Kari, my youngest daughter is a complex, fascinating and lovely young woman.  I am so grateful for her, so proud of her, and so hopeful for her future.  She has so many wonderful qualities, and I want to be sure that she knows how very capable and strong she is.  What an honor it is for me to tell you how much I love her and cherish her presence in my life!

Kari, you have a tremendous inner strength.  You have made yourself try things, even if you were afraid.  I love your courage and determination.

You are a hard-working young woman.  You give your all to your employers, keeping things organized and running smoothly, learning new facets of your job with enthusiasm, making customers feel comfortable and taking your responsibilities very seriously.  Awesome!

Our family and your friends are so very lucky to have you in our midst.  You carefully shop for the perfect birthday or Christmas gifts or just gifts to brighten a day.  You pay attention to what people say, what they wear, what their favorite things are, and then you give exactly the right present.   You have given me books by my favorite authors, when I didn’t think I had even mentioned that I like them.   Amazing!

You are always willing to help me with my make-up, or my clothes choices.  Sometimes you suggest something and I think, “That won’t look right together.” but when I put on the outfit as you suggested, I am shocked at how perfectly it coordinates.  Wow!

I love your artwork.  I love art, but have a terrible time drawing people, but you not only draw them well, but you catch such fine details that really bring the portraits to life.  I hope you will continue creating and allow your imagination to run free.  You inspire me to be more creative!

There is nothing more beautiful than hearing you play the guitar and sing along.  Your voice is soft and sweet.  I know you are not entirely comfortable playing and singing for others, but even if I only hear you through your bedroom door, it fills me with such joy to hear those beautiful sounds.

I always wanted you to love learning.  There were a lot of ups and downs in your learning adventure.  In the last few years, I have been so excited to see how you KNOW how to research.  When our water well wasn’t working, you spent hours searching for possible causes of the problem.  And you read and you understood what you read and you effectively communicated what you learned!  You taught me about so many things you had studied and researched, like “synesthesia.”  Because of you, I know that means that there are some people who hear colors.  What a concept!  Your ability to research and learn about things that intrigue you will serve you well for the rest of your life.  Learning will lead to growth and on to great success!!  I’m so proud of you!

When you were a little girl, you would always come downstairs in the morning and race across the room, leap into my lap and hug me so tight I could barely breathe. And then you would giggle the most contagious giggle.   I will never forget that!  You have no idea how much it meant to me that you had so much energy, enthusiasm, pure joy and abundant love and you offered it to me so freely.  At night, I sometimes lay down next to you in your little bed, and you would put your face right against mine – nose to nose.  I would close my eyes and if I opened them, I would see your eyes looking right into mine and you would smile a huge smile!  Then you would say, “I love you, Mommy, to infinity and beyond and back again, and back to infinity and back again.”  One of my most treasured memories.

Beauty and grace are your trademark. You don’t walk, you glide.  When you’re working, you seem to be walking 3 times faster than anyone else, and your posture is straight, and your movement is easy,  You exemplify poise.  When you tried teaching me to sign, I was so caught up in the grace and ease of your hand movements, that I would forget I was supposed to be doing what you were showing me.  Thank you for still trying to teach me!  I think the problem was with your student, not with your teaching.  (smiling)

You have so many abilities, Kari, which may be making things more difficult for you to decide exactly what you want to do with your life.  Choose one skill and try it.  Give it a good shot!  Be willing to fail and try again.  YOU WILL SUCCEED because you are intelligent, capable, logical and artistic, and you have heart!  You enrich my life each moment.  

I am so proud and happy that you are my daughter.  And I am grateful!