Long ago – doesn’t mean unimportant and forgotten .

Nana January 20, 2019 0Comments

 Dear Guillianna and Elijah-

We are almost to the end of January 2019 already ?   Time sure does have a way of moving forward.    Despite anything that happens time does keep going forward.   But long ago – will not ever mean forgotten.    Not for us.    The thousands of photographs we have of you two from birth thru all your lives up until last December are so precious to us.  They are the proof of truth and the reality of what happiness look like!   Where you spent your early years and how happy you were will always be an important part of who you are.    The love and support you have known are not a guarantee for future success and happiness but the memories are without doubt pieces of happiness that belong to you, to all you’ve touched in the years in the Mitten,  in an otherwise crazy world.    Moments that if kept special and pure in your mind can grow and blossom into all kinds of good and wonder.  These snapshots or glimpse of the past can translate Into positivity, joy, understanding,  and all kinds of other gifts for you both  a gifts that can be shared and that you will be able to pass on to others.  Even the hard times can be used to strengthen and build your character, to aid in teaching you both  to be resilient.    I know how hard that has been for us as grown ups these recent months –  so we cannot image how you’ve struggled .

We are forever grateful, we love you both …

There aren’t words for the love in our hearts and the amount of hope we feel for you and all of your family to be happy and healthy always .

We love you both to the moon and back –

forever and for always,

XOXOXOXOXOXO

❤️Nana and Poppy❤️?

Long weekends – are fun !

Nana January 19, 2019 0Comments

Dear Guillianna and Elijah –

The weekend is here and we are hoping it’s a nice long one for you since Monday is MLK Day-  and maybe your able to have some extra time with family.

These are the times where there is extra time from school and visits could have been planned.    We would have – will, and always hope that we can travel to see you, or to take you for a weekend excursion or simply dinner or lunch, watch you on an extra curricular activity- simply be grandparents – we wish daily for something to happen that allows for that change.    One day, what ever you’ve been told or feel you have to believe, will be cleared up and the images upon these posts will speak volumes  to you both.    For now they speak to us !   They fill us with loving memories, and the warmth of your laughter and happiness!     We love you both Guillianna and Elijah – to the moon and back ,

forever and for always

XOXOXOXOXOXO

❤️Nana and Poppy❤️?

Bash day Friday…

Nana January 18, 2019 0Comments

Dear Guillianna and Elijah-

Today is Friday and as you likely remember it is the day Sebastian comes to play !

He is now 2, he finds sneezing so funny – so much so that he fake sneezes to see what you will say, and looks for you to say “bless you “.  Super cute.    You would love to see him do this and how big he and Cole have grown.    Babies especially,  seem to grow so much and so fast the first few years of life.     The two of you have likely grown so much since you left too.     We truly can’t wait for the day we get to see you again.   We had hoped you’d be able to visit soon- and cannot give up hope that we will.     We simply take each day – one at a time and hope for the phone to ring or a photo to be sent.  Sending us a picture after the thousands of photos and videos we used to send regularly to your parents would be so simple and kind, yet nothing .    That in and of itself says a lot of who is the intended recipient of this personal dilemma.    You see to send an image of a baseball or dance or other activity you may be involved in hurts nothing, not sending one hurts us intentionally- after years of love and dedication the level of disrespect is beyond words.   And certainly not an example to set for small children.    To have deep and sincere respect for your mom and dad, for all they have dreamed of for you both, for all the hard work they put forth to give you a future, for all they hope and work towards in trying to be the very best parents they know how to be – you should always respect the people who love you like parents do.   You will not always agree with things your parents do however you should always know that children should love and admire the amount of love and dedication parents have for their children    Even if you grow to have different view points or beliefs, even if you travel a road different than the road planned, no matter what the philosophical differences people can have with their parents – they should not forget the lifetime of love, hopes and dreams, the laughter, the fun, the difficult times and the simple fact that a child who has respect for the person who provides or paves the way for the life you have.   In your lives you were lucky to have your parents working toward goals, grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins supporting and loving you both and your parents for all of your lives- actively up to last December and still from afar.

The weekend is here and we hope you have lots of family fun planned.   We expect some snow in the Mitten  – with usual weekend plans, we will see great grandparents, and likely visit Uncle David who is finally at home trying to heal from surgery.    In a few days your mom will have a birthday – so hopefully you’ll make her a beautiful day full of love and fun birthday wishes.    We are still banned from sending gifts or cards but our hearts will always be thinking of her, how that as her parents we have always helped her, tried to earn her love in return, we wish we could have cookies sent and we remember how she loved them.   And how she loved when you could share them with her – The whole idea of not sending you cards or gifts weighs heavy on our minds.    Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and you know I always loved to celebrate the day of love with both of you – as well as we did with our own kids!  If only you two will be allowed to see or have us actively in your lives as the grandparents we are before then- things would be so much better for everyone.    But no matter what holiday comes or no matter what day it is, be it a regular day,  any old day, special days and average days good days and bad,  one thing is certain-  YOU’RE BOTH LOVED AND MISSED VERY MUCH!

We love you to the moon and back –

forever and for always-

XOXOXOXOXOXO

❤️Nana and Poppy❤️?

When you need a little warmth and tenderness …. happy faces are key!

Nana January 17, 2019 0Comments

Dear Guillianna and Elijah –

There is some snow headed to the Mitten  which makes for thinking of warm sunny places !    And as memories of summers or trips to places where palm trees grow are seen in the photos of you both –  it warms a cold day.   Just like seeing images of happier days warms the heart.     We are always wishing for you both –  happiness .   The same wish we share for every grandchild, every child and for our parents.

In everyone’s lives there are good days and there are days where things can be seemingly more difficult than the years should be …. when things seem hard or challenging, when change seems out of reach – we look to get thru one moment at a time, another day at a time, and we focus on the good.   We hope you will one day have all these good and happy memories and so many more new memories that you’re making, to help you on your journey through life.    To be loved, to feel loved, to share love and know happiness!   This  is and always will be our wish for you both and for all our grandchildren and children!

The week has almost passed – and for Poppy it has been almost 13 months since he has seen your faces.    The last time Nana saw you it was when you were permitted to FaceTime and while talking Poppy was at work.  You were told that  “ It was 7:30 at night and a school night and time for bed”  so permission to call over to his phone was denied.  Guillianna asked “can we call him in the morning on the way to school?”  He never got the call, and he has been waiting ever since.     He as much as for you one day, takes these love letters to heart, looks at the images and thinks only of good! He wishes only for happiness.

Being a parent is about understanding love, knowing that children need so many things as they grow into adults.   Not simply material things, physical things – not only  solid, tangible,  foundational things; they need things that can be found in these photos.   The human interaction of those who love them and who have played key roles in their lives.   Those who will enter their world and play key roles in their lives.    They need laughter.  They need familiarity.   They need to know how to attach,  to trust and to live with others despite differences.   Both Nana and Poppy know that one day you will be grown.    There will never be a day where you will ever doubt the love in our hearts.   There will be a day where you understand the historical timeline and are able to see that loving your mom and dad as well as loving all the family who loves you is ok.    It will be okay for you to be yourselves, while still being loving and kind and respectful to your parents, and also love all those currently removed from your lives.     They say that time is the best teacher , and time will prove to you that love is far-reaching, it is gratifying, and it is okay to show love and respect for those you feel that connection to.     To allow any prior trauma, fear of loss, absence of those you love, trust issues, to emerge, or to cause heartache or dysfunction in your adult years would be a travesty this site our words to you a hopeful tool for you both.    For you have not lost anyone in the Mitten or elsewhere.  You can trust and believe in the good memories and the feelings you’ve always known and seen –    The images in your soul could diminish as you grow but thirst love letters these faces can be so insightful to you both and can help you release truth and have peace knowing we all understood, wanted your lives to be happy and will patiently wait for time to help pave a road for you both to happy childhood memories and the foundation you were given in the Mitten.  All the friends and family you had made as small children here,  carry love and well wishes for you both that are sincere and deeply embodied within you both !    We love you both to the moon and back –

forever and for always

XOXOXOXOXOXO

❤️Nana and Poppy❤️?