Isaiah Joseph,

Tomorrow is the last day of summer vacation and our last time at the Caring Place for this session. There are ongoing sessions we will be attending, I just need to figure out more information on them.

Since losing you, I find myself noticing these random little moments of gratitude that hit me. The happiness is fleeting, but for a moment I’m extremely thankful for whatever it is. I notice these moments and cannot believe that we get to experience it. Most of the time these are very little things.

Since Elijah is starting kindergarten, someone at his school secretly tied an inflatable crayon to our mailbox, and left him a Bower Hill envelope with a rubber bracelet, bee keychain, and glow stick. I was so thankful that someone went out of their way to do this to help him and the other kids get more excited for kindergarten.

I feel like I need to start writing these things down. While not always big, the gratitude they bring me in the moment is worth it.

Ellie shared a crazy fact with me this morning and I couldn’t believe it. She said that she was finally ready to finish a year at the same school. I was so confused and then thought about it.

The last and only time Ellie went to the same school from start to finish in the same year was with Mrs. Morrison in Pre-K. Ellie’s kindergarten year was cut short because Covid hit. She spent the first half of first grade being homeschooled because we didn’t know what was going on with Covid. She spent the last half of first grade and the first half of second grade at Thayer. We moved to Virginia in the middle of second grade, homeschooled third and the first half of fourth grade in Hawaii. Then Ellie finished up fourth grade and started fifth grade in Hawaii, to come and finish fifth grade in Pittsburgh. I could not believe it.

I’m pretty sure I could never have lived the way you guys have lived. You guys are all such strong and resilient kids and I’m in awe watching how you guys have always handled situations. You and especially your siblings have been through more in their few years of life than I could ever imagine.

I love you more than anything, my sweet boy. Goodnight and sweet dreams.