A U D R I N A ♡

Audrina,

I remember the first time I heard your name. I was on some guys tiktok page. His name was Pete Gala. He said nice things to me on Instagram and that was cool and all but what pulled me in was his tiktok page. His user name was “DrinaandDaddy” and that’s where he posted the cutest videos dancing with the most beautiful little girl; Audrina.

I was obsessed with you. I made Erika watch the TikTok’s of you with me. We loved your tiktoks and your name. She actually called naming her daughter, “Audrina”……little did we know that, I’d get the privilege of calling the original Audrina my step daughter in just a few short years 😆

They say the role of parents/ step-parents is to teach their children all about life. But you have showed me that in actuality, children are here to teach parents/ step-parents what life is truly all about. Thinking about it, I have learned so much from you.  I’ve also learned so much about ME since you entered my life 🖤

As you know there are so many things that bring me joy in life but here’s what you most likely don’t know; nothing in the whole wide world brings me more joy than watching you learn, grow, smile, laugh, and simply exist. I am amazed by your sensitivity and pure heart. Your understanding and happiness. Your beauty truly runs deeper than the eye. The joy that consumes every cell of your body each and every day is unbelievable and your smile, laugh, and energy are wildly contagious. You have taught me to laugh often because life is too short not to enjoy every moment of it. You make me a better person – someone who strives to live life each day with an open heart, with more understanding, with more acceptance of myself, with more awareness, with more happiness and with more love.

All of that being said, I may never find words beautiful enough to describe all that you mean to me, but I will spend the rest of my life searching for them. & each birthday, I will strive to use my words to let you know how much I love you and how very special you are.

This year, on your 9th birthday, my words are going to center around my hopes for you;

I hope you forever remain the kind of person who sees the good in humans. The kind of person who realizes that not everyone has the same story, but everyone has a story worth listening to and a story worth telling. I hope you continue to be the kind of person who asks the question, “Are you okay?” and then stays around long enough to hear the answer. I hope you never stop randomly saying, “I love you, daddy” when you sense that he might be feeling down.

I hope you remain the kind of person who sees potential when others lean into giving up. The kind of person who sees magic in the mundane or ordinary, the kind of person who sees a masterpiece when others see a blank canvas. I hope when others tell you that it’s not possible, you begin to list a million reasons why it is, and you begin to show them the endless number of possibilities that lie beneath their fingertips, within their grasp.

But above all else, I hope you remain the kind of person who builds with love. I hope you let love be the root of your words, actions, and how you navigate your place in this world. I hope you let love be the thing you lead with and the thing you hold onto on your darkest days.

I hope love is the thing that guides you and lifts you. I hope love is the thing you share with each person that you come across.

And I promise that I will do everything in my power to guide you to become the best version of you.

happy happy 9th  birthday to my mini best friend & the most beautiful soul I know 🦋

to the girl who is light and love and forgiveness binded together into a tornado of passion, courage, and strength, I hope this year brings you all of your favorite things ♡︎

I hope you continue to carry love in your heart & light in your smile.

I pray that you never stop using positivity (& sass) as your shield.

May your dreams continue to guide you and may you never ever ever forget how loved you are.

What a blessing it has been to get to watch you grow, explore, & simply exist.

Like everything else, 9 looks beautiful on you Audrina 🤩<3 💘

I love you to the 🌝 and back times a million

♡︎♡︎♡︎

sending you all of my love today & everyday. xoxoxo