uncle chris

my precious E,

his name was chris. he was tall and blond and handsome. 9 years my senior and an obnoxiously overprotective. he went to OSU (as I'm sure you will, too - like a good girl). he was a construction engineer. he moved to houston for work when i was 15. when your mother became too much for grandma and pampaw to handle, they would ship me down to houston for a week or so. it was a lot of fun. we made precious memories in the traffic of houston, yelling at each other like only brothers and sisters do. this is the person that taught me to drive, so when your daddy complains about my driving you can blame it on uncle chris. this is also where mommy got her ridiculously good looks.

chris had a girlfriend for several years (a girlfriend is someone your father will

never let you be so just try to follow along), she would have been your aunt ann, and she would have been so in love with you. they both would have. your aunt ann left earth just a few months before you were born. uncle chris left much sooner.

uncle chris left november 7, 2004. ten years this month. i wish i could say things got easier, little heart. and i so wish that he was here to watch you grow, to experience adoption, to see me as a mother. even more so then when i wished he was at my wedding; I wish he could see me as a mother. 

as always, the Lord has filled in where sin left a gaping hole.

you have two uncles who absolutely adore you. uncle chris would be so pleased to know that they take such great care of you. uncle taylor is so much like your uncle chris, as brothers are. I hope you get the treasure of having a brother one day, my dove. anyway, uncle taylor is much sillier than chris (much sillier than ANYONE). he will have you laughing until you cry when you are older. you already love him. when you first met him, mommy was still very sick in the hospital. I don't remember much, but I remember your daddy handing you to him and you looking at him like he was a giant (he is, you intuitive little monkey, you). this is the moment I remember so well: 

you and uncle taylor have a sweet bond. you are so lucky to have him. I am, too. something tells me you will have uncle taylor's sarcasm and wit one day.

and your sweet uncle sethy. oh precious girl, the way your uncle seth looks at you is perfection. he is so much like your daddy. he loves playing with you (when you and aunt jenna aren't hogging each other). and every single time he sees you, he tells you that you're pretty. it's your thing with him. he tells you how pretty you are and you soak it all in. and when you're asleep he is always the first to ask if he can go get you out of your crib. he loves you very much, and uncle chris would be so thankful. so very thankful that there are two uncles to fill in where he can't be.