Dear Guge and Eli-
Look at this – this artwork is from when Guillianna was super small. I found it in my boxes of papers and important things I have saved…
I have artwork from both of you that both of you made for either Poppy or myself. I don’t know if you know this – but I packed each and every paper from school during the days and years spent with us and made certain they got to your parents. I shipped some to your mom when she was in Korea since she would have evenings when not at work to see what you were doing. The rest – I packed up and I gave to her, all set – and ready for her to keep. You did such amazing work and can be so proud.
I am still unpacking some things from our move. As I unpack it’s a sad reminder that mom and dad didn’t have you take hardly any of the belongings that were yours- when you left. There are so many years worth of belongings- toys clothes and memories – all of which were just left behind. ?
When I asked mom, why daddy didn’t load any of it onto the truck he rented – she said you would be back in two weeks for your eye doctor post surgery checkup – and she was leaving leave them for your cousins.
We hope you are having fun – that you’ll grow happy and feel loved beyond measure- We also hope all the new toys and things helped ease your sadness- please know that love and dreams, love and courage, love and memories cannot ever be left behind. They stay with you. If you keep your beliefs, what you know to be true – close to your heart – if you choose to live happy and grateful for the life your mom and dad are trying to give you, if you do your best every day – not only will you be ok- but your lives will be good and we hope very happy . Choices are very important. If you always choose to be the best person you that you can be, be kind, honest, you will find all the happiness you could ever want ! There are times in life when your heart breaks and if you can say was I honest, kind, and did I do my very best. It will carry you to another day ! ( Likely as an adult Guillianna and Eli reading this , I hope you’ll fully understand and live to the fullest these hopes and dreams that your grandparents and all the extended family have for both of you, and all of our grandchildren )
I hope that mom sings you both the good morning song every day – or if not I hope you hear it in your memories and start each day happy- and that you create your own awesome dream-starters to end each day.
As we end this love letter let us get back to other important stuff. LOOK ? – This next pic is an art piece of Elijah’s! Followed by a couple more good memories for you to embrace!
I have to believe one day when you are free to make choices in your own lives, without guilt or fear, and from the love in your heart, you will always choose kindness, we hope you will choose to do good in this world, to be grateful to your mom and dad for all the things they will do in the coming years to help you grow and learn- and to an entire family of people in the Mitten who have been there with you both year after year wishing you love and joy ! We hope that as adults you will both always ❤️ LOVE and put value on the family you choose to share your life with, for family is a gift . YOU HAVE always LOVED BEING OUR GRAND CHILDREN in the past AND we hope you KNOW THAT NO MATTER WHERE LIFE TAKES YOU – we will ALWAYS love you and we still and always will love being YOUR GRANDPARENTS ! We WILL ALWAYS LOVE you both very very much. Keep making good choices and keep smiling ! 
We love you both and hope your week has been good. We imagine it to be full of new friends at school, lots of activities with dad now that he is out of the Army and that mom is happy to have you home. I know for sure – we tried hard to make our children happy , grow and learn, and we hope that they stay safe by making good choices. Sometimes our children listen. And sometimes they follow their own choices. If you heard that we are bad people , don’t let it make you sad. If you have to agree with people who may say that we are bad people -it is ok… we understand and every child needs to feel secure and loved- and should never be made to choose! Please do not let it make you sad. We ABSOLUTELY KNOW how you BOTH felt when you were here and we do know the truth . WE KNOW YOU LOVE US AND YOU LOVE YOUR PARENTS… AND THAT IS A GOOD THING ! No matter what anyone says, We never have “blamed” you for anything ! We never will blame you for anything ! And we will always support your family. The good you learned in the Mitten will stay with you forever. It’s called a foundation. You had the very best foundation we could provide. Mom and dad sent you to Notre Dame and some of cheer and gymnastics/soccer, and poppy and Nana took very seriously the responsibility to see to all your needs and to make you as happy as possible. Only time will tell if you will hold on to all the realities seen in some of these photos I share. You may be 18, 25, 45 or a grandma/grandpa before you read all of this but when you do- There is one thing I say over and over and over again …..
WE LOVE YOU BOTH – To the moon and back again – you are both so so so loved , by all the people in your life – even when you don’t see them. Great grandma’s, great papa, all your aunts all your uncles all your cousins in the Mitten and elsewhere. All the friends and teachers you had here -. We do believe and know – you need peace and happiness. So we will hope – we will write these love letters , and one day- you will see that mom and dad love you, that all those you’ve known through your lives to age 9 and 6 – love you and that your parents chose the current path for their own reasons – it is how they want to live their lives. Not because you weren’t loved. Not because any one did anything wrong. Not because you were not welcome here and not that you weren’t doing a great job! Until then – we hope you can live every day happy and growing and learning! Playing and laughing. Knowing your loved by all the people who have come to be part of your lives whether you see us all or not. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
XOXOXOXOXOXO
❤️Nana and Poppy ❤️?