Dear Sweet Calvin,

If you are reading this, it means I didn’t get the chance to meet you here on earth before you were born. While that makes me sad, it doesn’t change one thing—I love you deeply.

Your mommy, my daughter, will be the most beautiful mother. She has always loved children and has been waiting for your arrival with so much joy and anticipation. You are already so loved. Your amazing and talented dad has been eagerly awaiting you too. The two of them are a wonderful gift from God to you, and I know they will love, guide, and cherish you every day of your life.

You have been born into a family that is excited to know you. Your cousins, Maka and Ely, and your little girl cousin who wasn’t born yet when I wrote this—are going to be an important part of your life. I hope they become some of your first and dearest friends as you grow.

You are surrounded by people who will help shape your life. Your dad’s parents and my husband, your Papa, will carry on loving you, sharing wisdom with you, and nurturing you. They will tell you stories, encourage you, and remind you that you belong to a family that loves one another deeply.

I would have loved to hold you, hear your laugh, and watch you grow here on earth. I would have loved birthday parties, Christmas mornings, and the ordinary moments that become life’s greatest treasures. But God writes each of our stories differently.

Please know this: we have eternity.

If I am not here when you arrive, I want you to live fully and joyfully, knowing that one day we will meet. Until then, I will have missed you only for a little while compared to forever. I look forward to the day when I can finally see your face.

Never doubt that you are loved—not because of what you do or who you become, but simply because you are you. You are a gift from God, created with purpose and surrounded by love from the very beginning.

I love you, my sweet grandson. I always will.

With all my love, Gigi