Dear Owen

Dear Owen, It’s finally here, your last night as our only child. Although I am more than excited to welcome your younger brother into this world and start new adventures, I’m a little heartbroken to be closing this chapter of our lives. The chapter where you and I took on a new city, new friends, and a new lifestyle together.

Almost two years ago, we packed up and moved to Dallas. You, me, and dad…. relocated to a place with no physical bearings besides each other. You didn’t have a say in it. Dad, who had been staying home with you and going to school while I worked, started a real job in a big city. I quit my job and became a stay at home mom. Our worlds changed. Mostly for the better, though it hasn’t come without homesickness and other small trials. None of us really knew what we were doing and you just watched and played while dad and I tried to figure it out. I needed friends and I needed adventure. You have been my friend and my adventure partner. My transition here would have been more difficult had you not been in our lives yet. I tried to focus a good amount of our outings on you and what you’d enjoy, which has ended up being so rewarding. It’s been amazing to watch you adapt, thrive, and make friends. You’ve been such an example to me in that way. Really, you paved the way for me to be able to do the same thing. If anything, you sped up my path to creating the blessing of a circle we now have here. Thank you for doing that for me, and with me. I’m so proud of who you are. I’m so proud to have you as my oldest, and I know this new baby is so proud to have you as a brother. I want you to know that even though attention is going to be more divided from here on out, love isn’t. and we won’t stop having adventures together. I can’t say enough about how much I cherish the times that you and I took on this new life hand in hand. I couldn’t have done it here without you. I look forward to seeing you create a bond with your brother, and I hope it’s similar to the bond that you and I have created. We started this last chapter of our lives together, and learned from each other. I can only imagine this next chapter will be the same. I love you, the precious memories we’ve created, and the hope I have for our family’s future. Love, Mom