Thank you.

First off, I wanted to say that.

I know your life was never to include me. Believe me, it was never to include you either. I grew up waiting to raise my children with the man I was going to marry and it would be us. A two person team. I know you never imagined being along for the ride, to raise a child you did not birth. I know you never thought about making decisions for this child. No one truly grows up wanting this.

But, God sometimes has other plans for our lives. God thought my son needed a 4 person team to raise him, rather than two. So then came you.

I hated you for a short time. Not because of your love for the boy I now share a whole world with. But, because I was so scared you would replace me in that little boy's world.

I was so scared he would grow to love you more. It took some time and a lot of nights spent over wine to realize it wasn't ever going to be the case.

I now see the love a mother and son can only have. I learned to accept you through that.

When I tell you, "thank you," it's for all the things you not only do now, but will do in the future.

Thank you for picking him up when he falls and gives that little whimper. For calming him, before putting him back on his feet to run off and do it again.

Thank you for helping tuck him in each night, making sure he's wrapped snug as a bug in a rug.

Thank you for eating the cookies he shares with you because you can't say no when the cutest little boy is forcing you to eat that darn cookie.

There is gonna be things he's gonna come to you before he comes to me about. I have accepted that. It might be hard, but that will be the relationship he and you will share, as we will have ours. You respected ours, I will respect yours. Just promise me that you will always come to me if it's something I need to know.

There is gonna be a time when you are gonna do something that he thinks is gonna be the coolest. He'll come home to me and tell me all about. I'll be just as excited as he will. Asking all kinds of questions, because I know he'll be so eager to tell all. Because I know you will have the same respect when he comes to you, and does the same.

I knew when his daddy and I split up for the last time there would be times when he would need his mommy and I wouldn't be there. I'm so thankful that you are there in my absence. When I say that I don't mean I see you as a fill in for when I'm not there. You are a part of him when I'm not there.

RESPECT.

That's the sole point here. If I show him I respect you and you respect me, we are setting an example for how he should treat people. Raising our little buckshot is an effort that his father and I are sharing with you.

So thank you for all you do now. Thank you for the beautiful things you will do. Thank you for loving my son unconditionally. Here's to a long road ahead of us. It might not always be easy. But, thank you for respecting me. I vow to respect you.