Dear Darius, Nia and Layla,

Another year has flown by and we are now on the verge of welcoming 2017. All three of you, at different levels, continue to grow and mature, solidifying your personalities and testing your limits along the way.

Your childhoods, although stable, have been impacted by trends and changes that we didn’t face at your age. The fact that you all are embracing life’s challenges, and each other, gives us a sense of pride and gratitude that you can only imagine.

Uncertain times lie ahead and tomorrow is promised to no one, so what I wanted to do, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, is tell you why you’re special you are and why we are so grateful to be your mother, father and stepfather:

1. All of you have witnessed, from birth or an early age, an era where an African-American man became president. Positive changes were implemented within Pres. Obama’s two terms, the most important of them being a living example that you all have the potential to go as far as your minds and free will can take you.

2. You three have made the best of your blended family: Darius, you took your sweet in warming up to your future stepfather, but in time you warmed up and learned to love him as deeply as you love your younger sisters. You are the son he never had and you’ve made it pretty easy for us to get you from ‘boy’ to ‘man.’

3. Nia, your name means ‘purpose’ and you embody that in our everyday lives: you humble your father by resembling him so strongly, yet challenging his expectations in a way that mimicks your mama. Your curiosity and hunger to achieve gives your baby sister a blueprint to follow and can someday change the world.

4. A mix of sweet and sassy, with a dash of attitude, is how we see you Baby Girl. You wrapped your Big Bro and Big Sis around your finger from the jump and work your personality like a pro. You may be the smallest person in the house, but your generosity and affectionate nature touches us all and make you larger than life.

5. All of you have your own ways of connecting with your mom: Darius shares my love of history and old school music, Nia enjoys my warped sense of humor and Layla likes cuddle with me in the mornings before school starts. We may not get along from time to time, but you always let Mom know that she’s loved and important.

6. The three of you have transformed a one-time bachelor into the father and stepfather he once thought he would never have the chance to realize. Thanks to you, Calvin has been able to relive high school, witness childbirths in real time and raise the first Jacksons of his generation. A man once consumed by weekend sports and ‘kicking it’ attends school programs, dance recitals and gave multiple parking lot driving lessons. You test our patience, strain the budget and fray our nerves, but we are grateful you belong to us.

None of us knows what the new year or administration will bring, but what the three of you can count on for sure is having the two of us in your corner: giving you props, keeping you in line and loving you all the way. We count you as part of our blessings at Thanksgiving and every day in-between.

Love You Forever,

Mom and Dad/CJ