79 : Start a New Tradition

My Grandma had this incredible Christmas card photo album which appeared every year around the holidays and sat on the coffee table.  Even as a youngster I loved flipping through this.  The album contained their family Christmas card from every year, so it was not only a historical reference it was also entertaining to look through.  As someone who was already very into pictures, I loved this idea immediately and knew from a young age I would do it one day.  I started my album with the first holiday card my husband and I sent out the year we got married.  I continued as my children were born, expanding the album over a couple years.  And then my husband left me. And I was left with an incomplete photo album. Yes, I could start over (and I probably would) but it wasn't the same to me.  Among the many emotions I faced, I felt devastated that my traditional family unit was being torn apart.  I had always pictured us all together- building a life together- creating a legacy.  I wanted more than anything to provide a stable, secure and loving environment for my children- even if their parents were no longer together.  One day as I was working through the guilt (see post #74) I began to think about what I could do to show my children how much I loved them. I decided adjust the Christmas card photo album to begin the year my son was born.  This was what our family was now.  That other family was gone.  In addition, I wanted to start a new tradition.  I would start books for both of my boys.  Every year, on their birthday I would write them a letter.  I would recap for them highlights from the year, funny stories and other tidbits of interest.  I would tell them how happy they made me every day and how much I loved them.  I wasn't sure when I would share this with them, but I hoped they would enjoy it as much as I intended for them to.  I couldn't change what was happening with their father and I, but I would do everything in my power to make sure they knew they were loved.