I MADE A PROMISE TO MY SISTER
AS SHE PREPARED FOR THE NEXT PHASE OF HER LIFE.
I PROMISED HER THAT I WOULD DO MY BEST TO BE
IMPORTANT IN HER LITTLE GRAND GIRLS LIVES.
TO BE THERE FOR MINTA WHEN SHE NEEDED A MOMMA FIGURE.
SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD VIOLET OVER FOR A SLEEP NIGHT
AND THIS FRIDAY I HAD LILLIAN SLEEP OVER WITH JILLIAN.
THEY USED TO BE SO CLOSE WHEN TODDLERS AND IT SEEMS
LIKE THEIR BOND IS STILL INTACT.
AS WE BAKED AND MADE THINGS IN THE KITCHEN,
THE CONVERSATION WENT IN MANY DIRECTIONS.
ONE OF THEIR ANTICS WAS KEEPING THE COTTAGE
AFTER I DIE AND LETTING IT BE LIKE THEIR CAMP,
WHERE THEY AND THEIR SIBLINGS COULD COME
AND JUST HANG OUT AND DO
"ART STUFF TO KEEPIT TRUE TO THE COTTAGE"
WELL OF COURSE THIS SPARKED MY HEART.
SO I WENT ON A LIMB AND ASKED JILLY THE QUESTION
I WILL ALWAYS WANT ANSWERED AS IT IS MY MAIN GOAL
WHEN SPENDING TIME WITH THE GRAND GIRLS:
"WHEN I AM GONE, WHAT WILL YOUR MEMORIES BE AT THE COTTAGE?"
JILLIAN WALKS OVER TO ME, HUGS ME AND DOES A PROPER
IMITATION OF HER MUMSIE.
"HEY POOKIE, I LOVE YOU POOKIE" AND KISSES THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
OH BE STILL MY HEART!
THEN SHE PROCEEDS TO TELL LILLIAN,
"TONIGHT BEFORE WE GO TO SLEEP, WE WILL PLAY FOOSH,
WHICH IS WHAT MUMSIE CALLS A PILLOW FIGHT BUT EACH TIME
YOU SWING A PILLOW YOU HAVE TO SAY FOOSH,"
"THEN SHE WILL SINGS US OUR PRAYERS AND A BUNCH OF
LITTLE SONGS SHE SINGS TO US THEN SHE WILL KISS
US GOODNIGHT AND TELL US SHE LOVES US."
IF YOU EVER THINK LEAVING YOUR MEMORIES WITH THOSE
LITTLE HEARTS BY CONTINUING WITH THESE SMALL GESTURES MATTERS, IT DOES.
THE NEXT MORNING THAT SAME 10 YEAR OLD GRANDGIRL
CLIMBS INTO MY LAP FOR HER MORNING RITUAL OF
BEING ROCKED WHICH I HAVE PROMISED HER WILL ALWAYS HAPPEN HERE.
AS I CONTINUE TO MAKE LASTING MEMORIES WITH THE
LITTLE CHILDREN I LOVE I KNOW THAT IT MATTERS,
IT MATTERS TO THEM BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY IT MATTERS TO ME.
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