Dear high school freshmen,

As you walk into high school on the first day of school, I want you to know a few things before you begin your high school career. 

Please know that I love you and I’m going to cry and it might be a lot. I’m struggling with you being at this point in your life. I cannot believe how fast time has gone! Please be patient with me when I ask for pictures or ask you a lot of questions. This is just me wanting to remember everything about this time. In four short years, I am going to be missing you and missing the you that you are right now, as I have missed the you that you were when you were a baby or toddler and all the stages before. 

Dream, and dream big! You are capable of doing so much. Please do not limit yourself to what anyone says you should or should not do. Your dreams and work ethic are what is going to determine what you are capable of doing. No one else has the right or ability to tell you otherwise. 

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Appreciate the people guiding you through high school. They want you to succeed in high school and in life. Please be grateful for them and show them your appreciation. Please ask for their help when you need it, and please listen to their advice when they give it. 

Get out of your comfort zone and try something new. I know you think you know what you want to do after high school—but what if you try something new and you love it? Or what if you try something new and you hate it? Either way, you will never know until you try. I would hate to have you look back at your time in high school and regret not trying something and wonder what would have been if you had. 

Remember you are never walking through this time alone. We will always be here to listen, guide, and help. You may not appreciate our help all the time, and that is fair. But we will always be here. And you have a family beyond our little family that loves you too. If you just want us to listen, tell us that. We get just needing someone to hear what we have to say. No matter what, come to us; no problem is too big for us to handle. Ever. 

I know you see the end of your time in school coming, but enjoy every second of your time for the next four years. I see plans in your mind taking shape and you want to skip to what you think is the good part. Please be patient; please stay focused on what you want to do in high school. These years will go by fast, and you can’t go back and redo them. Enjoy your time in school because as much as you don’t want to believe it, these are the good times.  

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Maybe you will roll your eyes and forget everything I’ve said here or maybe you will take some of what I’ve told you to heart. Either way, enjoy your last years at school with us the way things are now. Know I will treasure in my heart everything you do and that tears are going to fall more than you like. And finally, never forget that Dad and I love you more than you will ever know.