Dear Mom,

Sorry this letter is so late but today has been a furious effort to catch up after the sickness struck us.

We don’t have too many days of letters left now and I wanted to tell you not to worry about me too much, that I’m being taken care of.

There are a lot of kids without parents who truly feel like they’re on their own, but I’m not one of them.  God has sent loving people into our lives who look after us as if we’ve been in the nest from the beginning.

Also your Sisters and Dad’s Brothers & Sister look out for us, keep up with us and give us advice when we run stuck.

I also want you to know that even though I am held up by many strong and beautiful hearted women, you have never been nor will you ever be replaced.

There is a space in my heart that I honor by keeping it empty for you.  You are the only mother I’ll ever know.

Yet there are others who are helping me learn to be a mother myself, some are my peers, some were yours and some you’ve never met.

The longer I live the more I realize that family isn’t always a blood thing, quite often it’s atypical.  This atypical family love overwhelms me because I haven’t earned it and don’t feel that I’m worthy, yet still I come up loved.

So don’t worry, I have mother tutors but no other mother
The kids have Grandmas and Grandpas but none that will replace all that I’ll tell them you were.

I love you, I miss you,

LeaRae