Mama,

From the moment I was born you claimed me as yours. I have been told the story 100 times and it never gets old. When Bop tried to be the first grandparent to hold me you looked at him and said; “this one’s mine!” in the hospital. I was the baby of the family, my sister was Bops and you were sure that I was yours. I have so many fond memories of you and I and they just keep developing throughout the years. Here are just a few that I would like to thank you for.

1. Playing sick

My sister and I would plan out a day where we would ironically have the same sickness and were too ill to go to school. Mom, weather she believed us or not would take us over to your house. When you answered the door I would run into your arms and my sister would ask, “where’s Bop!!” and would run up the stairs to play on the computer with him for hours. That’s just how it was, I was yours and she was his. You and I would spend the day playing kitchen, board games and building things together. You were so patient and would always be my customer no matter how many times I begged you to play along. When it came time for mom to pick us up, you and Bop stood on the steps and waved to us until we were out of site. Then we would do it all over again not long after.

2. Pen pals

It’s hard to stay in touch with family and friends once you leave for college, but we have a special way of communication. Once I left for freshman year you sent me off with my first stationary set, fitting since I want to be a journalist. We could have talked on the phone or texted back and forth, but nothing is a personal as a hand written letter from your grandma. From freshman year to now I have received at least one letter a week from you, some include pictures and others include money. I have kept every single one and cannot wait to read them back to my children one day. These letters have meant the world to me and when I see one in the mail, no matter how my day has been, I eagerly open it right there and can’t help but smile.

3. You tell it like it is

I see where my mom and I got our sassiness from, and I thank you for that. For instance, calling the local newspaper when they put my nickname in instead of my real name, because "Catherine is too beautiful to shorten." You are never scared of saying how you really feel and are so fierce. You know how to lighten up the mood and are so loved by everyone you come in contact with, even when you give the honest truth.

4. Never failing to tell me I’m beautiful

I’ll show up in my running clothes, sweaty and gross and you look at me with a smile and tell me how beautiful I am. You make sure I know that I am important and so loved. I want to thank you for your constant support and overwhelming love these past 21 years. Even though soon we may not live only five minutes away, I am forever grateful that I had the opportunity to grow up so close to you physically and emotionally.

Those times will forever be burned in my memory and held close to my heart. I pray that someday I will be half the grandmother you have been to me.