Today is not only Father’s Day, but it is also my father’s birthday.  Clyde Henry Jeffus, my daddy and my children’s Poopie (pronounced pooh-pie), turns 87 today and, although he won't be reading this because of the circumstances that life has brought to him. I still want to write to him and honor him on this day in this simple way with these very special memories that I have.  

Daddy, you have been a wonderful father in so many ways. I remember going to the mountains together and fishing together. I remember playing games together, working puzzles together and talking. I remember that you always knew something about everything. If I ever wanted advice about finances or cars or anything else, you would give it to me if I asked. I love the way your eyes would twinkle when you would flirt with Momma and the way you showed each of your daughters the importance of working hard and serving your community, your church and your family. You took good care of us, daddy. I love you so much!

I have so many special memories of you, daddy. One of my favorite memories is about the way that, every Christmas Eve, right before we tore into the mountain of presents that you and momma had given your children and grandchildren, you would read from the book of Luke. You would read the account of Jesus being born and we all sat quietly and listened. You read it to us every year, even when we were all grown and all of our children were there to be read to, also. What a wonderful memory and what a wonderful Legacy to give to all of us.

Another very special memory I have is of me as a grown up and one that I cherish because I remember it so well, but I don’t think anyone else ever knew about it. It was when John and I lived in Sweeny and there was this one day when I was so upset and I called you. I still remember where I was standing in my bedroom when you answered the phone. All of the kids were young and we had so little extra money to do anything special with. We could pay our bills, but just barely and I wanted soooo badly for one of my kids to get to take some special class. I’m pretty sure it was a gymnastics class for Loressa and, for some reason, I just really didn’t want to take that away from her just because we couldn’t afford it, so I called you. I wanted to ask for the money (like a loan that I would pay back), but I knew that you were already so generous with all of us girls (me and my two sisters) and that I had no right to be asking for anything more from you. I started crying the second that you answered the phone and I couldn’t get any words out. I didn’t ask about the money, but I was unable to say anything else either. So, we just sat there on the phone with me trying to quit crying and say something and you trying to make sure that no one was hurt. Finally, I calmed down. I never did ask for the money. I just couldn’t, but after we talked about your next trip that you and momma were going on and whatever small talk we brought up, you ended the conversation by saying, “Oh, I meant to tell you that I dropped a check in the mail this morning for each of you girls. I hope that it will help.” I never knew why or how you decided to send us the financial help, but your generosity was just one of the ways that you constantly showed me how much you loved me. 

I have lots of memories like that of you, daddy! 

I’m so thankful for all of the special memories I have with you and Momma. They are all so important to me.  Now, I try to instill in my own children and grandchildren 

the importance of making memories. There comes a time when those memories take on even more importance, like the importance of my memories with you.
I love you, Daddy! Happy Father’s Day!

My Precious Mackenna Hope

My precious Mackenna Hope, I love you so much! You are so beautiful inside and out. When did this beautiful young woman emerge from my very quiet, dark haired, dark eyed little angel? The time has moved too swiftly and I will forever miss your younger days even as I enjoy the days that are here now. You are the quiet one in our big, loud family and sometimes I wonder if you were quiet when you were younger because there was never much time for you to get a word in with everyone else talking at once, but you are still the quietest one to this day, so I think it is just the way God, in His perfect wisdom, created you.

Mackenna, you are my child who knows exactly what your brain type is (ISFJ) and can explain exactly how and why you respond the way you do to any given situation.

You take in your surroundings, but you never let anyone know all that you are thinking. You are the rarest of all jewels. You love your family, cookie dough, pop tarts, mozzarella sticks, ranch dressing, Dr. Pepper and milk. You are a trusted friend to those you are close to and if someone is fortunate enough to have gained your trust for you to confide in, they should know that they have been given a great honor and they are a part of a chosen few.

 Mackenna, you are one of the reasons I stay up so late at night because that's when you open up and that's when you really start to talk. I wouldn't trade that for anything. I love the bond you have with your friends and with our family. You and Destiny share so much and I realize from looking at all of the pictures that we have been compiling that you have always been hanging out together. You have always been coupled together in our family as the “little girls”. You share the “little girl’s” room where all of your clothes and special things are… and you share the “little girl’s” second room where your beds are… and you even share the couches downstairs where you actually fall sleep almost every night. One of my favorite bedtime memories of recent months are all of the nights that you and destiny would lay your heads on my lap and fall asleep while I would sing to you both. I love all of our traditions. I love that you have to be the last one for me to sing to at night and the last one to kiss me good-bye or goodnight. I love that we have our own secret little handshake-kiss that we have shared for most of your life. I love how supportive and encouraging you are to me, also.

You enjoy life and you always have. I love that you are constantly sharing music with me and showing me what songs you like. I love to watch when you get that little gleam in your eye and all of the sudden you begin to lip-synch to whatever song comes on. I always have to stop whatever I am doing so I can watch you because you are just so adorable.

You are, in some ways, a complicated mystery, but in other ways, you are completely uncomplicated. You see things in black and white and you are passionate about the truth. You are also a passionate care giver which you exemplify by the wonderful way you take care of Emily and Sam’s children as well as when you consistently and sacrificially took care of Loressa after her car accident. You are also passionate in what you believe in and you care deeply for others. One of your dreams is to someday work with an organization like A21 to help rescue children and women who have been taken into slavery and bondage. You want to make known the suffering of those who have no voice to be heard and I’m so proud of you for that.

You were always and still are the child who does not live by the clock. You have your own timetable. You always take the time to do your devotional and write in your journal even if it is well beyond the hour that you should still be awake. You also take the time to listen to others. You are not usually in a hurry where an important conversation needs to happen whether you are listening to your nieces and nephew or friends or family.

You are my little introvert in midst of quite a few extroverts…You are also my fellow hoarder of all things sentimental and important, even if you are the only one who considers it important. This includes the hoarding of pictures-whether you are talking about actual photos or the colored on pictures made by Violet, Henry and Ruby and someday, Lilac. It even includes messages, the ones on your iPod and also the wonderful notes you have been given by others. 

I wouldn’t trade anything for all the time we have had together and if I could change anything it would be to slow down time so I could spend more time with you and make even more special memories together.

Mackenna, you never ask for anything. You always seem happy with what you have and with who you are which makes you a wonderful person to be around. You make it very easy to love you…I’m so thankful that I get to be your mother.