One Mom's Journey: This One is for RED!

October 19, 1987 a beautiful little red head was born to my sister, Paige. She was truly amazing from day one. She wasn't your ordinary child. Her hair was the shade of red that almost looked orange in the sun and she loved it and so did everyone else. To this day I can't see a red headed little girl without thinking of Jessica and if I see an adult woman with red hair I can't help but wonder what she would look like today. Monday she would be 28 years old. WOW! That's almost hard to imagine her at 28 years old. I do know that she would be an amazing young woman and very loving and loyal. This I know for sure.
Jessica was so amazing for so many reasons, but the most amazing time this really showed was once she was diagnosed with brain cancer. She was not only a trooper through the entire ordeal, but she was always smiling and would reassure everyone else that it was going to be okay. This would have been difficult for anyone let alone a child that was 8 years old at the time. However, she did it! It would make you never want to complain about anything every again.
My sister did such a great job raising her. She just ate up everything about her and did the same thing when Jorden was born 4 years after Jessica. I can say she loves being a mom and always enjoyed every moment with her girls. I always envied her ability to just embrace every moment and turn it into a great memory.
Jessica was very much that way as well even at a young child. Some of my favorite memories (and there a many) happened at some of the most "non-momentous" moments. Like, one day I had been at BoBo and Nana's house with her and Chad and although Chad was too small and not talking yet (and at a time it was okay for kids to sit in the front seat) it didn't stop Jessica ("Red") and I from chatting it up on the way back to my house. We were just driving along at night and she looks up and says, "Ammy, one day, I'm gonna catch that moon". I laughed and said, yes you will (or something to that affect). I then realized she was saying that because it felt like the moon was following us.... Out of the mouths of babes.
Then one Fall we were driving back to the house (again from BoBo & Nana's) and she said, "look Ammy, the trees are bald-headed"! I had never thought about the trees being bald-headed when the leaves fell off, but she did.
Another favorite memory with her is her special bed at Ammy's house. I lived in a 2 bedroom trailer house at the time so I made the 2nd bathroom bath tub her bed. We filled it full of quilts and blankets and she would just snuggle down for bed each night. She loved it and I knew she couldn't fall out. However, there was the one time when I hear a loud scream coming from the bathroom and ran in there to find her bed filling up with water! Oh my, it never occurred to me (I know now that it should have) that she would turn the water on. :) I will say that she did that the one and only time, because she was just that good a girl.
She used nearly all of Chad's baby things like his highchair, toys, etc. before he did so it makes those memories even more special than they were at the time.
Chad and Jessica were so close that first they were cousins, then best friends. As cute as it sounds to write and to remember even now, Chad used to tell girls growing up (elementary school and younger) that he already had a girlfriend and her name was Jessica. I loved that and still do.
Jorden fulfilled that void for Chad and always felt he had to protect her and I love that about his heart. Jessica had that same heart and that is why I know for sure that she would be full of love and loyalty today.
I remember Jessica this weekend before her birthday on Monday and every day, but wanted to pay a little tribute to her to celebrate what would have been her 28th birthday and still wonder what she would be doing today if she had gotten the chance to live her life. Love you Jessie Bo, Red on the Head, KiKi, Jessica Gayle! You were definitely Our Sunshine! Love, Ammy

Jessica & Jorden