Grandma Jean

I just love the sweetness and innocence of a child, and how everything makes sense to them. If they want something, they think it will just happen.

Now that Amelia is able to make connections as to who people are, we've been talking a lot about Grandma Jean. Since she and I will never be able to know her, we rely on stories that John tells us. Two years ago I made a "Grandma Jean book" for John, Julie and their father with pictures that I found and had John and Julie write a letter about their favorite memories of her. It was a labor of love for me, and I hope they enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it. Anyway, we "read" the book for the first time tonight, and she really enjoyed looking at the Grandma Jean pictures from childhood to adulthood.

When I took her up to bed tonight, she climbed up into bed, told me all kinds of stories, and when I went to leave the room she looked over at her Grandma Jean picture. She said as she has done for the last few nights, "What's that?" "That's Grandma Jean. Your name is Amelia Jean, and her name is Grandma Jean, that's where you got your name." But tonight she said, "Mommy, I just want my Grandmommy Jean." I said, "Honey, we all wish she was here." Maybe we'll never know her in person, but we'll know her through stories and pictures.