From the left…my husband, my niece’s husband, our son-in-law, my two nephews…at our farm during Thanksgiving week, 2016!

My parents always had many hopes for their future.

My parents always had hopeful plans for their children.

My parents always hoped that we would go to college.

My parents always hoped for joyful grandchildren.

My parents always hoped for a strong sense of family.

Hope…just a thought…just a wish…just a reality.

On this New Year’s Eve, 2016…I sincerely want to send the following message to my parents…I so wish that it could be in person…but, I know that they hear my words…

Dear Mama and Daddy,

All of your hope and dreams came true. My brother and I made it! We had both finished college and both married before we lost you. You already had five grandchildren! I know that they were the loves of your lives!

I saw how happy you were to play endlessly with my brother’s children, to make chocolate chip cookies with them and to show so many pictures of them to your friends. You were there when our son, Justin was born. He loved you with all his heart. I still have all of the little matchbox cars you would buy for him at the grocery store. He was only seven when we lost you, but he always remembered how wonderful you were to him. I know that he is with you now…with his loving grandparents.

I was so happy for you to be with us when our daughter was born. She was just two years old when you left us, but you had the opportunity to hold her and love her continuously. I wish that you could have really known her like you knew Justin! You would be excited that she can sing like you, Mama! She is smart and pretty and has so many friends! You both would be proud that she finished graduate school! You would be so happy that she married two years ago. Her husband is just right for her…just like you truly thought that your son-in-law was just right for me! I suppose that parents do know best!!

My brother’s three children are everything that you would want them to be. They are all married to the most special partners that you can imagine. They are happy and successful and they remember you. They all went to college just like you would have wanted! Our daughter is very close to them. Both of the boys definitely remember your ham radio, Daddy! They like it that you would talk to people from far, far away! You would like…no, you would love computers, Daddy! Just think how many people you could communicate with from around the world! And Mama…they remember your cooking…the best ever! When they are at the farm for Thanksgiving, I try to cook all of your favorite recipes!  I placed all of your recipes in notebooks so that they will always be saved!

And best of all Mama and Daddy…you have seven of the most precious great-grandchildren that you can imagine! My brother was so happy to have grandchildren. Mike and I love each of them just like you all would have loved them. I so wish that you could see all of the seven little children together! They have so much fun playing and our daughter is their very, very fun older cousin! They are her “fan club”! She always calls them her “little cousins” and six of them were in her wedding! However, the very youngest was only a few months old at the time!

Thank you Mama and Daddy for teaching us that family is the part of our lives that matters the most! I promise that we will always remember the love that you gave to us! When we laugh and have fun together…I like to think that you are right there beside us! I am hopeful that you are nearby! In fact, I know that you are with us!

Lots of love from Tricia!

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