Through a child's eyes

Children amaze me. Or, more accurately, their memories amaze me. I haven't seen our 8-year-old granddaughter in over 10 months.

I had no doubt that she was old enough to remember us and the times we shared together.

But today, she showed me just how precise her memories are. She took her various stuffed animals out of her suitcase to show me. Many of these animals she's had since infancy. Especially her bunny and her giraffe.

She said, "Grandma, my giraffe's tail is starting to come off again." So I looked at it. I said, "Lindsey, did someone already sew his tail back on once before?" She said, "Yeah, Grandpa did."

He's been gone for over 8 months. She hasn't been here for over 10 months.

At only 8 years old, she remembered that her Grandpa was the one who sewed the giraffe's tail back on. And he probably did it a couple of years ago.

And to think I was so worried she would forget him.

The other day, I started getting pissed off when I thought of the time he "wasted" fixing up Nichole's place in order to get her situated here...near us. It was a waste in my mind because that whole situation was nothing but chaos. He thought he was making a life for his daughter and granddaughters. For them to live close by.

The very first thing he got done was Lindsey's bedroom. God it was a pretty bedroom. It was a room fit for a princess. He wanted to get it done for her. That was his first priority and he was so proud of how it turned out. That's the only room he got done before he got sick.

But it wasn't a waste of time, even though Lindsey only slept in there a couple of nights. Because every time she thinks or speaks of that room, she knows her Papa made it pretty for her. (It saddens me that she still has her heart set on living there again because I know it will never happen.)

She didn't forget who sewed her giraffe's tail on. She won't forget who fixed her bedroom up for her. She told me today how she remembers us running out to the car after leaving the zoo (a few years ago) because it was pouring rain. I told her that I think it stopped raining as soon as we got to the car. She said, "No, Grandma. It was still sprinkling when we got to the car. After we drove down the road it stopped raining."

Obviously, she will always remember him. Her Papa.

And she will continue to amaze me with her memories. Maybe she will remember things that I would never think of again.

I love this little girl. I love her with all my heart and I'm so grateful to have her here with me now.

Thank you, Chuck. Without you, I wouldn't have this beautiful granddaughter. And she loves you, Baby. To this day, she still loves you.

You were worried that people would forget? She never will.

Never.