i got an e-mail yesterday that had me in tears.
it was a letter from rachel to maddy.
she gave me permission to post it
so here it is:
hey matt,
i wrote this a few days before we left. would you put it somewhere so she can read it when she’s older? i miss you guys. hope you two are having so much fun in the mn.
love,
rachel
dear maddy,
i’ve been joking to your dad as he writes his (your) book that i would be releasing an expose of our trip as soon as i got home. filled with the inside scoop, dirt on how he really is as a father and this trip to india. as our adventure is almost over, i find myself more wanting to write to you about those things. so maybe when you are older and you are curious about this trip, a trip that many people from our country never take in their entire lives and you have taken before you are even two years old, you can read this and remember a little bit of what it was like.
it’s been a challenge. oh my god, have you challenged me and your dad. you jumped up and down in his arms for seventeen hours straight on the way over and then stayed up the entire first night we were here, despite having barely slept in two days, because your body clock assured you that it was not bedtime. you have mastered the high-pitched scream and you use it often and well, usually in your dad’s ear when he is carrying you on his back or in mine when i carry you away from your favorite man. your top two canine teeth decided to make their very first appearances in the world at the exact same time, resulting in blood-curdling, inconsolable cries at all hours of the night in the thin-walled room at the lovely, (formerly) quiet hotel in kathmandu. your schedule has kept me fretting, as we tried to get you unjetlagged and i worried that you weren’t getting enough sleep or that you would be up all night if you dared nap too late. you have smacked in the face, without fail, every single woman in india who has tried to pick you up, and while i try to sternly tell you “NO HITTING, MADDY,” they all giggle at your prowess and make you grin with pride at your cleverness. yes, traveling with a 19 month old is a challenge, and the fact that no one but your dad is crazy enough to undertake it is why we have been met with either raised eyebrows or pats on the back everywhere we have gone.
but i know it has been worth it. i know that your dad beams with pride to see you run barefoot across the floor of a three-hundred-year-old mosque, and that he laughs when you make noises to echo in the huge marble dome of the taj mahal. i see you stare wide-eyed out the window of the auto-rickshaw and i know that it’s impossible that this is not making an impression on you. even though you are so young, somewhere deep-seated in your consciousness is and always will be monkeys in the trees while we ate breakfast; cows lying in the middle of the road; being mobbed by indian people taking cell phone pictures of you; riding a chalk-decorated elephant to the top of the amber fort; drinking out of a coconut in front of the bull temple; the waiters at the oberoi reaching out to pick you up and show you the koi pond; splashing an elephant in the water as he splashed you back with his tail. your dad has already told you, and so will countless other people, but it’s worth reminding you that these are experiences that many people never, ever have. you are incredibly special and lucky to have done these things. and while i’ve worried about you not eating much of anything besides rice, bananas, and yogurt, and i’ve done my best to keep some form of reliable nap and bedtime schedule for you, i know that the importance of these things in your life pale in comparison with the amazing feeling you must have now (whenever this is that you read this) when you let it sink in that you did all these amazing things as a 19 month-old baby. and the reason that you have done these things is that your father wants you to never doubt that you are loved. this trip is just one example of how he has gone out of his way (all the way across the planet, in this case) to give you an unbelievably unique and special childhood and life, and there’s no doubt that he will continue to do so as you grow up. he wants you to be cultured and worldly and open to experiencing life in many ways, not just the way of life in los angeles or minnesota but the ways of life of bangalore and jaipur and kathmandu. he wants to give you memories and photographs that no one else you know will have. he wants you to know how special you are to him.
and there’s one more reason that you are here. there has been a fourth person here on this trip with us and that’s been your mom. i don’t mean that in some weird way, i just mean that we have been retracing your mom’s footsteps that she took while she was here in india and in nepal, and along the way your dad has been sharing so many stories of her time here, and we spent time with people who knew her and now miss her and heard their stories of her time here, too. there hasn’t been a day that’s gone by when something hasn’t reminded your dad of her, and he’s told you about it, or taken your picture next to it, or written a poem about it to share with you when you were older. i never met your mom, but i have learned so much about her in the past seven weeks, and all the things i’ve learned have only reinforced what others have said– that she is completely in you and always will be, in your blonde hair and sassy attitude and independence and iron will.
i realize that up until this point in your life, i am probably the only person besides your dad who has lived with you, up close and personal, twenty-four hours a day, for nearly two months. it took us a while to trust each other, but now we are buddies and i am so sad that this great connection we have is going to dissipate from not constantly being around each other anymore as we inevitably will not be. i know you couldn’t possibly read this anytime soon, but it’s weird to speak in the past tense and say “you were a great baby” etc., so i’ll just tell you– you are such a sweet girl, maddy. you are cute as a button and spunky and fiercely strong-willed. there have been nights when you’ve point-blank refused to sleep, and we’ve recited your entire vocabulary together before you passed out mid-word. and there have been nights when you have made me snuggle right up next to you as you fell asleep, naptimes when you’ve reached out to me and made my hand rub your tummy so that you could fall asleep easier… (in all of these cases i have been so happy to oblige.) you seem to have endless energy, so much so that i sometimes wish i could turn a switch on you to get you to calm down, but you have taught me to become even more patient than i thought i already was. and when i am patient, you always come around, so thank you for that. i love that you call my name, “ray-oh”, over and over when i am in the next room, and i will never forget your adorable ‘please’ (“peesch”) and most-used phrase: “ah-pat”, combined with maddy-trademarked sign language (‘open it’). you want to open everything you see, even things that can’t possibly be opened (a crayon, a sock), because you are curious about the entire world around you and you want to touch, feel, and throw (especially throw) it all. good thing your dad brought you to india, where your curiosity has led you to see and learn hundreds of new things and meet so many great people. i really feel like i’ve witnessed your transition from baby to kid in the past 7 weeks, and it’s been amazing to watch. you are so so so much fun, and i know you will continue to be for the rest of your life. i hope you and your dad will let me stick around to see for myself.
i love you, maddy. thanks for everything. it’s been a blast getting to know you.
xoxox ray-oh (rachel)
187 Comments
Wow! How special and beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing!
That is beautiful…thank you for sharing. Maddy is a very lucky girl.
That brought tears to MY eyes!
What a special bond Rachel and Maddy have….I hope that they are able to stay in touch. It is so easy to get attached to someone as lovable as your Maddy. Thanks for sharing Matt.
That was just lovely.
oh great,
now i am crying.
as a former nanny, there is nothing in the world like that connection.
“my boys” are now in college and high school, and I danced with them at my wedding.
you have given rachel a very special gift…
What a wonderful letter, from a caregiver who obviously fell in love with your special girl.
Maddy can treasure this in the years to come.
*sniff*
Lovely letter rachel, you`ve got me into tears. I know how you must feel attached to maddy in some way I really hope you two get to be great friends for life.
So sweet. It has me in tears. What a lucky little girl.
Rachel, thank you for writing this. I hope you stay in continuous contact with Matt and Maddy and get to visit often.
Matt, you, as always, are amazing. and i dont say that lightly. you are phenomenal in all that you do and are for your maddy. it is really incredible to watch/read. thank you for allowing us to be apart of this.
Well, I always use the word amazing for Matt’s posts because honestly the man just amazes the hell out of me. But Rachel? You get incredible. Thank you for sharing it with us. I almost always cry at this site, not always sad…alot of happy tears or bittersweet ones. I asked Matt for a head’s up on twitter if this was a crier or a silly post…had a rough week and all. But I’m always in a better mood regardless after reading here so again, thanks.
Excuse me while I get a BOX of tissues. What a sweet bond they will always have.
That was so beautiful and filled with emotion. You could really see the bonding progress through your pictures! What a special experience both the girls had and were so lucky to share it together!
Oh my! Rachel, I’m in tears! Thanks for sharing this Matt
Beautiful.
Glad you guys had such a great time. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Rachel is full of the awesome! It seems that you couldn’t have found a better nanny for Maddy during your adventure. I’m sorry for all of you that it’s over….but I’m quite sure you (and your readers) won’t have to wait long for the next great adventure.
As always…….thanks for sharing!
well done, rachel; well done, maddy; and well done matt. you were an amazing team!
Matt, I’m in tears-thank you so much for sharing this letter and Rachel, thank you so much for writing it! Maddy is one very fortunate little girl!! She is so very loved by the people closest to her to the people who have never even met her…thank you for continuing to share the pics, the stories, etc. I enjoy reading them and sharing in them with you. Cannot wait til your book comes out!!
Hugs,
Erica aka ‘ellemenopee’
I am CERTAIN, despite your beliefs on the afterlife, that Liz is so very happy to have Rachel in Maddy’s life. And I have no doubts that Rachel is right …she was there with you every step of the way.
This is such loving ..touching letter rachel,i am sure maddy will tresure this one and all the photos in future ,she is such a special kid who has amazing, loving people all around her.You both will always share a bond..connection for life
beautiful-made me cry. thanks so much for sharing! Maddy will cherish this letter as she gets older.
That is a beautiful, touching letter, I cried reading it, she will love it when she is old enough to read it. Glad you had a nice trip
Amazing beautiful letter! I hope Maddy & Rachel will always be a part of each others lives. What a bond they have formed. Hope you both & Maddy had a very nice Thanksgiving.
so sweet and wonderful.
Wow, just wow. What an awesome relationship that has become over an amazing journey.
Hopes that she can stay in your life and Maddy’s for many years to come.
Wow. What an awesome person Rachel is. That letter is so beautiful. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Beautiful!
Just perfect. Well done Rachel.
OK now I am bawling. What a gift Rachel’s relationship with Maddy is – such a wonderful outcome from an amazing trip! Like Rachel, I hope they are friends forever!
Some day I will read your blog and not cry. This is not the day.
Awesome for Maddy.. and you.. and rach-oh. Thanks for sharing!
That’s beautiful. Ray-oh is amazing!
Oooh, that makes me cry! You couldn’t have found a better person to make this journey with you and to care for Maddy. She’s going to love that letter. I hope Rachel remains apart of Maddy, and your, lives. She’s a special person, that Ray-oh.
So amazing. I feel like I know Maddy even more after having read this loving letter. Thank you for sharing. Maddy will treasure this letter!
::: just now comprehending “tears in the beard”:::
That was beautiful.
Well Matt I’ve been a pretty avid reader of your blog since I heard about you on people magazine… I went back and read all the posts I could and I’ve never commented, just read. However…. WOW!!! This letter is soo wonderful, Rachel did a tremendous job, it is something that Maddy will be able to treasure forever and also learn what she was up to at such a young age! Just so you know, never doubt yourself, for you are doing a great job with her and you have found quite the helper with Rachel, and that is something that you guys can treasure. Love it keep up the great work!!!!
Maddy is such a lucky girl to have so many people who love her. Welcome Home.
Gee, thanks! Now I am crying too!
That is the most unbelievably amazing letter. Madeline is the luckiest girl in a most ironic way. For someone who was set up for sadness in her later life, she is so lucky to have such amazing people in her life. Rachel is definitely a keeper and will play a most important role in her life. You all three have so much to be thankful for this holiday season.
Looks like you aren’t the only who can write Matt!
Wow Rachel. Beautiful letter. It made me cry. You must be a VERY special woman and caretaker. Blessings to you. <3
that’s awesome…so glad she let you share it with all your readers.
Oh.My.God. What beautiful, beautiful words, Rachel,,,,,,,,,,,,,ones that gave me chills the entire time I was reading them. And most definitely made me cry. Matt picked an absolute winner, when he chose you to go along as Maddy’s nanny on this wonderful, unforgettable trip!!!! You are a true gem, and I’m sure will be their treasured friend for many, many, years to come.
Much love to all of you………………
What a great letter! Looks like Rachel was as lucky to know you and Maddy as you were to know her! And now , because the three of you created a wonderful bond through this shared experience, you and Maddy have a friend for life. How great is that?!
What a beautiful letter! Maddy is so lucky to have such wonderful people in her life! Thanks for sharing! : )
What a moving letter, she made me cry. I hope that she will continue to be a part of Maddie’s life.
Wow. Rachel, like Matt you too are a ROCKSTAR! What a beautiful touching letter to Maddy. The love you have for that sweet little girl is quite evident. Matt, Seriously, best nanny ever.
such a beautiful letter. Maddy and Rachel now have a bond that may weaken over time, but will always be there.
I can’t believe you guys are already done with your trip-seven weeks seemed so long but it was over in a flash.
that is beautiful. tears indeed.
Precious. Damn it now Im crying!!
That is a beautiful letter Rachel. Maddy will cherish one day as she looks back on the photos and words of her dad and you to remind her of this trip.
That was so sweet. It made ME cry.
I think Rachel is right, somewhere deep down, Maddy will remember. Someday, when the two of you return to India, those memories will come back as something that smells, feels, or looks familiar.
Thank you for sharing such a sweet letter.
Oh, Rachel! That was so beautiful. Thank you for letting Matt share it with us. What an incredible gift for Maddy and Matt. I know Maddy will treasure it when she’s older. How amazing the way you got to know Liz on this journey. The way we all get to know her through Matt’s words and photos. You honored her beautifully in your letter.
This was great. I am so glad Rachel was able to travel with you guys.
She is so awesome. You picked the perfect nanny.
THAT is amazing. And beautiful and sweet and dear. What sweet girls you have in your life, Matt.
Such a wonderful heartfelt letter Rachel! Maddy will always cherish this. Such wonderful memories!
Oh, great.. now I am crying. What a wonderful letter. Those two girls are lucky to have one another.
What a spectacular testimonial to your daughter and you. You seem to collect fans wherever you go.
What a special relationship between Maddy and Rachel. God has truly blessed them both.
I am too a nanny I can never explain my bond with my kids, but this letter explained it. I cry when they get their shots, when they hurt, and melt when they climb in my lap or learn my name for the first time. I hope maddy and rachel still have that special-bond in the future.
Awwww I got choked up reading that. Such a beautiful letter and a wonderful reminder for Maddy of her time in India and of Ray-Oh.
Very sweet….Maddy will enjoy this letter someday. She is going to have THE best baby book EVER!!
what a beautiful letter.
beautiful…so special. It is apparant she loves the child she was caring for. I know that means so much to a parent.
What an awesome letter. Just precious. Maddy is going to have the most amazing memories from her childhood with some wonderful people helping her create them.
I’m in tears, now… a little for the three (four) of you, but mostly selfish ones. I miss my nanny. With both parents working 45+ hour weeks throughout my childhood, she was my second mother for a decade and the bleeding wound she left when she returned home to New Zealand still hurts sometimes. Think I’ll go email her now, actually.
What a beautiful letter. Now I am crying.
Thank you for sharing.
Ray-oh….you definitely have a way with words..totally crying now. Thank you for sharing.
What a beautiful letter Rachel has written and let you post here. I’m sure Maddy will treasure it once she can read & understand.
Matt and Ray-oh
That was so beautifully written!! You have me in Tears!! I really hope Rachel stays in Maddys life for a Very long time!! Its not surprising that you really surround yourself and Maddy with beautiful, amazing and loving people!!
Simply Beautiful!!
Hi Matt and Maddy:
My family also lost a precious mommy, my daughter, Marylynn Bronwyn (Muller) Hall, Ph.D. She died suddenly three days after delivering her second baby. I’m GrandmaMarsha. My duties on May 5, 2008 were to assist my daughter in her recovery and to help by taking care of Bronwyn, the big two year old sister. As I read a bed time story to Bronwyn, Marylynn collasped and died in another room. In honor & memory of Marylynn, we also have a beautiful story of raising these two little girls. Their daddy is Phil. Bronwyn and Audrey are growing up in Gainesville, FL.
In tears here too…former nanny so I can relate!
Love this. There’s nothing like the connection you make with a child!
Oh and I believe that was my first ever non mocking comment. Weird how it’s on the first post that wasn’t written by Matt…
Add my reaction to the list…this letter made me cry. I feel like I know Maddy (and Liz) a little bit better after reading it. I hope you guys had safe travels to MN and a Happy Thanksgiving. Take care.
One of the hardest things I’ve had to deal with since my mother’s death 3 years ago (I’m turning 55 in a couple of hours and she always used to call me on my birthday morning and thank me for being born) is that the only person who spent the most time with me as a baby and a child is gone, along with all those memories. As the oldest by far, there are no siblings who remember those early days and my dad was often gone. I don’t know about you but it never occurred to me to ask things like “when I did first talk and what did I say,” “how did I pronounce things?” “how did I react the first time I saw a monkey?”
While Maddy will always miss her mother and there’s no getting around that, what she will have is this letter from you, Rachel, sharing stories about how she actually talked (loved the phonetic pronunciations — I can hear her in my mind) and acted when faced with all these new experiences in exotic countries. And you wrote it while it’s fresh in YOUR mind, rather than through a filter of decades.
What a tremendous gift!
As will be the book her daddy is writing for her to introduce her to her mother. As will all the previous blog posts. I just cry thinking about how she’s going to feel so much closer to her mom when she sees photos of her in the same places her mom was.
I think I’m going to start writing down memories about my niece and nephews when they were toddlers. Maybe I can even remember some stories about their parents at that age.
So beautiful. I would love to read Rachel’s blog…so, if she doesn’t have one, you should tell her to start one.
And if she does, you should share it with us.
man, now i’m crying too. that’s the sweetest thing i’ve read in a long time. and i know that you all are going to treasure the memories you’ve made together.
She is so, so loved.
waaaahhh!!!! omg that was so beautiful of rachel to write that letter to maddy. it also brought tears to my eyes.
thank your for sharing the letter!!!
That was amazing! Thank you so much for tears in my eyes. Your blog has opened a whole new world for me. What a beautiful letter. Despite losing her mother she is one VERY lucky little girl!
Thank You Rachel for such a thoughtful caring letter and once again bringing tears to my eyes
That was beautiful Rachel. Maddy is lucky to have you in her life! I’m sure this was an experience of a lifetime for you!
i was just talking to jonah about my first memory. it was before i was two. so there could be a chance she’ll remember this.
that letter was beautiful. sounds like you made the right choice in bringing rachel along. and i’m glad you guys had your time there finally and that you also made it back safely.
miss you friend. let’s have a chat sometime soon.
How awesome is that??!! What a great letter of remembrance for Maddy. How thoughtful of Rachel to do that for her!! What awesome experiences you all had! Still waiting and dying to read this book!
oh and it’s our year friendiversary! so glad to have you as a friend. you’ve pulled me through so much, matt! smartest email i’ve ever written. my baby thanks you as well.
That’s amazing!! Hope you guys had a wonderful and safe holiday–can’t wait to hear more from you. Looking forward to the book.
What a beautiful letter! We are all so glad Rached was chosen to go on this journey and what a journey it has been. Thank you for sharing Rachel’s letter with all of us, how special.
Wow. Just wow.
Thank you for sharing that. And Rachel? Thank you for writing that.
That is so beautiful. What more can I say, Rachel is awesome!!
As so many above have stated, this letter brought tears to my eyes. Like Rachel said Maddy is a very special girl who is loved so much by her father. God Bless you both and thank you for letting us share your journey
Absolutely beautiful … tears are flowing. Of course, I was already emotional as I saw my late husbands sister and her family for the first time in 3 years today. We laughed, cried and remembered things of life before he died 3 1/2 years ago, it’s a new life for all of us. Thanks for continuing to share your new life with us.
It’s weird to be crying over something that someone wrote that you don’t know, for another person that you don’t know either. But reading your blog and this letter allowed me to get to know you all just a little.
And these are tears of happiness and of admiration for the three of you. Rachel, that is one of the most beautiful letters I’ve read ever.
Not only is Maddy lucky to have had Rachel in her life for those 7 weeks, but Matt, you’re pretty damn lucky to have found someone who seems to have fit in perfectly!!!
Great letter!!!! I’m sure she’ll read it over and over again in the years to come!
what she never touches on and is obvious is the gift that you gave Madeline by bringing this awesome woman along. Madeline may has lost her irreplaceable mother, AND is incredibly blessed to be loved this sweetly by another woman.
Beautiful.
Maddy will love that in time.
No doubt Rachel – you were meant to be part of this team! You are so fun and caring. It takes a tender heart to experience and grow through the sharing and memory walk that you took. I saw through the photos and the words that all three of you “grew” during this adventure. Your shining love for Maddy will never be forgotten and will always keep you close to her. The photo you chose is the exact one I felt unquestionably showed us your connection with Maddy. So amazing, so sweet, so touching. Just as the people and the guides remembered that Matt was there with Liz, they will remember that Matt was there with Maddy and Rachel. Bonded – not just an observer – but part of their world and experiences. Your poignant letter brought me to tears and made me so proud of you. I understand your longing and sense of loss – but look at the beautiful comment @Sara said about ”dancing with her kids”! You have a future with this family that will be special. I really believe: There are no endings – only new beginnings. Thank you for sharing your heartfelt letter with us. Take care of yourself…I will miss you – but hopefully not for long! Love and prayers.
That was beautiful, I knew there was something special about Rachel, she shines from the inside in all her photos. I bet Maddy misses Ray-oh as much as Ray-oh misses her. Good pick on the nanny/friend, Matt!
aawwww…..brought a tear to my eyes.
Oh, the tears!
There can never be too much love – they are lucky to have added each other to their circles.
This is such a beautiful letter. I love that Rachel was so thoughtful and did this for you guys. After reading that I have no doubt that she and Maddy will continue to have that special bond. Thank you for sharing. As usual, I am inspired by the company you keep and the places you see.
As a side note, and maybe this is already something that is occuring, Rachel has quite a gift for writing. Does she have a blog or do any writing? If not, I would like to encourage her to do so.
Beautifully touching letter.. Now I’m crying too.. =) thank you Matt for sharing and welcome home!
I agree with others… that is a very special, precious letter that Maddy will cherish as she gets older. Thank you for sharing it with us. I agree with Rachel… I think that you’ve imbedded India deep in Maddy’s soul and I bet that it will be her special place as she grows older.
You are an AMAZING father Matt! May God bless you!
how wonderful. had to get the tissues out
……….tears on my keyboard.
Thank you for sharing, you obviously picked the right person to come with you on the trip. An expose wouldn’t be a bad idea either haha.
http://www.ifeelyaophelia.com
Jenna Jean
That was so sweet. What a wonderful keepsake for Maddy.
Very Nice!
Thanks for sharing.x
speechless.
So beautiful. Maddy is lucky to have taken Rachel along. I hope they are able to stay in touch for life.
that is a beautiful beautiful letter Rachel! I am sure that Maddy will always remember you as she grows. you guys have to keep in touch! All the best to you, Maddie and Matt
annnd I am crying. Very very special.
An absolutely beautiful letter. As I sit hear with tear filled eyes I can feel the bond between all of you and it is breathtaking. My heart continues to be with you all as the journey of life takes you places you can only imagine.
I’m so sitting her bawling. You’ve not only found a great person and friend, you’ve seem to found a great mentor for Maddy.
Thank u for sharing! I was crying throughout…what a wonderful gift for Maddy from her best buddy
Nanny Love. Awesome. When’s your next trip?
beautiful.Thank you for sharing it(drying tears away)
lovely. you all have such rich lives and open hearts.
what a wonderful gift to hear and see through someone else’s eyes, what you have done and what you have.
Priceless…..
OK, I totally know why that made you cry. I’m sitting here all teary and it isn’t even my daughter or experience. Rachel is very special. Maddy is very special. No wonder they had such a great connection!
Has it really been this long that we have embarked on the journey to India with you? Is it really over!!??
I have enjoyed every blog and picture that you have shared with us! It’s great to hear Rachel’s side of the trip and what a memory you have made for all parties involve that will be cherished for a lifetime! I love her honesty that it wasn’t all peachy keen. Liz would be proud of your book (I can’t wait to read it), your will power with your daughter and the great pick in Rachel to join you! Thanks again for sharing your journey with us!
maddy is so lucky to have so many special people in her life. She will treasure the words you both have written forever.
Very touching letter Rachel! Thanks for letting matt share it with us all.
Maddy is so incredibly loved by so many good people and Rachel is def. one of them. That was so sweet and is one more thing Maddy will love to read when she gets older. Thanks for letting Matt share that with us.
xoxoxoxo,
Tricia
This is the first time that I have been compelled to comment after reading your blog since your story was in People magazine.
First, let me just say that Maddy has got to be the luckiest little girl in the world to have you for a Daddy. Someone who can get up everyday, despite the grief and sorrow you must sometimes feel, and make her feel so very special. Liz’s spirit lives on through you everyday in the stories you share with Maddy.
Second, I too am a former nanny. The bond that Maddy and Rachel share is like no other. No one can quite relate to that kind of bond unless you have experienced it. Rachel will treasure it always and Maddy will get to watch it grow.
I love reading your story Matt.
Thank you!
Matt, thanks for sharing. And Rachel, what you wrote will be so precious to Maddy when she is older! So lovely…you were obviously a perfect choice to join Matt and Maddy on this journey. I’m sure, somewhere, Liz is so thankful to you too, for taking such great care of Maddy and helping Matt on this adventure. You have a beautiful spirit!
Liz gave Maddy the ultimate gifts–the gift of life, and you, Matt, for a father. She will always smile down on you two as you live a life of adventure, exploring the world together. Rachel, oh my, what a gorgeous person with a beautiful soul. You are yet another blessing to Matt and Maddy. I’m glad to have ‘met’ all of you, if only in cyberspace!!
What a beautiful and tender letter. Have just joined everyone else in crying !! Thank you so much for sharing.
I am a blubbering mess after reading that most precious letter from Rachel.
What a gift of love!
Ray-oh,
just like a story in itself…this letter is beautiful and i’m sure maddy will cherish it in years to come. what a great “find” matt found in you!!
Absolutely beautiful!
I was struggling today. Not anymore. This is a wonderful gift you shared, and it helped me too. Thank you.
wow, Matt, I am so pleased to hear that you found someone like rachel who loves maddy so much, and has been able to help you care for her on this amazing trip! you are all blessed!
That brought tears to my eyes too. What a special and sweet letter. Thanks for sharing…
That was such a beautiful letter. Thank you for sharing it with us. Every once in awhile I sit down and try to write something for my kiddos that captures their lives at the moment – I’m sure Maddy will treasure this when she’s older.
Awwwwww!!!!!
Sooooo sweet. I don’t really have any other words. Just so, incredibly sweet and moving.
WOW! Again…I’m smiling….then laughing….then crying.
That was beautiful Ray-Oh. I know that you will always be a big part of Maddie’s life.
What an experience for you too!
xoxoxxo
Wow, what a blessing and gift for Maddy, for you, for Liz . . . and Rachel. All of the photos, the writings, the blog, the tweets, the memoir, and now this letter. I’m sure there have been other letters from others who love you all during these past many months, and again – a gift! As a now 30-something woman and the daughter of a mother who died when I was two, I so often wished, hoped, and prayed for letters . . . connecting me and her. So thank you, thank Rachel, and thanks to any other unknown writers for having the courage to tell the stories – blessings and gifts!
Words cannot express how beautiful that was. Maddy is lucky to have Ray-oh in her life and vice versa.
That letter was beautiful.
Lovely.
I think Rachel has fallen for Maddy and you Matt.
So sweet.
so sweet. Thank you (both) for sharing.
I just heard your story on Oprah’s Show. It is impossible to be indifferent, i had to visit your blog and send a big hug of admiration!
Your daughter is absolutely gorgeous
***
Kisses from Portugal!
Oh gosh that was just too sweet. I have tears in my eyes too.
Now that I am like everyone with tears running down my cheeks while at work…that was Beautiful!! Thank you for sharing such a memory and love filled letter to a precious girl. You are all so blessed to have found each other.
What a beautiful letter! I can see why it had you in tears! Hope your time in India was everything you hoped it would be! Hugs!
What a beautiful letter to Maddy. I am sure that when she is older she will cherish this as much as she will the travels you have taken her on along with the book you are writing. You are doing a wonderful job Matt! Keep up the great work.
I´sorry about my english, but i´m from Portugal.
You know that everything as a reason, soon you will find out that, your wife died for a reason, and it´s very important that you truly believe that, from a place above she protects you and your daughter.
Um beijo de muita força de PORTUGAL
Hello
In the first place I start to say :
Sorry for my English, it´s because i´m portuguese and i´m not very used to write in english.
I have seen your history of love in OPRAH and I wanted to say to you and maddy that you have very luck in tour life. I have two daughters and I know how much is difficulte to rase them, but God Will help Us in our Pat.
Kisses and hugs from cátia Beatriz and Maria
Rachel – what a beautiful letter. I hope that you and Maddy stay great friends – you have a special relationship and I know she will miss you as much as you will miss her.
You did that on purpose didn’t you!
How touching. You certainly found the right woman for the job. I hope she’s still in your lives the day Maddy gets to read this!
amazing. simply amazing
Matt and Maddie, will you PLEASE adopt Rachel??? Please?
Amazing. Maddy will have so much to read about her past when she grows up and she will be a better person for it. Thanks for sharing.
thank you for sharing the view of maddy from another set of eyes. what a tremendous gift rachel has given to you and your precious daughter!
what a gem. you were lucky to have her. and she to have you.
Wow, that was beautiful and so very special. Thank you for sharing.
Obviously noone or nothing will ever take the place of having the presence of her mother in her life, but I have to say that Maddy has some pretty special people going to bat for her.
Well, I got my cry in for the day! That is such a beautiful letter that Rachel wrote for Maddy. They are so lucky to have each other as buddies. I am sure that they will continue to be close as Maddy grows up. What an awesome and special bond they have.
This is absolutely beautiful. What a gift.
Simply beautiful <3
Wow, this is amazing. I can’t imagine losing that bond between Maddy and Rachel. Can’t she move close to you two and be Maddy’s caretaker instead of daycare?!?!? Such an amazing letter and a treasure.
Sounds like the trip was a gift for everyone!
I cried too. Maddy is one lucky little girl to have such a caring, adventurous and dedicated father like you.
Well, shit. I can’t remember the last time I cried while reading your blog. That was a lovely letter.
Of course this is no surprise to hear! It looks like this trip has been great for everyone. I’m very glad to see that you picked a wonderful person for Maddie to hang out with in India!
Wow, I’m in tears. Beautiful. Maddy is a very lucky girl, and Rachel, wow. Love it. Thank you for sharing.
Rachels letter just inspired me to write one to my own daughter, who’s character very much resembles Maddy’s. I think that’s why Aunts and Uncles, Grandparents, Nanny’s and Caretakers are so important in creating milestones and memories-we as parents can get so over focused on the “sculpting” that we forget the little details and all of the benign idiosyncracies that make us cry in both adoration and frustration. That letter will mean so much to Maddy coming from her once Pseudo MOM!
Rachel, sounds like u had a great time. You were the right person to go on this journey with them. Thanks for sharing you letter.
That was a beautiful letter!
Hi Matt! We understand you’re busy. But if you aren’t going to update at least show us some picture of you and that adorable cutie pie of yours. Hope you’re settling in back home and had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Sending you all my best wishes!
Thanks for sharing. Maddy is a very luck girl.
Rachel . . . you are one courageous woman, and I am very happy Madeline and Matt share you with us.
Hope all is well,
thinking of you guys
Liz
So beautiful. I have tears streaming down my face as I read this post. Rachel, you’ve done a wonderful job and provided both Matt and Maddy with a timeless letter documenting her transition from babyhood to toddlerhood.
Matt, I’m a big fan. Keep up the writing. Let me know when you are in the Northeast either Boston or NYC. Would love to meet you and Maddy in person.
Trish
Awesome. Another fabulous post. Rachel, you’ve truly experienced something amazing with Maddy and Matt. They will be forever grateful. It’s so cool that you got to see the shift in Maddy’s young life.
I am not sure I have ever left a message (and I’m sorry for that) but this letter is priceless and speak volumes of this entire trip and the book process and your love for your daughter.
I was left in tears and speechless. Beautiful!
I completely agree with Rachel. What an awesome up bringing…to be traveling the world at 1. Thanks Matt for taking me along on y’alls journey because most likely, I will never see those places in person. Although now that I have seen your pictures and heard the stories, I want to go! Personally I am very hesitant to go worlds away, to eat new foods, navigate new lands, but man it looks beautiful and the people seem so nice to you…so if Maddy can do it and survive, perhaps I should try.
Takes for the trip!
Hello from South Africa! I saw your story on the Oprah Show and I was SO impressed with the magnitude of your experience that I drove into town (I live on a rather remote farm in the middle of the bush) to come into an internet cafe and found your blog. What a blessing your story has been to me… You have a new lurker now!
) May God bless you, Matt!!!
As alway, my heart is melted. Beautiful!
Okay, great, tears streaming down my face now.
Thank you for sharing that!
I flew on my first jet when I was 15 years old. My kids all had frequent flier cards before Zuzu was two. Hats off to you traveling that far with a one year-old. I thought it was a big deal when I took a three year-old to Florida (with her three siblings) all by myself. As a result of that trip (and ones that followed), they see the world differently and feel more a part of it. I’m sure that’s what you’ve given Maddy too. You’re doing a great job, Matt.
Wow. What a beautiful, heartfelt letter. It made ME cry!
WOW! Rachel, you have a wonderful way with words. I was so touched and teary-eyed after reading that letter.
Wow. You miss a lot when you don’t read everyday. Who is Rachel?
–Terrace Crawford
http://www.terracecrawford.com
http://www.twitter.com/terracecrawford
As a lone parent, I think it’s doubly hard to choose the right person to look after your child during the times when you can’t do so.
Reading this wonderful letter, I realise just how well you have chosen, Matt.
Rachel’s tales of broken nights, and teething screams also fill in that missing subtext of all the hard times which go with raising a small child. All those times which are hard enough to get through as two parents, and almost impossible to survive as one.
You never mention those hard times.
Well, hardly ever. And yet, we know they must have been there, somewhere in the hard reality of living real life. That’s how it goes with small children.
Rachel reminds me that those times are there, and that you are getting through them. The balance of joy over pain for the parent is never in doubt, but sometimes at 4am when you’ve been awake all night it can feel like a pretty close-run thing.
Well done. You’re doing great, even through those hard times and long nights. And what a huge achievement that really is.
When Maddy grows up she will read that letter over and over again. What a blessed little girl.
Hi there, i’m sanna, 22 years old from sweden. i recently looked at operah and i started to cry when i heard about your story, but after a few minutes, my tears went into a big smile instead, becuase i couldn’t stop noticing the love that you had for your wonderful and beautiful daughter. i am so happy that you’re all doing ok after the tragic ending, but i am so proud of you. you most be hearing this a lot, but i’ll hope you never stop with the love that you’re sharing to your great girl and to all of us that’s fallowing you and your story.
i just wanted to give you the best of luck even if i dont think you need it
i even want to share a poem that i wrote,
just for you and your situation:
” a tragic loss did happen, and your world fall a part, but in the same time, an angel was born and the love could start,
you brought your daughter close to your heart.
the love of your wonderful missing wife, will never dissapear, every minute, every second, she will be around here somewhere, as long as we keep holding these great memories a live,
there is no need to say goodbye,
god took an angel and brought another back to you, it’s not fair, but i know you do the best job you can do, the love that you show your daughter, is precious and so true, and i promise that your other angel is watching and loving you.
take care… / sanna, from sweden
This lovely letter gave me goosebumps. maddy is such a lovable little girl