Dear Drew,
Another year older, and another year of watching you grow into an amazing young man. While the past year has been less than ideal (year 2 of the pandemic), I hope you can still find the positive in life. You're healthy, you're kind, and you're so darn funny. And how did you get to 14 so fast?!
Thankfully you can enter your final year of Middle School (8th grade) - in person. Hindsight has taught us that while you didn't mind Distance Learning and overcame the challenge, it created other challenges that went unnoticed. You conquered the return to school and all the anxiety surrounding it with perseverance. Of all the things you learned from this experience, I hope near the top is that your Dad and I are always here for you.
I've admired the research you've done into all your hobbies - LEGOS (you can't have anything but the right Ideas set) and how you work toward buying them yourself, Marvel Movies (is there a fact you don't know?), and the latest internet sensations. Please continue to find enjoyment in various things, but don't forget to get out into the world and really experience it. Don't let it pass you by.
Continue to explore, continue to take risks and face your challenges. It will only make you a better person in the end. Not every challenge you face will end up the way you want, but learn from the lessons it taught you. That, is what life is about.
Just continue being you. And continue telling us your stories. Your Dad and I are your biggest fans, and we love you like you cannot imagine.
Happy Birthday Bud!
Mom
