***I am so thankful to be a part of this blog circle "Letters to our Sons" with so many amazing photographers and moms. In honor of our love for our little boys, we are posting a monthly image(s) along with a corresponding, heartfelt letter. After reading my post please click HERE to continue around the circle, starting with my talented and dear friend Jill Cassara.
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Dear Cash, my little train fanatic,
There are a few things in your world so far that bring you tremendous happiness, and near the top of that list is trains. Living in New York City we ride the subway almost every day which is most likely how this fascination began. You are so curious about the different subway lines - which ones run express, which ones are local and which ones take us to Grand Central. On our underground travels, whenever the subway doors open you say, "Mommy, which stop is this?", and have come pretty close to memorizing each stop on our daily commute to preschool. Coming home from school we try our best to ride in the front car of the "C" train so we can look out the window and watch the train race, twist and turn along the old tracks. You'll spot other trains riding next to ours and tell me which line it is and whether it's headed uptown or downtown, finding it especially thrilling when our local beats the express to the station. At the recent parent-teacher conference your teachers shared that during free play you religiously make a bee line for the train tracks, building elaborate systems winding in all directions. I asked if other children in the class are as interested and they replied, "Nope, just Cash." Perhaps it is because you are the only one in your class that rides the subway to school? Maybe so, but it comes as no surprise that your recent request to Santa includes the "B" and "D" subway cars to add to your collection.
This Thanksgiving we made our usual trip to Grandma and Pow Pow's in Pennsylvania. What a thrill when Pow Pow, a lifelong train fanatic himself, offered to take you trainspotting.
{Please click photo to see the slideshow "Trainspotting with Pow Pow" and then continue reading}
Pow Pow took you down to a bridge in the old mill town of Leetsdale that, because of icy conditions, was closed off to traffic. It was the perfect place to watch for freight trains, especially since the tracks run right underneath the bridge. Pow Pow is eighty years old and has loved trains since he was a small boy like you. His own grandfather gave him a Lionel train set that they would put up or around the Christmas tree each year and for a long time he dreamt about one day being a train engineer. He would travel by train to and from Princeton and to and from Connecticut College to date your grandmother, meeting her under the clock at Grand Central. Though he chose a much different career path while contemplating college, marriage, raising and supporting a family, his love affair with trains and counting cars has never waned. In fact it was just two years ago, at the age of 78, that Pow Pow finally got the chance to fulfill his lifelong dream - to be an "engineer for a day" of the East Broad Top steam locomotive! Which just goes to show you Cash, never give up on your dreams. Never Ever.
I just want to say too that this was quite a special afternoon for me, being able to see my father share in his passion for trains with you, my oldest son, and capture those moments with my camera. It is one day I shall not soon forget and believe you will always remember. I love you Cash and your wild boy dreams.
Always and forever,
Mom