Dear Jett,
This was a rough year for you. But also a year of incredible growth. You broke your collarbone and wrist over spring break. You had to go through the pain and discomfort of healing and not as quickly as you would've liked. You've had to endure stomach pain and months of feeling sick and not knowing what's wrong. We still don't know what's wrong. You have been brave and strong even when you have felt like you were falling apart. But I'm grateful that you are here no matter what state you are in. I just love you.
This summer you began marching band as a contra. It was really hard at first, but you kept going. You didn't have as much muscle at the start, but you built and built and built and now the tuba isn't heavy to you. You spent the summer in the intense heat, being pushed for hours as you carried and threw around 50 pounds of heavy metal. You got to participate in competition after competition. It was so much fun to go to all of them. I could hear you from the stands and I was proud every time. You learned what it is to do hard things and found that you can do incredible things if you keep going.
Fourteen and fifteen, as I remember, were hard ages. At least for me. It's a lot of growing, both physically and emotionally. It's a lot of discovering who you are, what you believe, and the kind of person you want to become. It's a lot of confusion and feelings of overwhelm and sometimes dispair. But it won't always feel like that. Just remember that you are a son of God and you are loved so very much.
It is an exciting year for you though. You are getting your driver's permit, which you are incredibly excited about. You are determined to find a job but frustrated that most people don't hire 15 year olds. I'm confident you'll find something. You're going to be joining the jazz band at school playing bass trombone, and that's super exciting! Music has been a huge influence these past few years and I'm really happy you've found something that you love, that you're good at, and that brings you joy.
You've really gotten into computers this past year and have become the in-house computer guy. You're always fixing our computers or improving them. Any time you go with me to D.I., we always end up leaving with a computer or a monitor for you to fix or tear apart. For your birthday and Christmas you've asked for computer parts to build your own computer. I have a hard time saying "no" to you, so I won't.
Jett, just as always, I'm really proud of you and in awe of who you are. I am always so grateful I get to spend time with you. I love that you like to run errands with me or go on dates with me. I love the little moments that we get to just have a conversation or a quick exchange. I love your sense of humor and how you can always make me laugh. Like, really laugh. I love that you are considerate and observant. You help me in so many ways and I always appreciate the time you take to think of others. More than anything, I just love YOU. Who you are now. Of course I see all the potential you have, but I guess part of loving your kids is loving them for who they are at that moment in their lives. You're only 15 once, and I really love you at 15. Just how I loved you at 4 or how I'll love you at 36. You're an incredible person and I hope you know just how much you are loved and admired. I literally and figuritvely look up to you. Thank you for being my son. I feel overwhelmingly blessed and lucky to be your mom.
Happy Birthday, Jett. I love you.
Love,
Ma
