Ghana, Day 5 - About Your Mom

Hi Ruth!

I just wanted to say something to you about Mom. I know you and she had a pretty rough time of it getting your second rabies shot. Trust me, we wouldn't even consider putting you through this if rabies wasn't very, very dangerous.

You probably don't quite realize it now, but your Mom is a fantastic person. It is very hard for her to be home alone with you, while I am away. Your Mom loves you very much, but taking care of a small person, for Mommy and me, is supposed to be a two-person job. Mommy wouldn't be there alone with you if she didn't love you very much and me very much.

So, I want this to be here mostly so you can find it when you're older and reading this again - if you read it again. Nothing I talk about doing here, or anywhere I show you pictures of on the wall in our dining room would be possible without your Mommy.

She works a very hard job - certainly harder than mine - and also takes care of you. You're bigger now, but you still need a lot of stuff done. We don't mind doing it, we love you. But usually there are two people to share the work.

She's as lonely as I am, and has to also be brave for you.

Lots of people talk about how great an honor it is for me to have the award that I'm here for, but fewer people are going to talk about how awesome Mommy is for taking care of you while I'm gone.

Every time you get to school to see your friends, make it to dance class, have food ready when you're hungry, get to go to parties, have clean clothes in the morning, have someone to tell you it's OK after the thunder comes - Mommy does that.

When you go to sleep, Mommy stays up and works hard.

Every night while you sleep (until Grammy gets there at least), Mommy stays in the house to make sure you're safe.

If something breaks, Mommy has to fix it. If Rhombus runs away, Mommy chases him.

Since it's still hard for you to talk on the phone a lot, Mommy reads you stories instead of me, even though I miss reading you stories.

I don't miss Mommy just because I'm in a new place. I miss Mommy because she's wonderful, and - just like your life wouldn't be so good without her around, but in a different way, she makes a big part of everything good in my life possible.

I know you're having a tough time, too, and I'm working hard here to try to make sure it's worth it. But I need you to sometimes give Mommy a big hug from me, and tell her she's a great Mommy.