervous. You are not, which is why everybody keeps watching you instead of the flowers.”
“The lopsided ornament you made in second grade still goes on the tree first. It is not the prettiest one we own, but it is my favorite.”
“You have stories about my grandmother that nobody else in this family knows. You tell them properly too, with all the parts the rest of them always leave out.”
“You got your mother's patience and her way with people, which was lucky. You also got my stubborn streak, which I have watched you use better than I did.”
“I used to watch you ride your bike to the end of the street and back. Now you are going much farther, and I am watching with the same proud smile.”
“The first time I saw you in your scrubs, I knew you had found your place. You have the skill, the heart and the steady hands this work needs.”
“I know about the Sunday nights spent grading and planning for the week ahead. Nobody sees that part of the job, but I see it, and it makes me so proud.”
“You listen to our kids like every story is the most important one you have ever heard. That is why they tell you everything, and why they always will.”
“Grandmother is the word in the dictionary. Gigi is the word in this family. And it has always meant snacks, rescue plans and someone firmly on my side.”
“The world could use a few more people like you. Kind, hardworking and brave enough to try the things that scare them.”
“I really believe the hardest part is behind us now. And whatever comes next, I know we can handle it, because we already have.”
“You said yes and the whole shape of my life changed in one word. Every plan I make now has you in it, and that is exactly how I want it.”
“You teach a classroom full of children every day, and they adore you. But the ones who have learned the most from you are the ones who call you mom.”
“You care for patients all day and then come home and care for all of us. I have no idea where you find the energy, but I am in awe of you.”
“You'll always be my baby girl, no matter how old you get. Happy birthday! Take pride in how far you've come and have faith in how far you can go. I love you more than words can say.”
“You will make a hundred decisions on your own now, big ones and small ones. Trust yourself. You have better judgment than you give yourself credit for.”
“Sorry is a hard word for me to say, and you know that better than anyone. So please know I mean it with everything I have. I am sorry.”
“Two simple rings and a few short words, and your whole life changes. I hope it changes into something even more wonderful than you pictured.”
“Wherever your new home is, we are still under the same sky. When you look up at night, know that I am probably thinking of you too.”
“The house is louder for three days when you visit and too quiet afterward. Your mother and I do not talk about that part. We both just go to bed early.”
“I am not a romantic man and you married me knowing that perfectly well. So take this as evidence that I have been thinking about it for a long time.”