A Comparison

Dear Riley,

I grew up with a cousin who was 6 months older than me. You are 7 months older than Braxton.

Here are you and Braxton at your 3rd birthday party:

Here are me and my cousin on my 3rd birthday:

Here is your cake on your 3rd birthday:

Your theme was fairies, with Tinkerbell sharing the top tier with the number 3.

Here is my cake on my 3rd birthday:

In black letters my cake says, “Adoption Papers.” For those that know me, it’s probably not a big surprise that I don’t find that funny… at all.

Love you so much!

Love, Mama

East Texas State Fair

Dear Riley,

At the end of September I always look forward to the East Texas State Fair. My daddy ALWAYS took me and Aunt Ma. Interestingly, the East Texas State Fair was the first date your dad and I had after you were born. We left you with Mamaw while we went to the fair.

We were really excited to take you to the fair this year. You’re just now tall enough so that you could ride a few of the rides. I think you had a great time!

Somehow I managed to get you and your daddy on the Ferris wheel, no small task. We all enjoyed the view!

I love this next picture. Daddy volunteered to ride the spinning apple ride (I can’t think of the actual name of that ride right now). Your daddy has a tight grip on your wrist because he was spinning the apple so fast you were sliding around. And your face shows just how much fun you were having.

The conversation that took place in the apple:

Daddy: “I’m getting so dizzy!”

Girl #1: “Me too!”

Girl #2: “Me too!”

You: “Me neither!”

Next we put you on a motorcycle. You liked it, too.

Our last stop was the Midway games. You played the game where you choose any duck and win a prize. Haha, can’t go wrong with that.

Love you both so much.

Love, Mama

Mini Volcanoes!

I found this craft on my new love, Pinterest!

Supplies: food coloring, baking soda, vinegar, cookie sheet and medicine dropper.

Pour a little vinegar in a cup and add a color. Spread the baking soda on a cookie sheet, and using the medicine dropper drop drops of vinegar onto the baking soda. Little mini volcanoes will start popping up!

Riley loves to line things up and organize. She even organizes her volcanoes. I love this girl!

Fun little project and easy clean up!

My Heroine

Dear Grandmom,

I’ve been wanting to write you a letter for a long time. I want to tell you so many things.

Thank you. Thank you for raising me and loving me. Thank you for always picking me up at practices. Thank you for never being late. I could always depend on your white car to be there. You sat through many basketball and volleyball games. You drove all over East Texas to watch me play. You brought snacks before the game in case I was hungry.

Thank you for putting up with my attitude. I had a smart mouth many times, and somehow you resisted the urge to slap it. Thanks.

Thank you for always giving me clean clothes. Now that I work at a school, it’s easy to see the kids who don’t have someone to wash and iron their clothes. I never had to worry about not having something clean to wear. Thanks for always ironing my clothes. Ironing my clothes was that extra touch and extra work that you didn’t have to do.

Thanks for the food. Grandmom, you were a fantastic cook! And you always varied the menu! I was a teen-ager before I was ever able to experience a T.V. dinner. I thought I was missing out on life because I never got to eat Hamburger Helper. You never relied on Hamburger Helper to feed us. Instead, we ate things like cabbage, turnip greens, meatloaf, and stew. Some of my favorite menu items you cooked were pizza bread, peanut butter rice crispy treats, garlic bread (made out of hot dog buns) chalupas, taco soup, and mini pizzas.

Thank you for caring about my daughter the way you do. I’m forever grateful that she will remember you. Thank you for loving her.

Thank you for the memories. Our drives to Nocona, Chandler Nursing Home on Fridays, summers with you, and picturing you in the kitchen and at the clothes line are memories I won’t ever forget.

I never imagined I would have you in my life and not be able to talk to you. I completely took you for granted.

I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you all these things before Alzheimer’s destroyed your memories.

I would give anything to have you back for just a little while. Even though I’m used to this life, the void you used to fill is only growing. I want to ask you so many things about being a mom, about your life, about being married, about being a friend. I miss you so much.

I’m so sorry I didn’t ask you all these things before Alzheimer’s destroyed your memories.

The Grandmom I have today is the sweetest person I know. You tell me how much you miss me and always want me to spend the night. You love to give hugs and kisses. You love to laugh at Riley.

I love you so much. I hope you knew that, and I hope you know that today. I couldn’t have ever asked for anyone better. You’re a great grandmother and great-grandmother.

Thank you for being my Mother when you didn’t have to be.

Love, Jaycie