Dear Sadie,
Just hours before your mom and I learned you were a girl at her doctor’s appointment, my grandmother, Jean Rue, passed away. JJ, as she liked to be called, was 98 years old. She believed your mother was having a girl, and she was correct. Hence, you were named Sadie Jean Hoffer.
I often call you “Jean,” and you wonder why. There are countless reasons. One is that you often remind me of JJ, and another is that I will always miss her. She made me promise I would never forget her, and that is about the easiest promise I have ever made.
As I think about your 9th birthday, the passage of time, and the joy of having you as my only daughter, I think another easy promise to make is that I will never stop loving you. My love for you is like the deepest well this side of heaven.
If there is anything better than cuddling next to you on the couch, I have not found it. I know those experiences are fleeting, and I suspect they won’t happen as much (or possibly at all) in the coming years. I just hope the future you realizes how much they meant to me.
Watching you dance this year has brought unexpected joy into my heart. I say it was unexpected because I did not think seeing my daughter dance around the house could have that impact. But, it does.
To that end, the song that came to mind when I was thinking about your birthday this year is Lee Ann Womack’s, “I Hope You Dance.”
So much of the song stands out to me. For example,
“I hope you never lose your sense of wonder.”
My prayer for you is that you will always find wonder in the smallest of things, like the flowers in our garden or the sun shining on a beautiful summer morning.
“Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance.”
Nothing is more important than this. Hearing you sing worship songs in the shower makes my heart dance!
“Never settle for the path of least resistance.”
Life is about choosing the hard path. Continue to do the hard things well!
“Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance.”
This advice is for us all. God’s creation is all around us. Let us not miss it!
“And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance…I hope you dance.”
May your dancing continue now, and may it last through eternity.
I am so grateful to have you as my daughter. JJ would be proud of the woman you are growing into. I am definitely proud. More than proud, however, I am in love. My love for you will never waver.
Love,
Dad