The Letter

Introduction

My family is nothing like the traditional families you hear about and having never had that traditionalism; it’s not something that I miss. I love my family. My aunts are what Momma call eccentric. She means they’re crazy. They are crazy but they love us and we love them. We would be Momma, Alyssa who is my little sister, and I. Because they love us so much we often just have to overlook how crazy they are. We have a lot of fun together because my Aunt Alice doesn’t act too much older than we are most of the times. Aunt Shane is the cool one. She’s the one we can go to about anything and she will help us figure it out. We know nothing we tell her will get back to Momma. Aunt Dana is the one who is really fun too. She is the daredevil always wanting to try new things. When we go to an amusement park, it’s always Aunt Dana in line with me to try the rollercoaster. The rest just wait for us. Aunt Kit is the loving one. They all love us but she’s the one who gives the hugs and kisses and sneaks us treats when she doesn’t think that Momma is watching.

Momma is not my real mom. Well, she’s my real mom but she didn’t give birth to me. Mom Trisha gave birth to me and everyone says that I look like a miniature version of her. I see it somewhat in the pictures that we have. We both have blond hair and blue eyes. I definitely have her nose. I don’t remember her though. I wish I did but those memories that I may have had are gone. She died when I was three and Lyss was one. The things I know about her come from Momma, my aunts and the pictures that are around the house. I don’t miss her in the sense that I miss being with her. I can’t miss what I don’t remember but I do miss having her in my life because of all that I’ve heard about her. She sounds like she was a really great person.

Alyssa is 10 and my best friend. She and I get along really well. She is not the annoying little sister most people complain about. She’s quiet and sweet. She likes to cuddle. I sometimes go looking for her in the morning and she’s in bed cuddling with Momma before she starts the day. She may have just turned 10 not too long ago but she was still just a sweet little girl.

Momma and Mom were together for almost 6 years before Mom got sick. The doctors thought that she was going to be ok so they used a donor and had me. Two years later they had Alyssa. When Alyssa was 6 months old, Mom went in for a checkup. There was nothing the doctors could do for her for her that time. Within 6 months, she had died.

All my aunts jumped in to help and Momma hired a nanny for awhile. From the stories I’ve heard, Momma didn’t like having a stranger in the house and just relied on my aunts to help more. Now it’s just the three of us again and we are getting ready for me and Lyss to go summer camp and for my birthday. I turn 12 this year and have asked for an iPod. I don’t know if I’ll get it or not. Momma doesn’t give many hints. What I do know that I’ll get and am more excited about than even an iPod is a letter from Mom. When she got sick, Mom sat down and wrote me and Lyss letters to open on our birthday. On my 8^th birthday she explained to me about the insemination and why they picked the donor that they picked. On my 10^th birthday she wrote to me about family and acceptance. She explained to me why her family never accepted her loving Momma and why they aren’t in my life. Last year she explained to me about periods and also why she didn’t get treatment when she got sick again. That period thing was embarrassing to read but later in the year when I got my period, I read it again and felt that Mom was there supporting me just as she had prepared me in advance. I have no idea what this year’s will be but am excited because having her be a part of my birthday means that she is in one more memory that I have.