Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Dear Abby

Once Upon a time there was this little button of a girl, named Abigail.
But you can call her Abby, if you'd like.
Abby was the youngest of two children, and at the age of 4 she already knew she was just as smart as her 6 year old brother.

Abby's favorite time of the day was in the afternoon, for that was when her and her mom would walk her big brother to school. She enjoyed this time not just because she was outside in the cool brisk air viewing the seasons change, but also due to the fact that it was only a matter of time when it would be just her, her mom, and her favorite doll, Jane.

Everyday all school year long, Abby, her mom and Dollie Jane would walk Big Brother to school.
Everyday all school year long, Abby, her mom and her Dollie Jane would skip back towards their car, or skip walking all the way home.
YES!! TIME ALONE WITH MOM!
The best type of time to someone that has a sibling, I'd guess.

Every once in awhile, Abby, her mom, and Dollie Jane would have to take Big Brother to school in the morning, but that was the school's fault because the kindergartners had to share half days of school with the Early class. So once every few months, or to Abby's mom, what seemed like every few weeks, there they'd be, walking to school to get Big Brother to door number 3 by 9:00am.

On one of those particular shared half days, Abby was extra excited, and she made certain to tell every little person around her, and every little persons mom too. She was so excited that she was going to go get a haircut with mom just as soon as Big Brother walked into Door number 3 for a 9:00am school morning versus the usual arrival time of 12:45 pm.

Abby loved haircuts with mom, and she loved am kindergarten too! Not just because of the extra quiet time she had with mom, or the fact that she doesn't have to concern herself with a nap for at least another few hours, she just loved girlie times with mom. She loved haircuts with mom. She loved the welcoming grown up girlie smells that the salon would provide her little teeny nose with when she first walked into the hair cut store. But what she really looked forward to was when her ever so straight brownish hair had a completed cut. When her bangs, trimmed now, lay politely straight across her forehead. Abby loved the completion of the oh so relaxing haircut, because, of what was waiting for her.

It was that big helium filled tank that sat near the check out counter, where she'd receive her big blue balloon that they would blow up for her until she playfully called out "STOP!" and then the stylist would take the string and gingerly tie it, around her wrist. She loved that part because she always pretended that the string was a string of Queens jewelry being placed around her wrist at a Kings Ball. Yes, Abby enjoyed her imagination. Her Dollie Jane did too, because where ever Abby went, so did her Dollie Jane.

On this particular day Abby and her mom and Dollie Jane had their haircuts done during the last part of their errands, and so it was time to head to Big Brothers school to pick him up. Abby couldn't wait to show all the kids her big blue balloon. She asked her mom to get to school early, so her and Dollie Jane and her big blue balloon could run around for a bit outside the area of door number 3 where Big Brother would eventually come out by 12:15pm. Because remember? Today was one of those shared half days.

All was going well with Abby her Dollie Jane and her Big blue balloon, until something even I can't explain, happened, but I will try to explain, having witnessed the event. There seemed to be a stumble, and then a trip, and then Big Blue decided to go free. He untangled his Queens Jewelry s right there from her wrist, and off he went sailing into the sky. Zig zagging first, giving little Abby some hope that he was just playing around with her, and perhaps soon she'd have him back around her wrist.

Abby stood there in shock for a half of second upon big Blue's first announcement of his release, then, dropping her Dollie Jane right there on the softening grass earthen floor, she began to run after Big Blue as it zig zagged around her, growing slowly higher with each zag. Big Blue began to tease her. First he'd flow closer to her, and she'd reach out with her little girl frame, and then, zip, zag, off he'd go, where he'd stop to rest for a few in a near by tree branch, again within her reach.

Just as she grew closer, a stumble and a trip from her little size 8 toddler feet, and down she went, just as Big Blue let go of the branch he was holding onto, and off he went sailing northbound straight into the sky, as if the sky had suddenly grown arms and opened them up to take Big blue in.

Abby was screaming in sad tear language of heartbroken words. A song that every mom recognizes when they hear it with their own. Abby loved balloons, and as you can tell, she loved balloons so much, she was even willing to drop Dollie Jane into the green grass foam pad of our earth...just to chase after her blue.

She cried tears of hurt with each sail that big blue did higher and higher in the sky. A mom standing by a tree happened to witness this horrific exchange, and seeing it all, and hearing those cries, she knew this was something quite serious for a little girl to have had to witness. It wasn't a temper tantrum cry, it was a cry of a heartbroken girl. The tears of this little one brought sadness to this mom of three of her own, and a few quiet tears of her own, but please don't tell anyone, I don't think she'd want you to know.

This mom, well, she ran over to little Abby and scooped her up into her arms making sure to check that Abbys fall didn't skin her little innocent knees. Upon the time of the graceful scoop of young little Abby, was just about the time when Abby's own mom arrived running and taking her carefully from the other mom's arms, she told Abby, "it's okay hunny, your balloon's now on it's way to heaven."

The soothing words of Abby's mom didn't help. It didn't help when Abby's mom placed Dollie Jane back in her tear soaked hands. Abby clutching her doll, bringing her close to her broken tear stained heart, held in her hands that were now grass stained hands from the unveiling of Springs growth. There she was in tears with her little tiny embrace, just absolutely heartbroken.

Abby's mom tried to make it better, but it didn't work. All she could do was begin pulling out the leaves that now lay wrapped and tangled in her once upon a time perfectly trimmed little girls hair. She tried to smooth down her cute little bangs, but they were too swollen from the sweat and tears and wiping of little Abby's hands.

Abby cried heartbroken tears all the way home. She cried thru lunch and refused to eat. She cried as her mom carried her upstairs to her bedroom, and not just because it was now time for nap time. Abby even cried herself to sleep. She lay there in her bed, thinking of her tiny little blue balloon and how much fun life was before the sky up above decided to take it away from her, before she'd had enough time to even play with it. "Before I had time to love it," she told her mom thru tears during lunch of what usually is her favorite, macaroni and cheese and quartered up franks.

I believe that little Abby even managed to cry tears during her nap dreams, that afternoon. I know this because the day was a beautiful one, a sky with blue backgrounds and white clouds, the temperatures gave us about 77something, but during nap time suddenly the sad clouds rolled in, and sure enough, the rain what I could only explain reminded me of tears falling from a heart broken child, began to fall.

What happened next taught Abby about wonder. It taught her about faith and things you just don't forget as a child, nor as an adult, or so we like to hope.

Upon waking up from her nap, her mom was standing right near her doorway with a smile that you'd feel with grace and peaceful happiness reaching clear around the heavens. "Abby," she said, "you must not be sad, I think you need to come downstairs, something is there waiting for you, and I wish I could explain it, but I can't."

Abby bounded out of bed and ran down her banister type stairs, and there in the foyer of the front area of her house was a piece of bright pink paper with glitters and such fun girlie giggles, there it was, folded up into what seemed like a Hershey size shape, and attached to that note was the shiniest queens jewelry string and up and up went the Jewelers string until her eyes fell upon the BIGGEST, PINKEST BALLOON she'd ever seen in her life! It had XXX's and OOO's and it said in words, 'HUGS AND KISSES', with tiny brown hearts all over it.

Abby's mom pulled her into her lap and sat down on the last step of their stairs, and they carefully unfolded the pink and glittered paper that was wrapped up next to the balloon. Abby's mom shaking her head in amazement telling Abby, "I don't know how it got here, I heard our doorbell ring three times, and when I opened the door, there was this Big balloon and beautiful wrapped stationary, but no one was there."

Her mom was amazed at this miracle of a gift that was waiting for her daughter in the front door of their home. "Perhaps the ringing wasn't the doorbell," said Abby, as soon as her mom was done reading the attached letter, "but the ringing of those special angel bells..."

Abby's heart grew a lot more that day, and so did her faith.

The Letter read:
DEAR ABBY,
HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT WE WERE SHORT ONE BLUE BALLOON FOR OUR PARTY TODAY? YOU SEE, I AM IN CHARGE OF THE WELCOMING PARTIES FOR ALL OUR NEW ANGEL FRIENDS THAT ARE COMING ON UP HERE, AND WHEN I WALKED INTO OUR PARTY ROOM TODAY TO DO THE FINAL CHECKLIST, I REALIZED THAT WE WERE ONE BALLOON SHORT. A BLUE ONE IN FACT. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO, AND I KNEW THAT WITHOUT THAT BALLOON THE WELCOMING PARTY COULDN'T START, SO I PUT MY WINGS TOGETHER, AND I CLOSED MY EYES, AND I SAID A PRAYER TO "YOU KNOW WHO."
WHEN I OPENED MY EYES AND FEELING BETTER THAT I'D ASKED OUR MAIN MAN FOR HELP, I GLANCED TOWARDS THE DOOR TO OUR PARTY ROOM THAT I HAD ACCIDENTALLY LEFT OPEN, AND GUESS WHAT? A BLUE BALLOON DRIFTED RIGHT INTO OUR PARTY ROOM!!!!! IT WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BLUE BALLOON I'D EVER LAID EYES ON, TOO!

GOD TOLD ME THAT IT WAS FROM YOU AND ALTHOUGH IT WAS HARD FOR YOU TO LET IT GO, HE SAID HE KNEW YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND SOON. SOON WHEN YOU KNEW HOW IMPORTANT THIS BALLOON WAS FOR SOMEONE ELSE. GOD ALSO SAID IT WAS OKAY TO WRITE THIS LETTER TO YOU THIS ONE SPECIAL TIME TO LET YOU KNOW THAT SOMETIMES THE THINGS THAT WE GIVE WITHOUT REALIZING GO FARTHER THEN ANYTHING PLANNED OUT AND IMAGINED. EVEN THE SMALLEST OF THINGS, CAN BE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS FOR SOMEONE ELSE. HE ALSO SAID IT WAS OKAY TO TELL YOU THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER STOP GIVING, GIVE EVEN WHEN YOUR HEART HURTS, BECAUSE THE MAGIC THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING FOR SOMEONE ELSE, IS MAGIC THAT ONLY GIVING CAN CREATE. WITHOUT YOUR WONDERFUL GIFT OUR PARTY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GO ON. SO I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU AND ALSO SAY HERE, TAKE THIS BIG HEARTFELT BALLOON WITH ALL THE LOVES AND HUGS AND KISSES THAT WE UP IN HEAVEN WANT TO GIVE TO YOU AND EVERYONE YOU LOVE. GIVING IS A WONDERFUL THING, BECAUSE SOMEDAY GOD WILL GIVE YOU THE BIGGEST GIFT OF ALL, SO PLEASE NEVER STOP GIVING, AND NEVER STOP LEARNING, AND THANK YOU AGAIN, MY DEAR LITTLE ABBY, YOU HAVE MADE ALL OF US ANGELS UP HERE SO HAPPY, FOR NOW OUR PARTY CAN GO ON AS PLANNED AND WE CAN WELCOME ALL OF OUR NEW FRIENDS THE WAY WE SHOULD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR BLUE BALLOON, IT MADE OUR PARTY COMPLETE.
NOW, I MUST GO, I HAVE A PARTY TO GET STARTED, BUT REMEMBER, NEVER STOP LOVING, AND GIVING, AND EVEN WHEN IT'S HARD TO LET GO OF SOMETHING, EVEN IF IT SEEMS THAT YOU'VE ONLY LOVED IT FOR AWHILE, TRY TO REMEMBER THAT THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING GOOD THAT COMES FROM SOMETHING SAD, WHETHER YOU HAD A CHANCE TO SAY GOODBYE TO IT, OR YOU MADE MANY MOONS OF GOODNIGHTS AND MANY SUNS OF GOODMORNINGS. YOU MADE SO MANY OF US HAPPY TODAY, FROM SOMETHING SO BLUE AND SO SIMPLE, SO THANK YOU AGAIN!! OH YES, AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, REMEMBER WE ALL LOVE YOU.
LOVE FOREVER,
YOUR ANGEL FRIEND.

Welcome To Crustybeef~
True story, it happened last Friday.

18 comments:

Golden To Silver Val said...

This made me cry. I knew you were special. Big hugs.

CRUSTY MOM-E said...

thank you.:) xoxoxo *tears are leaving my eyes just picturing Abby last Friday.*

Always,
Elizabeth

Diane Vogel Ferri said...

A children's book waiting to happen!

Martha said...

I'm all weepy now. That was a beautiful story. I think I'm going to read it to my daughter before bed tonight.

Karen said...

There really are angels here on earth Elizabeth. You are beautiful to do that for little Abby.

CRUSTY MOM-E said...

Diane: you know who I'll call!! :)


Martha: :) thank you, that's too sweet too!

Gypsy: HI! I'd like to hope that we have them, and there have been many times that I just feel protected!! :)

Good dreams tonight everyone!
Always,
Elizabeth

Summer said...

Nothing breaks my heart more than my own child crying.

ummmhello said...

That's the sweetest thing I've ever read. Tears welled up when I saw Abby in my mind, heartbroken and crying because she didn't even get time to love her balloon.
What a nice thing you did for her :) Now THAT'S what parenting is all about!

Portia said...

Awesome story about an awesome angel. I bet Abby will always remember this..I know I will. Thanks for sharing your heart with the world, and your beautiful stories with us.
:)

Anonymous said...

Good one......Sorry I've been "away".
Chat later......

Mary said...

Beautiful story. Angels are among us. Just listen and you can hear the rustle of their wings.

Cheryl said...

You're so creative, Elizabeth. This was such a sweet story. And true?

And you wrote this with in-laws about to arrive? In your spare time? I hope your visit goes well. How long will they be with you?

Jessica said...

Diane is right.
You're on to something here. It read like a kid's book. If I close my eyes I can even see the illustrations! :)

Moohaa said...

Definitely a children's book. Love it. Thanks!

Jamie said...

OMG, now I'm crying. Thanks for a beautiful story. :)

Tink said...

You could publish that in a book! So sweet.

SpringMist said...

Crusty,
You totally must write a children's story book!
Sorry I haven't been over for a while:)

SOUL said...

nice imagery -- fo shizzle.. :))

happy weekend