The truth behind the letters--don't tell Mya

One day I might tell her the truth. 

I might tell her one day when she's holding the little hand of her own son or daughter. 

Perhaps during a time when she feels like she has it all together and has everything under control--or perhaps during a moment when she feels like she's drowning in motherhood, just surviving some days and wondering if she will ever feel like herself again. 

On a day when she'll look at me and ask me how I did it--how I survived the sleepless nights, how I managed to get through those days when both of my little ones clung to my legs every moment of the day, endlessly needing every last bit of me. And I'll take her hand and tell her that sometimes it was those moments in motherhood when I would step back for a moment--step back and take a minute to purposely do something great to make my children happy--do something that they would remember and do something that would bring them ultimate joy. Do something to break up the ordinary days and make some amazing ones. Because through our children's happiness will come our happiness. 

Then I'll tell her the truth about what I did for her when she was little. 

I'll tell her what I did behind her back, without her knowing, which consequently brought so much joy to her that she literally jumped up and down each and every day. 

I sent out an email. That's it. 

This is what I wrote:

Hi family, 

    I just thought I'd send you a quick message to ask you a little favour on behalf of Mya--who has no idea that I'm sending this out. Every single day Mya goes to our mailbox to check for mail--it's the first thing that she does when she gets home--and she looks through every single piece of mail trying to find her name on something..anything (hoping that she has gotten a piece of mail delivered to her). Unfortunately though the majority of mail that she finds is either junk mail or mail for Terry and I and so she is always disappointed. So I started writing her name on pieces of mail when she wasn't looking and it worked for a while (and thrilled her), but she has caught onto me now so I'm at a loss. So, I just thought I'd let you know that if you'd like to make a little girls day, she would LOVE to get a piece of mail from you, with her name on it, especially for her. It doesn't even matter what you send her--a card, a couple stickers, anything really...all that she cares about is that a piece of mail has her name on it and she can open it and find out what is inside. She would just be beyond excited. 

      I know that everyone is super busy so I certainly understand if you just don't have time, but I just thought I'd ask in case anyone still likes to send out snail mail these days :). 

        Thanks so much!

Love Erica xox

The response was overwhelming. Overwhelming and thrilling. For all of us. 

Each day as she opened the mailbox to find a piece of mail with her name on it she literally jumped up and down, squealing, smiling...so excited. 

"M..Y..A..it says!!" she would yell as she pointed to each letter of her name and discovered another card sent just for her.  

"It says it's for ME! M...Y..A !!"

 She would then quickly try to break into that glorious little envelope and listen carefully as I read each and every wonderful little word that it said.

She was thrilled.

Absolutely thrilled.

 And with one little email I made some ordinary days into extraordinary ones--all because of the wonderful people who played into my pleas and took some time to send this little girl some mail.

Thank you family for making her day and for bringing such joy to not only Mya, but all of us as we watched her experience this excitement each time that she read her name on the envelopes stacked in our mailbox. 

Who knew that one little email could have such a big impact on one little girl.

Thank you again!! 

Erica xo

p.s. If anyone else would like to send her a piece of mail she would be thrilled as she still checks the mailbox each and every day for something with her name on it--let me know and I will send you our address! :)