You are BEAUTIFUL.
I need you to believe this.
You may not always feel this way, and unfortunately people will make you feel like you're not. But when you are feeling down, I need to say this to yourself with all the truth and conviction that these words hold.
You drew a picture the other day. I don't have it to show you because I told you to throw it away. You drew a family portrait. It was beautiful. When it came time to color us in you spent a long time looking for colors. I asked you why. You responded that you couldn't find the brown crayon. You'd already colored your dad, Ellie, and me in a "peach" color. I asked you why you were looking for a brown crayon and you responded "because I'm not peach like y'all." You said you didn't fit in to our family because you weren't the same color as us.
My heart broke for you at that moment. I'd hoped that you never determined your self worth or sense of belonging based on something so inconsequential. I know this is just the beginning of a series of times that you will feel like you're not "something" enough. Unfortunately, we currently live in a society where we place a ridiculously immense amount of value on shallow things, such as one's physical appearance. I hope that things change, but if they don't: I pray that you know just how little your physical appearance has to do with your beauty. You are beautiful because you are a miracle. You are the very best and purest parts of us.
We had a long discussion about your portrait and we decided the old one wouldn't do. So you drew a new one. Our perfect little family:
You belong. You are beautiful. Please, always believe this.