I love-I love-I love-I love OLIVIA!

One thing I love about teaching Seniors is that I get to participate in an event each year that marks a definitive change in someone's life.  I have been blessed with participating in so many young people’s life changing moments. Today marks one of the most important personal moments of unequivocal change in my own life.  16 years ago, December 22, at 3:32 in the afternoon, one of my most favorite human beings came into existence-my daughter!  I was there the whole time!  Olivia Linda Moore, I have loved you since before you existed, and now, 16 years later I am absolutely certain I will love you forever and always.  In honor of your day, I want to celebrate 16 of my favorite things/memories/awesome things that make you the greatest gift I have ever received:


  1. You hate mornings and love late nights, and I love mornings and hate late nights: This might not be everyone’s favorite, but some of my favorite memories we have together come at really not great hours for either one of us.  I love that you were born in the afternoon, kinda a truce time for us.  When we were in Europe together, jet lag had nothing on us-our late night giggles (that I’m not exactly sure happened at night for our bodies).  I love falling asleep, and then suddenly you are saying something that jolts me up in giggles or astonishment.  I also love the fact that I get to wake you up in your groggy state.  It is, and always has been, my favorite thing.  I am not forgetting to buy you an alarm clock-I forget because I don’t want to loose my morning cheeriness which you don’t understand and that first head kiss each day.
  2. Your fearlessness: You are fearless in the way that I will never be able to understand.  Each time you audition, I stand out in the hall or outside the door, and hold my breath until I nearly pass out.  I am inspired by the fact that you know what you love to do, and unlike most people I know-YOU DO IT!  Some of my favorite memories are sitting in a crowded theater with everyone laughing, and tears running down my face with pride as I can’t help but laugh at your amazing talent, timing and spirit!
  3. Your passion for weird animals: You always want to stop and pet things.  You are truly a donkey whisperer, cats flock to you despite the fact that you are allergic, you loved your bunny bunny and you would welcome a buffalo to our backyard if I let you.  You have a kind and adventurous heart for all creatures.
  4. Your music taste: I love your eclectic music taste.  I love that you have helped me appreciate edgy Broadway to 21 Pilots to Elton John to Disney Princesses to Justin Bieber to Dio.  I love that we can sing and rock and not worry about the cars around us.
  5. Your sense of right and wrong: You have an incredible sense of morality. You absolutely want to do the right thing, and you always strive to be the best person you can be.  You hold people to a very high standard, and you make me want to be better always.
  6. Your love of old things: You love old cars, vintage clothes, old TV shows and movies, and lots of super cool vintage things.  You are authentically in love with stuff that other people try to be in love with to be cool.  Thank you for helping me discover Cheap Thrills and old cars.
  7. Your love of tradition: You want to keep traditions alive.  This is really important to you.  I love that when I suggested changing something about our Christmas feast, you looked at me like I was speaking another language.  You believe in the power of tradition and the sentimentality of things.  You make me appreciate the memories and the connections that I often push aside.
  8. Your love of roller coasters and fast things: I can’t ride roller coasters.  I can’t even watch roller coasters without getting a little queasy.  But ever since you were tiny you climbed to the highest places and fought to ride the craziest rides.  You have made me peak and wave and celebrate as you sit next to your brother and dad and laugh with unabashed delight.
  9. Your sense of direction and correct song lyrics: Okay, you have neither of these things!  When it comes to song lyrics, I love that you sing whatever you feel like to whatever tune you desire whenever you want.  You make me realize that music is the most fun when it is the music you make yourself!  As far as sense of direction, I love that when you were three you got lost in the indoor PlayPlace at McDonald’s.  I’ll never forget your face staring down at me, wondering how you got there as I sent Austen up to save you.  However, because you have no sense of direction, we have been on many interesting adventures.  You are never bound by what is close by or what is far away, because you're not really sure what town we are in, so I am often willing to just go and see where we end up.  Thank you for making me realize the most fun can often be the journey, not the destination.
  10. Your wit: You are freaking funny!  I mean authentically make me laugh out loud funny.  You see the world unlike anyone else, but you explain it in the most relatable way.  Thank you for always making me laugh.
  11. Your individuality: I love/hate playing games with you, because you see the world in a way no one else does.  I’ll never forget playing pictionary with you, and you would get so angry that we couldn’t guess your drawings.  You drew a man in a suit with a really big head and you were so mad that we didn’t get it.  The word was “global warming,” and clearly you had drawn Al Gore.  This is how your beautiful brain works and I wouldn’t change it for anything.
  12. Your love of rain and pajamas and lazy days: I don’t love do nothing days, but you have made me appreciate Netflix marathons and popcorn and fuzzy socks.
  13. Your intelligence: You are smart-I mean smart in a usable way.  You enliven any conversation and you come alive when you school us all as the youngest who often knows more about stuff than we do.
  14. Your desire to make everyone smile: Even when I have been really upset, it has been your driving desire to make me laugh.  You will do stupid stuff or say crazy things because you hate for people to be upset.  Your kind heart feels the pain of people around you and you will do whatever it takes to make them smile.
  15. Your authenticity:  Oh my, this one is such a gift.  You are truly always yourself.  I remember being so afraid when you went to middle school.  I cried and begged you to stay true to yourself.  You have.  You are the most authentic person I know.  I am incredibly proud that you are always you.
  16. Your beauty: You are truly the most beautiful person I know.  All of these things shine in you, and you simply take my breath away.  I have never been prouder of anything in my life than the fact that you are my daughter.

Olivia, I love you truly madly and eternally.  I hope you have the best year ever.  Thank you for making my life so much fuller, happier, and filled with beauty.




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