A New Year's Letter to Baby-to-Be "Moe"

Dearest Moe,

Well, here it is, 2008...which will be the year of your birth.

To say that we are all anxiously awaiting your arrival would be quite an understatement!

You are coming in a year filled with so many special family celebrations: a great aunt's 55th birthday, Grammie and Uncle Dave's 60th birthdays, Great grandpa's 90th birthday (!!)...your uncle's wedding, a great aunt and uncle's 25th Wedding Anniversary...etc. etc. What a wonderfully joyous year we all have ahead of us.

I am not sure what to tell you as far as the world that you will be coming into this year. Politics are the big news right now as we will be electing a new leader this year. It may be a historical Presidential election in that we have an African-American as well as a woman running as possible candidates. Of course, in my opinion...that diversity in our government leaders is long overdue.

Unfortunately, the war in Iraq is still going on. Too many lives have been lost....too many dollars have been spent. I pray that as you grow up you will never need to understand or participate in a war of any kind. I wish for you a world of Peace...and that the money spent on wars now will be used to find cures for cancer, as well as so many other diseases in your lifetime.

You will be inheriting a world where taking care of the environment will become more and more important. You will want to leave it a better place for your grandchildren...just as I do for mine.

You will be living in a time of so many exciting changes...just as computers have changed my world...who knows what new technology will occur during yours. The possibilities are endless...

Being a second child, you will probably learn quickly that you will be entering into your brother, Owen's little world. Since he got here first, he will be able to teach you so much...and I just know that the two of you will get to be great friends. Your daddy-to-be and his brother, your uncle-to-be Jeffrey, had a wonderful time growing up together and remain so close to this day...it makes me smile thinking about it.

You will have so many people who love you...even though we all live quite far away, we will manage to get as many visits in as we can! We have found through being with precious Owen, that we want to spend as much time with him as we possibly can. I call it getting my "Owen Fix"!

The changes that occur month to month seem to happen so incredibly fast....and, while it is difficult to not see him every day...we appreciate the times that we are together as we celebrate his new skills and activities.

With your arrival in June there will be two very good reasons to travel even more in 2008! Such fun!

So, as I sit here thinking about the year ahead...I can't wait to welcome you into the world...hold you in my arms...look at your sweet face....and begin to love you.