Dear Eva,
Five days. Five days is all it took for a complete stranger to become somebody that I know deep down is going to be a really good friend. Sometimes people just show up in our lives and they just fit. Getting ready for the wedding I had a lot of fear about meeting who I would be walking with. Especially after everything we’ve been through in the last few months I was so nervous about walking down that aisle with somebody I didn’t know, somebody who may not understand Mama’s random teary moments and moments where Mama just backs away and shuts down. I’m a quiet shy person as it is, I don’t warm up to people easily and now the walls go up even quicker and stronger than ever before.
Friday evening Rayleen and I stepped away from the crowd to discuss some more details about your involvement in the wedding and we got to talking about how the day was going to play out. I asked Rayleen, “Does Greg know? Does he know that I might have a hard day?” Rayleen told me that Greg did, in fact, know about you, that Rayleen and Chad had talked to him about it earlier. She also told me that your Grandma had talked to him too. I can’t imagine what went through his mind when all of that went on. More than one person telling him I may be a wreck, and need a rock, and then I walk into the room and he’s introduced to a girl with Blue and Purple hair, a cupcake bead around her neck, and bright rainbow pants. Poor Guy.
Long story short, Greg was the best. He let me be as distant as I needed to be. He jumped anytime your Mama asked him for anything at all. I think he walked around with my sunglasses hooked in his shirt for hours before I realized I forgot about them. He danced with me anytime I asked, dancing is so good for the soul. He laughed at me when I thought somebody called him Margaret, and said “but Margaret works too.” He surprised Mama with some really pretty pictures that he took. He made sure Mama had a really great time.
Today Greg text me, he was going to make a trip into Swift Current before he heads back to Ontario. He wanted to come for lunch and have a good visit before he heads back and we don’t see each other for god knows how long. So he did just that. We had such a good visit, we talked about everything under the sun. We talked about the wedding, we talked about our families, we talked about places we’ve been and are going, we talked about your daddy, we talked a little tiny bit about you. We had fun, we truly really did form a friendship that is going to be very strong in just 5 days. Greg has shared things with me about what he’s been through in the last while too. I think we were meant to meet, you probably already knew that though, right Baby Girl?
After I gave Greg a hug to say “see ya later” today he handed me some money and told me to donate it to Ronald McDonald House. It wasn’t a small amount, and it made your Mama cry. Happy tears, but I still cried. There are no words to thank him enough for that. You’re not even here and you are still making a huge impression on people. I hope you know how much of an effect you’ve had on people all around us. Big things in your name my girl. Big things. Thank You sweet girl for guiding my life in the direction it has been going. Leading such amazing people to be my friends in my time of need. I know that it’s you. I know it.
I love you, little Lady Bug.
Love and kisses,
Your Mama.
Letters to Eva 