How could I ever begin to describe my feelings for this child. She is my first grandchild. At the age of two, she taught me how much fun it was to grandparent. Whenever we have been around each other, she makes certain we have snuggle times. She rests her head on my arms or in my lap and loves for me to rub her back. I have disciplined her one time in the 12+ years that she has been in my life. She was a mere four or five years old as she snuck a silly sponge character under her shirt while we shopped at Ben Franklins. She would have gotten away with it too – but this grandma has the eye of an eagle and noticed the shape of an animal on her tummy! We came home and she had to sit on the stairs in a time out for five minutes. Her grandpa questioned me the entire time, trying to lighten the sentence! I have never had to raise my voice to her or tell her to stop something. We had our back to school supply shopping dates … I attended every school performance she had when she lived here except for one … I watched her play soccer and attended her show at the Pantano Stables while she and other girls lip sank to a song… we did scrapbooking together and made hot dogs in biscuits together. She has been through extraordinarily tough times, but has emerged as a joyful, moral, and engaging young lady. Add to the fact that she is as beautiful inside as she is outside – and what else could I want? She is moving far away in a few days. And my heart is broken. I miss her already.