Dear Mom,

My husband used to ask after inspecting why our phone bill was so high "Who do you talk to everyday that uses up this many minutes?"

"My Mom!" I would say with little hesitation.

Not everyone wants to talk to their mother every day - This is going to be a hard habit to break.  My phone added you to my favorites list without me even asking it to :) I suppose we COULD talk that much if we could afford the bill.....

It is also going to be hard to adjust to a week without seeing you let alone a month or 12.

However, I am trusting that the bond we have built is so deep and strong that, although we will miss each other, distance will not change or stifle us.

Who knows? Maybe we could even get stronger?

I know you will miss 'The B'. This is my greatest guilt. I feel as though I am taking her from a family that I have proven is worth growing up with.

She is going to miss you too. I already know that. I believe in the core of my body that 'Nana' is a bond just as strong as 'Mother' and that just as I have worked tirelessly to build a bond with her family members in Lebanon I will work as hard to maintain the bond already built in Minnesota.

I know that this is scary. When I was debating this decision I read that "outward strength begets inner power" - We will both benefit from this on this journey.

I have done long distance... with some of my nearest and dearest friends. It doesn't change how you feel about a person if your heart and mind are made up. It also doesn't change the importance of that person in your life. I will see you again AND when I do it will be oh so sweet.

So Mom. Here goes nothing! I will miss you! I will talk to you often. Send you lots of pictures. Cry a lot when I miss you :) and hug you fiercely when I see you! You can count on that!

Love,
Marlo