Zac's thoughts on his momma

My oldest son, Zac is 22 and he's a good guy. He and I have knocked heads on more than one occasion and he has seen both a helpful mom and a mom who makes him accept responsibility for his actions. At times, I have probably made him madder than any person he knows. He currently lives with his girlfriend's family. He dropped by this afternoon to visit and left this letter with me.

Mom, I hope you know how much I love you. You always knew how to fix my problems and help me growing up. Now I'm grown and the problems are my own. So it's taken a few more years than expected but you taught me how to live right. You taught me to be polite and to not do others wrong. I do have a set of values I try to abide by. It makes me a good person and I have you to thank for that. Everything will work out for me, so don't worry too much. Thank you for always trying to help me help myself. Thanks for never giving up.

I've made some bad decision but I've learned a lot. I hope you are happy ALL THE TIME. I've been happy for awhile now and that's good. Now if I could save some money.....get an apartment and get by on my own. No worries - I'll get on it. So, in short, you're awesome, Mom. I hope you have a wonderful, carefree Mother's Day. Next year I can buy you the grandma card! That's fun. I love you so much. You're a great mom.
Lotsa Love, XOXOX
Zac

For Zac to have taken the time to write these thoughts down and make a trip to give them to me is simply amazing. For him to express them to himself, much less to me - is totally unexpected. I told him through my tears (and his) that someday when I'm dead and he's going through my things, he will find this with my most prized belongings.

I know this letter in part is in response to some things that a very close relative said about Zac a few months ago. It upset him to hear what she said and it irritated him that this person thought I should do something to "fix" Zac. Or that I was to blame for what she considered Zac's problems. Zac needs no fixing. For him to write me this letter to somehow reassure me that he was raised right makes it all the sweeter.

Zac was my miracle baby. I remember my first Mother's Day. I had given birth to 2 children since the previous Mother's Day and had neither of them with me. Zac was still in the NICU and Andi was with my parents an hour away from the hospital. I left the hospital to go see Andi, so at least I could hold one of my babies on my first Mother's Day, but was called back to the hospital because Zac had taken a turn for the worse. I can remember praying "please don't let him die on Mother's Day." And God was gracious to me. And every day I thank Him for that. I am blessed beyond measure.