Dear William,

It's hard to believe we've closed down another regular season of football --- it came and went quickly. There were ticks in both the 'Win' and the 'Loss' column, but I found the scoreboard of little consequence. What I loved most was watching you. I'm sure you won't understand this until you're a parent yourself, but you can't imagine how gratifying it is to watch your children 'come into their own'. To watch them discover and develop their gifts and talents, and to live them out passionately is really a neat thing to behold. When talent and passion collide, amazing things can happen --- and you possess both. In the end, I don't know where you're going to steer this jet, but I do know this....it's gonna be a wild ride.

I sometimes wish that my legacy to you and your sibs would include things more reminiscent of our 'Tennessee Grandmother's'. The big family Sunday dinners at Granny's, daily biscuits and gravy breakfasts at Nanny Jackie's, Nanny Jane's crocheted blankets and stockings, and Trixie's hand-made quilts --- a fine nod to tradition. Those things live on in fine memories of full tummies and decorate our home and holidays still. But a piece of my legacy to you, dear William, will be in photographs. I learned, and am still learning, to capture images that will freeze bits and pieces of our time together as a family because this --- this family -- is what is most dear to my heart and I want to hold on to those bits and pieces for just a bit longer.

So this little clip is but a small gift to remember being a 'Boy of Fall'. I hope you enjoy.

Thanks for the memories.

I love you,

Mom