To my son, I wrote the note below to you long ago. Little did I know how the words would echo through the years. Happy 11th Birthday Son. Thank you for giving me a gift I can never give back to you.

Because…..A Letter To My Son

Because you are my son
Because I am proud to be your father
Because I will never forget the day you were born
Because you are more beautiful than I could have imagined
Because you were “fearfully and wonderfully made”
Because I am your hero
Because someday, you will be mine
Because “I want to go with daddy”
Because you have taught me how our heavenly father loves His children.

Because you have my hands and feet
Because you have your mother’s eyes
Because you love your sisters and mother as much as I do
Because, no matter what, you always love me..
Because no matter what, I will always love you
Because you greet the world with “Arms Wide Open”
Because I can’t wait to watch you grow and learn
Because of stories at night and breakfast in the morning
Because you always remind us at dinner to “say our prayers”

Because I can protect you at times
Because there are times when I cannot protect you
Because we serve a God that watches during ALL of those times
Because the things of the past
Because the future to come.

I love you Austin Armstrong Conrad.