March 21st

March 21st is Cody's birthday.

I didn't miss it or forget it; I just really couldn't face it.

Cody Che-Me-Gas Neilson is my oldest granddaughter. She turned 14 on her last birthday.

It was a tough day for me. I haven't seen her for too many years. The last time I did see her, she was gawky and missing a tooth, her hair uncombed, her face a little dirty. Of course her clothes didn't fit quite right and had stains here and there. Her mother never was much at keeping the kids clean, fed, cared for.

I didn't see Cory that day. Her mother had never been much on the younger of the two girls so all too often, Cory would be left somewhere else while Cody got taken here and there.

Her mother took her and her little sister, Cory Ann LaRue Neilson, away to live with some teenager she'd gotten involved with over the Internet. Eventually, in a Court snafu of monumental stupidity, my ex daughter-in-law won custody of the girls and we have never seen them again.

Cody and Cory were taken off to Canada by their mother to live in poverty among strangers - their mother's paramour closer in age to Cody than to her mother.

By now, both girls are young women - and I wouldn't know them if they passed me on the street.

I don't know if I will ever be able to forgive their mother for taking them away from all of us.

Or for taking us away from them.

I miss you, Cody, and I miss your sister as well. I wish I could say, "See you soon, sweetie."

Love you bunches and bunches.