An Open Love Letter to Our Village

 

 

To the people that love our family:

 

It’s common knowledge that it takes a village to raise children, and, undoubtedly, you are part of ours.

Family and friends, church and neighbors, mentors and mentees, you have come alongside of us on this journey of raising our children, and we want to thank you.

 

Some of you are in a similar stage of life as us. You, too, are chasing around your little ones. You are empathetic to the craziness, joy, and exhaustion of child-rearing. You understand. Thank you for being our confidants. Thank you for raising your children alongside of us, for embracing the messy side of life, and for finding time to remain in fellowship with us.

Some of you are further along this parenting path. Some of you have children in grade school and beyond. Some of you have grown children, even grandchildren. You have provided us with insight and wisdom, preparing us for the bumps and beauty down the road. Thank you for delighting in our children, for celebrating their innocence. Thank you for reminding us that time passes quickly and that we need to appreciate the now while building a foundation for the future.

Some of you don’t have children of your own. You all are, perhaps the most impressive to us. You have persevered alongside of us, being there for the crazy ups and downs of us learning how to be parents. You have found love in your heart for our children, and they love you, too. Thank you for taking the time to invest in us, even though things look different than they did before we had kids.

 

We know that without a community of loving support, we would struggle. We are so grateful for how you have been a part of our lives and our children’s lives.

 

Thank you for coming over to our home, knowing that it would be messy, that our conversations will be interrupted by the needs of young ones. Thank you for inviting all of us into your homes, for including us all and making us feel welcome.

Thank you for reading books, playing catch, and coloring with our children. Thank you for cheering for them when they succeed and offering loving correction when they need it. Thank you for seeing them as unique individuals, and valuing them. Thank you for loving them, for by loving them, you have, by extension, loved us more fully.

Thank you for asking us questions about how we are doing and entertaining conversations about everything from diapers to our marriage. Thank you for watching our children so we could have an occasional break. Thank you for providing us with listening ears and encouraging words. Thank you for reminding us of the things that matter most.

 

Thank you so much for all you do. For giving us grace. For supporting us, even when our decisions may have been different than yours. For allowing us to invest in this stage of life to its fullest, and remaining in fellowship with us. For praying for us. For hugging us. For caring for us.

 

Thank you for being a part of our village.

We love you, and we couldn’t do life without you.

 

Sincerely,

This family that loves you, too