Dear Tyler

Soon you will become 10 years old! This seems impossible to me, and yet, I know it is true. Today is October 1st. You were born on the 9th. What a whirlwind Life has been since you were born. So many things have changed in our lives, most for the better. We waited a long time for you. For a while I was thinking that we might never get Grandchildren! I guess we were just waiting for the time to be right. I will admit that I was not ready for the next Generation for a long time. I felt that I needed some time just for me. Time to check out the world. Time to rest. Time to see what I wanted to be when I grew up. I have to admit, I still don't know. You see, the problem has been that my Lifetime goal was to become a wife and Mommy. I remember when I was little how much I liked to play with my dollies. I would pretend to be their Mommy. I loved them so much. I did not have many dolls like some girls did. I did not have many dresses like some other little girls did. I did not get to go places like some girls that I knew did either. Part of that was because I did not like to go around other people all that much. I was too scared to want to be away from my folks. I was terrorized by the thought of losing them. I am not sure why I felt that way, but thanks goodness I grew out of that feeling! But, this letter is not supposed to be about me. This letter is to be about you and your Big day that is coming up. Double digits! Wow. I wonder what new things will be coming your way? So much is out there to find and learn. You have done so much of that already. I am so very proud of you. I hope you know that you don't have to do anything for me to Love you. You are Loved just for who you are right now. You don't have to do everything just perfectly. I will always love you no matter what. You are my first born Grandson. That is enough. You have so much talent! I hope you liked the paper and pencils and eraser I bought for you in Galena. I could have gotten them somewhere else, but I wanted to have a sweet memory of our going to Galena together. Thank you so much for going with us. Thank you so much for being so good so that your Mom, Aunt Lacey and I could enjoy ourselves. I know it was not the type of thing that either you or Hunter would have chosen to do. But we adults love to go there, mostly just to enjoy looking at things that are so beautiful. I hope you have a nice Birthday Party. I forgot to ask what you will do on your real Birthday. Please have fun and eat some cake for me! I love you so much. For now, I will say goodbye. I love you. Good night sweetheart. Smooch! (I hope you will never be too old to let me hug you and kiss your cheek.) Somehow, I don't think you will ever change when it comes to hugs! Love you muchly! Grandma Kate

Dear Boys,



I have just realized how long it has been since I have written to you here. Time has a way of speeding by.

So much has happened that I don't know where to begin! Not only have you grown so much and so fast, but many things have happened in everyday life too!



Tyler, you are almost through 3rd Grade! Wow, where did this year go?

Hunter, you will finish 1st Grade this coming Thursday. Wow, I can't believe it!



Since I wrote to you last time, we lost our Dear Ava. She has been gone a year and 2 months. I still find that difficult to believe. She left us so suddenly, in the night. I wonder if it was because she was tired of Hospitals and just wanted to sneak out? We will never know for sure. I guess it helps to believe it in that way. I will always wonder why she had to be born the way she was, and why she had to go away so soon. I remember reading some things about that sort of thing and they all said different things. All I know is that we were blessed to have her for 4.5 years. A Miracle in itself. None of us ever expected to be lucky enough to take care of her for that long. We really thought that every day might be her last. She was a determined little girl. She stuck it out as long as she could take the pain and suffering. We did our best to Love her and give her care and minimize her pain. That little girl had the most gorgeous hair that I have ever seen. So pretty and long! We all loved to take care of her. She was good at letting us know what bothered her, by crying. She would giggle sometimes too and I always wondered what little secret she knew that we didn't.



I know it was so terribly difficult for you boys to get through. NO little boys should have to go through losing a baby cousin or sister. That is what hurts my Heart most other than knowing that Ava could not do or even think about much of anything. SO UNFAIR!



You boys did such a wonderful job at the Funeral. You were shocked at first and typical boys afterward during the luncheon time. The memories of that day have good and bad memories, but mostly good ones. I remember Veda arguing with me about being included at the Family table. I told her she WAS Family. I think that meant a lot to her. Little did we know she would also be gone 3 months later. I hope she is helping to take care of Ava in Heaven. That thought is very comforting to me. Veda was our neighbor for so many years, and I did not even think about losing her so quickly. She would do anything for us and knew so much History that we now will lose. I hope she wrote a lot of it down for us all. She was the best Neighborhood watch ever! Hunter, you got to see her most of all the Grandchildren or even your Moms. She adored Children. Did you know she taught Sunday School and Bible School for over 50 years? That is amazing. We sure miss her a lot. Also at the Funeral, I remember you both sitting in the dining room waiting to eat. You were awfully tempted by those good desserts on the plates. There must have been every type of cake ever made there! You got to sit there by yourselves like grown up people. I don't even remember who sat with you other than Mitch, Tyler and Hunter. Such big boys! Gosh it is so wonderful to watch you growing up. Please slow down, will you? *wink* The other part of the Funeral that I remember most is Hunter's Mom, Lacey, singing one last time to Ava. I will never forget the Raindrops on Roses! I always loved that song. It was the song that would calm Ava down when she was hurting or crying, or both. My Heart is hurting just a bit as I write these Memories. But, it is good to remember. Also, I never told too many folks, but I swear I saw Ava's Spirit go up out of the Casket into Heaven. It went right up through the roof of the Sanctuary. It was like gauzy, misty smoke. It went slowly and beautifully up. Now I do know that it was probably all in my mind, but it remains comforting.

Funny and sweet too is that Carolyn came in a bit late and brought one of their new Golden Lab puppies with her in her Purse. How could we ever forget that? Also, seeing all of our Families there was so nice too. I know how difficult it is to go to a child's Funeral. (or anyone's for that matter) So many people came. Ava was loved by so many. Even her Doctor came! Dr. Vatta. What a wonderful man is he...even though he looks kind of scary! Seeing your Grandpa Larry's Families was nice too. Even Jack came and he was not feeling well at all. That was remarkable.



I need to stop this letter for now. My Eyes won't see through the Tears very well. You both take care and slow down with the growing up, okay? Love you to the Moon and Back a Million Times! (and that is a long, long ways!)



Grandma Kate

My Boys

Hello my dears. Grandma Kate has not been very good about writing to you both. This year has been one of trials and tribulations. My health has not been good for several times this year. I am down with the Flu right now. Grandpa Larry and I both got sick at the same time. That has never happened to us before. I think Grandpa is a bit behind me as far as the progression, but not by much. This is the first day I did not feel like I was never going to get well. We have pretty much been on the couch, in the Bathroom, or in Bed. Neither of us feels like eating anything either. Ava is home from her latest trip to Blank Hospital for a 9 day stay this time. I really thought we were going to lose her this time. They sent her home and she seems better. She was pale from so many days out of the light. I bet she got much better just because she knew she was home. That little girl is such a fighter. She must really want to be here! Wish every person could have that much appreciation of Life. So many waste precious time feeling sorry for themselves and wishing things had been different, not enjoying right where they were/are at the moment. I am coughing less today and blowing my nose less too. I miss seeing you Hunter. I got to see a lot of Ava while she was sick because I went to the Hospital several times and stayed at the Ronald McDonald House again. They really know how to celebrate the Christmas Season. Tyler, I miss you more than I do Hunter because you live so far away and I don't get to see you very often. Thank you to you and your Mommy, Daddy and Sydney Kay for coming to see us when you did. I hate that your Mom panicked and thought I was saying Ava was going to die soon. I did not mean that she was going to leave us immediately, only that with the condition in her throat, she might. I love you boys SO very much, as I do your Sisters. I am greatly BLESSED by having 3 wonderful daughters and 4 wonderful Grandchildren. I am lucky to still have my Dad and my brother Jim and other brother George. I have no real point to this letter. I just wanted to let you know again how much you all mean to me. I hope this next year will be a good one for us all. Love you. Grandma Kate

Dear Tyler and Hunter

We have started January 2010. It seems impossible how the time is flying by us. I have been ill since November, so have not been much fun. The weather has been miserable anyway, so have not missed much that way. We have been able to stay home more than we really like. I have been to the Doctor 3 times now to try and get rid of whatever this bug is that is keeping me sick. Someday I hope to be able to look back and laugh about this, but right now, I just want to get better! We are looking forward to next weekend already as Tyler and all will be coming here for 2 whole days, one at Aunt E's and the other here. I hope the weather holds. No storm is on the horizon yet! We are in a January thaw right now, which I like! The Sun has actually been out 2 days this past week. What a nice feeling. The temperature is about freezing again! We spent 3 weeks or more in the deep freeze. Oh how I would love to go South in the Winter! The only thing about that is that South has been hit with a cold snap this year as well. There were a couple of days when it was the same temp there as here or a few degrees warmer. They had temps in the low 20's when it was about 15 below here! Yikes! I better get some other things done now before the day escapes me! Just wanted to let you know I was thinking of you both! More later! Love you, Grandma Kate!

Dear Grandchildren

Wow, where has the time gone? It seems only yesterday you were being born. 6 and 4 years old already. It does not seem possible. I am still thinking I am not even old enough to have Grandchildren, let alone them being almost ready and in School! Thank goodness we have been able to spend a lot of time with you both. I will write a letter to the girls soon. When I began this file the girls were not here yet. More later I love you both.

Hi Tyler and Hunter

Now that you are big brothers, just wanted to write to you again. You are both growing up SO fast! Grandma Kate can hardly believe the time is passing so fast. You are both such good brothers! You continue to help your Mommies take care of those little girls, Ava and Sydney Kay. It is so great to see how loving you are and how much they adore you too! Keep on helping and being the best boys ever. Your parents and Grandpa Larry and I, Grandma Kate could not be ANY prouder if we tried. This will have to be a short letter as I am getting very tired. See you soon! Huge Hugs

Spring

Letter to Hunter and Tyler this Spring. You boys are growing up way too fast! I looked at some old pictures tonight. I am sorting them to decide which ones to put in Scrapbooks first. I ran across some from 2006 and you both have grown up SO much since then! You were babies still then. Now you are little men. It is so much fun for Grandma Kate when you visit. Time goes way too fast. Tyler, there was so much I wanted to get done with you when you were here for a week, and we only got to do a few of them. The weather was fantastic, so we spent a lot of it outside with Grandpa Larry. He drew with you on the sidewalk, that was cool. He showed you his garden and the bugs did not bite. It was cool and nice in the evenings. You had a wonderful time catching Lightening Bugs. You were both smiling so wide. We got to spend time with Hunter and you got to go swimming a lot with him. I feel bad that you were so sad when it was time to go back to your home. I remember when I was young, I got so sad too when we would go to Missouri to visit my Aunt and Uncle. I would cry when it was time to go home too. They always took such good care of us when we would visit them. They still do, but we have not been able to go down there for a few years now. I want you to know how much fun it was when you were here. We are going to make sure to come see you and Sydney and your Mom and Dad more often this summer. I am tired now and will write to you again soon. Hugs from me to you. Grandma Kate