Singing and dancin’

Nana January 7, 2019 0Comments

Dear Guillianna and Elijah –

Yes so this photo popped up in my memories from a few years ago – and you may not remember but Elijah fell in love with this one song in Arizona long ago – it  ironically caused him some grief at school once fit to the wording but oh my how you both love music and how much fun we had taking turns picking songs on the way to school every morning.  So many good memories for sure.    Morning sillies were the best !      Music,  dancing and singing !   From the minute you woke up- we would start with the “Good morning song that Eli would finish off and well there was no stopping the little singer and dancer in Guillianna too!

We can remember The two of you putting on shows for us and when all the cousins or friends came over the productions that would be created !    Rylee’s mom has videos she shared of some of the playdate productions too that are just so adorable.   Again these uploads can be kept for viewing on a private page since for Nana the technology skill set is limited and I am still working on pixelating images.   There are so many on this site and it is quite a process for me to save the original image,  create a new image and make the archives but I work at it daily.   The objective of this site is to make certain you will always have warm happy feelings inside when it comes to the Mitten,  for all of your family and your friends here!  It is our hope that you will fully understand the amount of love that was then and still exists now, and that you will remember the amazing life shared and fully know it to be as special as it truly was.   Until you’re able to spend time with your grandparents and family in the Mitten, we hope to protect you’re sweet hearts from any possible trauma endured from the loss, sorrow, and loss of trust it could feel in such an unusual situation.   There is so much medical literature to support the need for a person to know and feel these sentiments, to know and feel truth, and support.   As we have tried to convey  so many times and in so many ways through these love letters – you are loved by mom and dad, you are loved by all of those  you have impacted through nine and six years of your now 10 and 7 year old lives.     You have made it through 365 days without two people you could not bear to leave or be with out –  and we are forever hopeful you know we will always wait for that ‘call’,  or that chance to hug you and tell you to your faces how truly happy we are to see your growth, your scholastic and non academic achievements!    To share actively  and be present  in your current or future lives!    We also know that if the independence or separation from all those in the Mitten continues and is more comfortable for mom and dad, we will hope you’ll one day understand and  you will know we did not abandon you two and we understand you did not have ay ability to change the situation .  We understand that loving and missing here would be so hard to share when you’re expected not to .   Or would feel you have Dissapointed anyone if you did.   A terribly hard place for anyone to be in especially a child.   We hope you’ll one day know that we supported our daughter for all of her military career and while she was working she was able to go to school.    She did all that she could to advance in her job and to provide and be the stability she needed to be for you both.   She could not have worked the type of full time job that the Army is  and gotten her college studies done without help from so many who love her, her grandparents, her mom and her dad – so many people have been part of mom’s life from the start – and she will make sure she is there and had set up plans  for you both.   It’s our understanding that her work over these past ten years and more,  will have allowed for you two to go to college one day!   Now that dad is out of the Army you two have begun the next chapter of your journey but our love letters are written to make sure you know your family will stay your family regardless of next duty station, or destination in your lives.     Nana and Poppy have so much experience in the cause and effect of attachment issues  related to loss and major change therefore  we will always do what we can to help you see that you can trust, you can believe, and you can love!   That even if not all people are in agreement on the necessity or value of all things, relationships,  people  that have been left behind in the Mitten,  we do agree in the  shared and true love for two special people !  Love of you both is a common thread and it cannot be broken .

We will love you to the moon and back – we will always be your cheering section , and we will always keep safe the story of our lives-  the beginning of our journey, the story of our hopes and dreams,  the journal of the events in our lives,  for all  or any of our grandchildren who look to understand this unusual situation, seeker of the how and why, the history .

We are so grateful for the great things you bring to us in life.    You two  make our hearts sing !    You have so many little friends who have tried to write and keep contact with you.  If mom  should get the chance to bring you for a visit we will be sure to arrange for you to visit your old school or make a play date … and if not this letter can serve to tell you they all miss you both very much and loved time spent with you!   It’s how everyone in the Mitten feels! Nothing but love for you both ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️Forever and for always ,

XOXOXOXOXOXO

❤️Nana and Poppy❤️?

Happiness always…

Nana January 6, 2019 0Comments

Dear Guillianna and Elijah –

Wishing you forever smiles like these.  The journal of our memories is so much more than just a way for you remember the Mitten and all of your family and friends.

We hope every single day to meet with you again, to talk or FaceTime!  It’s hrd to believe the second half of fourth and first grades  have begun and in a few short months you will have the entire summer ahead of you to do all kinds of fun things!

We wonder have you begun band or music ?   Is there new activities or continued with old loves like  dance, gymnastics, karate,  or cheer?    It’s highly likely you had to change all of those activities but we are sure mom and dad found new ones they wanted for you and we know how they love you and want you to grow happy and healthy.    We simply wish for you to know we think about all these wonderful new beginnings and hope you’re doing well and know we are super proud of the courage and strength we know it has taken to separate from what you knew so long and begin again.  But goodness knows you are super hero’s in your hearts and we are cheering you on as we always have.

We wish you today and every day to make it special to shine as bright as you always have and know that this year and every year we will be sending you wishes for feelings of love , happiness, accomplishment, and a solid trust in the love Nana and Poppy have for you both.   We love you to the moon and back,

forever and for always,

XOXOXOXOXOXO

❤️Nana and Poppy❤️?

When it snows!

Nana January 5, 2019 0Comments

Dear Guillianna and Elijah –

In the Mitten today the sun is shining there is no snow around Nana’s house, with some up in Northern Michigan for sure but these photos are from a few years ago on this very date and there was SO MUCH SNOW !

Oh my goodness you were both so little !

I would think you two have returned to school and being it’s the weekend you’re hopefully enjoying a nice Saturday.    I am on my way to get Grandma Sally some groceries and she surely misses you both.   Sewing with Guillianna and teaching her on the sewing machine, and Elijah with his special bond with her !  Eli would always have  both she and Grumpy laughing all the time  !    Grumpy loved Elijah’s spikey hair phase and when he decided he didn’t want it spiked anymore Grumpy used to tease that he was going to go get some glue !   And Elijah you would play along with him and eventually you would tease him and tell him you brought some glue.   Laughter  and your time spent, the  visits surely was the best present ever for them and all their friends you kept entertained at Fox Run!    Just wonderful memories.    Today we will likely removed the outside Christmas lights since the weather is so nice.     And as we do I can remember  yet another on this day video of when we were taking down the Christmas tree one year and Guillianna in her Nana loves me shirt and jammy pants was playing hot potato with Poppy and laughing so hard.     If I can get the video to upload I will post it.    If not I will keep it safe for you to see someday.  As the second semester of school begins for you we hope that it is full of lots of fun things to learn and school activities.    We know how you’re both great students and that as each year comes you’ll always try your best.    I had given mom all your school papers through the years you will hopefully be able to go through them one day and see all the fun projects done the story books written and art.      They too will likely make you smile thinking of the old school the friends and the fun especially the  Field trips right ?

Thinking of you both with WARM cozy Mitten love ❤️ wishing for you happiness, laughter and smiles from ear to ear, we will love you to the moon and back ,

forever and for always,

XOXOXOXOXOXO

❤️Nana and Poppy❤️?

Faces of love and happiness will always speak for themselves!

Nana January 4, 2019 0Comments

Dear Guillianna and Elijah-

it doesn’t matter how far I look back in our memories or what pictures we have of you two, there are just so many amazing memories attached.     From your births to December 27, 2017 the time spent was nothing short of amazing and packed with fun love and growth.    So much learned during those years and hopefully the love of family and reciprocal emotions of attachment to family and friends was foundational in your early years,  enough so that you will be able to reflect one day on happiness and peace,  knowing you have been loved to the ends of the earth and back by mom by dad, by us,  by all of your family and so many friends.

We know something has happened to change things for now as your mom and dad find their own way and follow their own dreams.  We have no idea what though.     Longitude and latitude- and nothing that is untrue if that is the scenario, nothing that has been perceived if that is the scenario, nothing misunderstood  if that is the scenario,  nothing  could , nothing could  restrict the love that is sincere and pure in our hearts- This far we know this,  to change phone numbers,  to demand no letters be mailed,  to threaten us and say no gifts are to be sent,  and be treated as though we are criminal/vile people  and speak to our character as grandparents , treat us as individuals who have harmed or would ever harm is frightening to both your Poppy and I, and has in these past months escalated to a point where we have had to write, to journal, and defend your true memories, defend in an attempt to prevent potential abandonment issues in your future , we have no understanding of how life has transpired in such a manner as to create such dysfunction, and discord this degree and  yes it  is beyond worrisome.   This worry grows as time has passed week after week and now month after month when originally we had hoped time would prove to show that the relationship of grandparents is a good thing for you both , that parental roles would develop over time in a new state a new environment and any personal fear or worry of attaching  would dissipate –  but that did not happen.   Instead there is something that leaves us concerned and hoping for resolve.    As things stand however only fuels the need to write, document and put in place some irrevocable facts and documents, historical evidence,  as tools possibly needed for the human spirit to heal from any potential sense of abandonment or  miscommunication impacting your lives and the removal of all that was so precious to you both for so long.

The images here span so many years and the smiles and the love in your faces so prevalent.  We are loving you and missing you, we are hopeful you’re happy and staying courageous and using all the skills and attributes you developed over so many years from teachers from friends from your parents from us , from all of the family.   Your amazing individuals with a very rich and deep rooted foundation in love and caring, in hopes and dreams and in believing in the feelings of the heart.     We love you to the moon and back,

forever and for always,

XOXOXOXOXOXO

❤️Nana and Poppy❤️?