(Updated 11/25/12)

Dear Emma,

I just wanted to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.  I am thankful you are my daughter.  Being your mom was one of the greatest gifts I ever had.  I’m thankful for you, and thankful that I got to stay home to raise you.  You were such a fun baby and little kid.  I got to see all those milestones like walking, talking, discovering a water fountain, hearing all the funny things you said….

Even though you’ve chosen to go down this road you are on, I still love you and miss you.  I will be here to help you pick up the pieces when you are ready.

I’m also thankful for some wonderful friends (new and old) and experiences I’ve had in the past year and a half.  I’ve been amazed at God’s timing, so I will continue to trust him.
Love,

Mom (Mommy, Maze, Momaise, and even Plotakiss!)

(Update)

I was thinking about our last Thanksgiving together Nov. of 2010, just before you pulled your little DFACS stunt.  We had Thanksgiving at Janice’s and had a wonderful evening.  We were sitting in the kitchen, looking at the paper, and you wanted to go to KOHL’s for Black Friday.  Even though I am NOT a shopper, and I had NEVER gone Black Friday shopping, I agreed to get up at 2 or 3 am and take you shopping because it was what you wanted to do.  We went and spent over an hour in line just to pay for our purchases.  We had fun talking to the other people in line who were out in the Black Friday madness.  You got a couple of those sweater mini-dresses, and I think that was when you got your suede grey boots, too.  I think the only thing I got for me was a green faux suede blouse for church and school.  That was probably my first and last experience with Black Friday shopping.