Mom and Dad,
I’m so exhausted from traveling and jet lag and all that crap so I hope this email makes sense by the time it reaches your computer screen, haha. Hong Kong has been AMAZING! It’s seriously awesome and we need to come back. It’s cheap and fun and the people are hilarious.
Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that I love you both so much and I’m so thankful for you. I know I say it all the time but I really mean it.
And I want to tell you some of the ways:
1. I love how supportive you are. Emotionally, financially, spiritually, etc… I realize everyday just how lucky I am to have the two of you. A lot of people on my squad are out here on their own… not having parents to ‘fall back on” if need be. Others have parents who aren’t Christians and therefore do not understand why anyone would want to do the race. So they go rounds with their parents everytime they Skype home. Others have parents who haven’t even bothered to contact them. The list goes on and on. But thank you for being a mother and father who LOVE THE LORD and raised your children to know and love Him too. Thank you always supporting us in everything we did- big or small. I’m so thankful for you.
2. I love the way you cooked us breakfast. On the race, we have small breakfast. Like, maybe an apple and cereal. Or maybe a little oatmeal and a banana. Or maybe just cereal. Anyway- today I was telling someone how spoiled I was at home because my parents always cooked breakfast for us every morning before school. I miss those days. Thank you for being parents who knew that breakfast is the most important meal and who cared enough about us to have a successful day at school to wake up early and cook for us. I’m so thankful for you.
3. I love the way you love us. This goes with support too but I’ve never had to wonder if you loved me and how much. You show it through your words, your actions, and everything in between. Love is just something you do easy and I never realized it until I was around so many different people from different backgrounds who aren’t as fortunate as I when it comes to parents. Thank you for loving us well. I am so thankful for you.
4. I love the way you care enough to know where we are and how we are doing. Yes, that seems like a natural parent thing to do. But believe it or not, some parents rarely talk to their racer. And some racers would give anything to have parents who care. So I know I get stressed and overwhelmed when you always want me to call you – but when I think about it, I’m so glad you actually care. I am so thankful for you.
Dad,
You are an amazing man of God. One who holds integrity and character at it’s highest regards. Going from coaching to practicing law, it would have been easy for you to fall into the schemes of that industry. But you remain the man God created you to be: honest, trustworthy, loyal, humble, and patient. These are words I use to describe you when I tell others about you. You are clever and quick-witted. People love to be around you and it’s no secret why. You taught me more about life than you will ever know. “Do good” and “keep your eyes on the ball” weren’t just things you taught me on the field. Rather, from the field, I learned with you about life and how to live it well. In my 26 years I have watched you love Mom well and because of you, the bar for my future husband has been set high. They say girls love boys who remind them of their father … bless his heart; he has some big shoes to fill. From you I learned how to be tough, rough, and how to slide into 2nd. I learned how to hit a change-up, throw her out from center field, and slap-bunt left-handed. From watching you for 26 years, I’ve learned to work hard at whatever I do. I’ve learned to not get complacent and not to complain. I’ve learned to “go hard or go home.”
You, Dad, are the most incredible man alive and I’m so thankful God decided to put us in the same family. I’m the lucky little girl who gets to call you “Daddy.” And I love you.
Mom,
I think my favorite thing about you is your goofy humor. We laugh a lot when we are with you and it’s usually at your expense. But you don’t mind, as long as we are laughing. I tell my teammates story after story about you. How loving you are – how emotional you are- how bold yet gentle you are. “I look like my daddy but I act like my mama.” You are a woman who knows and fears the Lord. You can out-host anyone on the planet because hospitality runs through your veins. So many times you open your home to others and invite them in willingly. Not only that, but you open your heart and your life to them as well. You make people around you feel comfortable. You hug often- and I love that about you. Frequently when I’m telling a story about home or our family, my teammates say, “You are just like your mama!” I assure them they are right and I wouldn’t have it any other way. From you I learned not to say anything I don’t want repeated. I also learned not to write or type anything I didn’t want other people to see. I learned that a job is not finished until it is done well. You are efficient. You are strong. You are thoughtful. You ALWAYS put others above yourself and here on the World Race, we call that “high preference.”
You love Daddy well. From watching you, I am learning to be a submissive wife one day. I am learning how to decorate for Christmas and how to get stains out of clothes. From you I learned how to clean, organize, and store things. People ask me all the time where I learned to cook and I always say, “my mamma.” You are one of the most selfless people I know. You have a servant’s heart. You are truly beautiful on the inside and out.
When I grow up, I want to be just like you. I’m the lucky girl who gets to call you “Mom.” And I love you.
With all the love in my heart,
Ash
