My Dearest Tito,

Today…you turned THIRTEEN, a teenager. A milestone that deserves balloons, confetti, and long talks about life and becoming…I bet you got the best from your dad and more. Although I couldn’t be there to celebrate beside you, I celebrated you anyway—in my heart, in my prayers, and in every thought of you that crossed my mind today and every day. 

I hope you had a beautiful day and got to enjoy it in your own special way. Even though you weren’t with me, I want you to know I was thinking of you. Not having you here with me, especially on such a milestone, was hard in ways I can’t fully express, but even though distance and silence stood between us this time, my love for you never wavered for a second. It never left. It never will…and for thirteen years, I’ve kept that promise, even when life has tried to make it hard. I may not always be right next to you, but you are always close in my thoughts…you are always on my mind, and forever in my heart. 

I’m so proud of the person you are, and even more excited for the person you’re becoming. You are beautiful, funny, smart, strong, intelligent, thoughtful, kind, and wonderfully unique.

Watching you grow, even from afar has been one of the greatest gifts of my life. I may not have been there to hug you this year, but I hope you felt my love surrounding you, because it was there, in every breath and every thought.

I miss you deeply. And I want you to always know: no matter where you are, how much time passes, or what life looks like , you will always be my baby…my daughter, my heart, my joy.

When the time is right, I hope we’ll sit together and talk, cry, laugh,sing, dance …and catch up on all the birthdays and in-betweens. Until then, I carry you with me always and I’m cheering you on from where I am. 

All my love,

Mom