The past few days while searching for forgotten photographs I came across a bundle of letters that our mother wrote to her brother Tom; which he gave to me some years ago. In every letter, she never failed to comment on her love of the Lord, her love for her "family" all family (cousins, brothers, nieces and nephews), the current news of us kids and her animals. One story she told is of when my brother Mark (about age 4) went for a play date and he and a the little girl ended up painted her pony!..our mother said thankfully both the paint and the pony were grey. She also said how musical you were; that you could really carry a tune. This I remember very well you would strum a play guitar in your bed till you slipped off to sleep. And I remember how you taught yourself to play the piano. She said you brought home good grades from school especially science and math. She wrote that you were very kind and enthusiastic about the new little lambs we had. That your love of animals and kindness never faded. She was so proud when you finally learned to ride our pony "Minnie". Even though that was really never your thing. (lol) To a little kid big horses and even little ponies are scary. You were never the adventurer that I was. You were so cute as a little boy. I remember you hated your hands dirty, you would drive our mother crazy needing them washed every two minutes when we played outside. (Mud pies of course our favorite thing). She wrote about this. You were my best playmate; and oh yes..sorry about dressing you up as a girl but you really didn't seem to mind at the time.(You always went along with what ever I wanted to play no matter what it was). But most of all in between every line her love. My intention was to bring them to have you read them...but time did not permit. Love always your big sister Shelly