To: Sophia.Alex.Max

My three little loves,

A very short time ago, just four years, you weren't here yet. Four years ago I didn't know your names, couldn't imagine what your beautiful faces would look like, or even how magic holding you in my arms would feel. Four years ago I didn't know and couldn't imagine how very much I'd love each of you. Four years ago I couldn't understand the joy I'd feel to see your smiling faces each morning and the overwhelming tenderness I'd feel watching you sleep at night. There is truth to the saying "you'll understand one day when you're a parent". You can't understand the overwhelming joys or imagine the deepest sorrows until you've loved a person this much.

Last week, a mommy very much like me, lost one of her little babies. They were a family just like us, with a sister who at 3.5 was the big girl of the family and twin boys, who at 17 months were just being to explore the world. One of her baby boys, Matteo, became an angel last week and in doing so broke her heart. Hearing her story and knowing the tremendous magnitude of pain and loss she is experiencing has broken mine.

Four years ago I couldn't have understood what she is feeling. Today I can.

So my little ones I hope that up to this point I have been good about enjoying each day with you. I hope that I haven't taken for granted what a blessing, a gift, the time we have together is. In under four years I have so richly blessed to have you each in my life. Such a short time to have experienced so much love! I hope and pray the time we have together is long and outlast me but in honor of Matteo and his brave, heartbroken mommy I will treasure each good morning and good night together (and all the moments in between).

I love you Sophia. I love you Alex. I love you Max.

Mommy