32

Dear my Crystol,

I cannot believe you are turning 32 years old today. 

I was in my 7^th year of being your stepmother when I turned 32. 

I was 8 months pregnant with your first brother when I turned 32. 

And you were 2½ months away from graduating high school when I turned 32. 

It’s so hard to believe that many years have gone by.

I still distinctly remember your 11^th birthday – the first birthday you had after I had met you.  

We bought you a Barbie house and a few Barbies to go with it.  

Your dad asked me to marry him the same month you turned 11 and I married him 6½ months later.

I remember your 13^th, when I took you to get your make-up done. 

We had such a fun day that day.

I remember your 16^th, when your dad and I gave you a surprise party. 

So many helped with making that surprise happen.  You had a great day!

I remember your 18^th, which we celebrated at the same time as your high school graduation.

I remember your 21^st, when Joan, Jamie, your dad, your siblings and I all took you out to eat in your college town (will add a photo when I have time to find it). 

I remember your 30^th, the first one after your dad died. 

That one was hard.

We both missed him being there so much. 

But we managed to have fun celebrating you.

And that was the birthday when your mother and I

picked out and gave you the exact same card. 

You loved that!

Yesterday, I watched you drive away from my house after you had been 

here for your sister’s high school graduation.  

It seems like just yesterday that I was watching you graduate from high school.  And now, here you are turning 32 years old and have been married to Alan for almost 2 years.  That almost seems impossible.

I’ve been one of your parents through a lot of things, my Crystol.

 

Barbies, all that’s involved with growing up, first high school job interview at the YMCA, starting a checking account, teaching you to drive, first date, boyfriends, helping to calm your nerves when you were starting middle school and getting to take you to find your locker so you wouldn’t be lost on your first day, high school graduation, taking you to record your album that is a wonderful collection of the songs you had written, college admission, college transfer, college graduation and 2 graduate school graduations, job searches, decisions about moving out of state, death, grief, engagement, wedding, and marriage.

I am thankful that I got to be there for you for all of it.

And I’m thankful you are one of mine.

I always will be here for you.

That will never change. 

Crystol Erin, you’ve never felt like a stepdaughter to me.

You’ve always just been my daughter who happens to already have her mother.

I love you, Crystol Erin!

Always have!

Always will!

Happy 32^nd Birthday!

Love, Janna