(If you are new to my blog, welcome!  Just wanted to let you know that each Wednesday, I write a post about my mom who passed away 11 months ago.  These posts are a way for me to share with others what a wonderful person my mother was, and also to preserve memories of her for myself, my children, and her family.)

First of all, I want to thank you for being so understanding about my Wednesdays with Wanda post last week.  I know that Mom would have been proud of me for listening to her and getting the sleep I needed.

Your comments were precious and I treasured every one!  Thank you.

I know my sister is going to kill me for posting this family picture!  :)

I love this picture because I am wearing my “Laura Ingalls” dress.  At least that’s what I called it.  I was a huge fan of “Little House on the Prairie.”  My mom made me that dress.  She was an amazing seamstress.  I loved the puffy sleeves and the way the skirt flew out when I spun around.

I shared this picture because I wanted you to see the precious family I grew up in.  I had two of the best parents a girl could ever dream of, a beautiful sister that I wanted to be just like, and a pesky little brother that was the apple of Mom’s eye!  :)

My sister is four years older than me, so when I showed up in the family, I was like Cyndi’s very own “real” baby doll.  We girls had a lot of fun together.

When I was 7 months old, Mom unexpectedly got pregnant with my brother, Blake.  Of course, she was excited about having another child, but she felt so guilty about me still being so young.  She used to tell me that she always worried that I wouldn’t get the attention I needed as a baby because my  new baby brother would require so much attention too.

However, Mom was always proud to tell me that she rocked me to sleep every night!  She never wanted to deny me of those special moments just because there was a younger baby in the house.

Mom was so cute.  She always worried about me suffering from the “middle child” syndrome.  She never wanted me to feel like I was stuck somewhere in the middle.

So Mom came up with something to make me feel extra special…

She would always call me her “Magic Link”.

She would explain to me that there where 5 people in our family…

Dad, Cyndi, Traci, Blake, Mom.

See my name there in the middle?

Mom would hold her fingers together like this…

And then she would say…

“Traci, you are the “Magic Link” in our family.  You are right in the middle and you hold us all together.  If we didn’t have you in the family, we would fall apart.  You are very important to our family!”

I cannot tell you how special that made me feel or how many times I had the privilege of hearing  Mom say that.

I truly did feel important.

The best part is that Mom didn’t just tell me that as a kid, she continued to call me her “Magic Link” even up to her passing.

Last week, I found some cards that Mom had sent me since I have been married.  I have always told you how much Mom loved writing notes to the people she loved.  I love how Mom always wrote us notes “just because”.  We didn’t hear how much she loved us just on our birthdays or special occasions.  But she made sure we felt her love all year round!

I have a folder that I keep special mementos in, and my Mom’s cards were in there.  I can just feel Mom’s love oozing out all over me when I read them even now.  I am so thankful for my mom’s letters!

Eight years ago, I owned  my own day care called, “Cross My Heart Preschool and Child Care Center”.  That is what Mom is referring to in these letters.

Notice how Mom included her favorite verse, John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled nor let it be afraid.”

This verse was her life-line during her battle with cancer.

Here is another card I found…

See why I miss my mom so much?!   Her words brought me comfort, encouragement, blessings, joy, guidance and so much more.

That is why her voice is still so strong in my life even now.   I have years and years worth of Mom’s beautiful words stored deep within my heart (and even on paper).

Our words are so powerful aren’t they?

I pray that you and I both will use our words to encourage and strengthen those around us each day.  It doesn’t always come naturally to me.  I am praying that the Lord would fill my mouth with His goodness each day.  I want my words to be a blessing to others.

Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (NIV)

Thank you for stopping by and letting me share the thoughts Beneath My Heart!

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