November 1, 2014
November 1, 2014
Dear Nancy, Buddy and Ashley,
It is with great heart felt sympathy that I write to you all today. I had wanted to be there to offer friendship, love and compassion. I hope knowing that I love you all and feel in some ways you are my family too will at least bring you all a little bit of comfort to know you are loved. They say Life is a journey... and if this is the case, your mother and Cynthia have made the most beautiful journey ever into eternity.
But there were many journey's. Happy family journey's to St. Louis, to the beach, to Texas... and memories.... happy memories that I hope you all will let embrace you when the going gets hard and the sadness feels overwhelming. Always remember the fun times, the laughter and know that "CABIN 13" is now Mansion 13 and there will be many rooms for everyone someday.
I remember the first time I met your mother. She was warm, friendly and smiling. She greeted me with her sunny southern drawl that only people who'd lived in North Carolina or Virginia would understand. She was a gracious soul and a loving mom who cradled the strength of a warrior. Although we had talked on the phone many times, meeting her reminded me of my grandmother in many way... always making sure everyone else was taken care of. Every phone call ended with "Ya'll be good," or "Ya'll take care."
Another time, I think it was Easter when you all came over for brunch, she wanted to help. I just wanted her to relax and enjoy not having to work. After dinner, We were all sitting down to have dessert, and coffee talking and telling stories when someone said Where's mama? We found her doing dishes and asked her to sit with us. She did but you could tell she would rather be busy than sit idle.
I believe that was the same visit that Mikayla and Matilynn met Cynthia for the first time. They went in the bedroom to play "Barbie" and might have taught Cynthia to play beauty shop with the "Barbies." Ashley came in to tell us that they were doing something but we told her to just enjoy playing. and we'd be in to check on them in a few minutes. When I went in to check on them, all four of them had scissors and barbies. Several Barbie dolls donned new styles that day....Spiked hair... Spiked hair was not in fashion that year. Matilynn started to cry that her doll was now ugly but Cynthia started laughing and said a mouth full of words that none of us understood until the last word which was "Funny!"
and we all laughed.
When we travelled to North Carolina for our book signing event, your mother invited us over for dinner. I remember how excite she seemed to be to have company for dinner. She seemed to like having us there and I was glad to be there. She made chicken nuggets because that's what she thought the girls would like. She talked about the salsa she had made and canned herself from the tomatoes she had grown. She opened up a jar for us to use as a dipping sauce and it was quite delicious. She even gave me a jar to bring hone with me which I stuffed into my shoe and packed in my checked baggage. She insisted I try beets...I never liked beets but I tried one. Next she brought out greens beans... not just ordinary green beans, but the old fashioned ones canned in a jar after hours of painstaking work of breaking beans. I don't remember what all she brought out that day, but I know she kept thinking of other things to bring out once I loved the salsa. And Cynthia loved the company too it seemed. She would say "good" with every bite and when the watermelon came out for dessert, she had Mikayla and Matilynn laughing so hard. She took their rinds and told them they were good. I don't think I have ever heard so much giggling. her laughter was contagious.... whatever she thought was funny, might not have been to funny to others, but her laughter was contagious and spread quickly.
When we left she made sure we had money to get back on and that we wouldn't need anything.
I remember her and Ashley once arguing over something, maybe a Barbie doll and Cynthia started laughing and giggling. Soon Ashley was laughing too. Ashley said "its not fair she makes me laugh and right now i just want to be mad at her." But she couldn't and she probably didn't really want to anyway. If she did Cynthia was not going to let that happen.
Ilene and Cynthia will always be a part of our happy memories and they will be missed by many. I love you guys and please know that I am praying for you all and want to be there for you.
Diana
It is with great heart felt sympathy that I write to you all today. I had wanted to be there to offer friendship, love and compassion. I hope knowing that I love you all and feel in some ways you are my family too will at least bring you all a little bit of comfort to know you are loved. They say Life is a journey... and if this is the case, your mother and Cynthia have made the most beautiful journey ever into eternity.
But there were many journey's. Happy family journey's to St. Louis, to the beach, to Texas... and memories.... happy memories that I hope you all will let embrace you when the going gets hard and the sadness feels overwhelming. Always remember the fun times, the laughter and know that "CABIN 13" is now Mansion 13 and there will be many rooms for everyone someday.
I remember the first time I met your mother. She was warm, friendly and smiling. She greeted me with her sunny southern drawl that only people who'd lived in North Carolina or Virginia would understand. She was a gracious soul and a loving mom who cradled the strength of a warrior. Although we had talked on the phone many times, meeting her reminded me of my grandmother in many way... always making sure everyone else was taken care of. Every phone call ended with "Ya'll be good," or "Ya'll take care."
Another time, I think it was Easter when you all came over for brunch, she wanted to help. I just wanted her to relax and enjoy not having to work. After dinner, We were all sitting down to have dessert, and coffee talking and telling stories when someone said Where's mama? We found her doing dishes and asked her to sit with us. She did but you could tell she would rather be busy than sit idle.
I believe that was the same visit that Mikayla and Matilynn met Cynthia for the first time. They went in the bedroom to play "Barbie" and might have taught Cynthia to play beauty shop with the "Barbies." Ashley came in to tell us that they were doing something but we told her to just enjoy playing. and we'd be in to check on them in a few minutes. When I went in to check on them, all four of them had scissors and barbies. Several Barbie dolls donned new styles that day....Spiked hair... Spiked hair was not in fashion that year. Matilynn started to cry that her doll was now ugly but Cynthia started laughing and said a mouth full of words that none of us understood until the last word which was "Funny!"
and we all laughed.
When we travelled to North Carolina for our book signing event, your mother invited us over for dinner. I remember how excite she seemed to be to have company for dinner. She seemed to like having us there and I was glad to be there. She made chicken nuggets because that's what she thought the girls would like. She talked about the salsa she had made and canned herself from the tomatoes she had grown. She opened up a jar for us to use as a dipping sauce and it was quite delicious. She even gave me a jar to bring hone with me which I stuffed into my shoe and packed in my checked baggage. She insisted I try beets...I never liked beets but I tried one. Next she brought out greens beans... not just ordinary green beans, but the old fashioned ones canned in a jar after hours of painstaking work of breaking beans. I don't remember what all she brought out that day, but I know she kept thinking of other things to bring out once I loved the salsa. And Cynthia loved the company too it seemed. She would say "good" with every bite and when the watermelon came out for dessert, she had Mikayla and Matilynn laughing so hard. She took their rinds and told them they were good. I don't think I have ever heard so much giggling. her laughter was contagious.... whatever she thought was funny, might not have been to funny to others, but her laughter was contagious and spread quickly.
When we left she made sure we had money to get back on and that we wouldn't need anything.
I remember her and Ashley once arguing over something, maybe a Barbie doll and Cynthia started laughing and giggling. Soon Ashley was laughing too. Ashley said "its not fair she makes me laugh and right now i just want to be mad at her." But she couldn't and she probably didn't really want to anyway. If she did Cynthia was not going to let that happen.
Ilene and Cynthia will always be a part of our happy memories and they will be missed by many. I love you guys and please know that I am praying for you all and want to be there for you.
Diana