1st Place

Last night Jesse's school had "Grand Open House" a chance for the students to celebrate their grandparents, show off our school and of course visit the book fair. And while the songs were great and I am sure she enjoyed the book fair with her Paw Paw (my dad) my highlight was....Jesse won 1st place in the essay contest. They were given the "prompt" My Grandparent is my hero because. Jesse chose to write about my mom who died almost 7 years ago. I helped her with a couple details as she was so young and didn't remember things like my brother and dad shaving their heads to match my mom or how much my mom enjoyed her visits. But other than that it was all her memories and her feelings. I cried spell checking it for her so I knew I would cry last night. What I was not prepared for was Jesse's emotions while on stay reading she began to cry and Mrs. Sheets ( her principal) had to finish reading for her. I am so proud of her not just because she took 1st place but because she wanted to honor her Nonnie that way. I know as much as I want my mom here she would never leave the wonders of heaven to return to us but I am so comforted knowing how proud she would have been last night of her "love buttons". I know she was smiling down from heaven. Following reading the essay Jesse received her first ever standing ovation. I know she had to be so brave to share all those emotions with everyone there last night.

Below is a copy of her essay...We hope you enjoy!

My Nonnie is my hero because she was brave when she battled leukemia. When I was 2 and a half my Nonnie found out she had a very bad kind of leukemia. She wanted to get better so she could see me grow up. So she took chemo to help her get better. When she did all her hair fell out. I was scared to see her like that. My Uncle and Paw paw shaved their heads so they all could look a like. No matter how sick she was she always wanted me to visit her.

She fought very hard to get better. My Nonnie was not scared to die she knew if she did she would go to heaven with her grandparents and other family who died before her.

Her leukemia went away for a little while. We were happy she had almost died but got better. Her hair was growing back. But 1 week after my birthday her leukemia came back. She had to go to the hospital again. But she never got to come home. No matter how brave she was, she was too sick. Her lungs got really sick because of the chemo and she had to use a ventilator. Her organs all got sick and then she died.

What I remember most is she fought hard to stay with her family. She was brave and I hope that I can be brave like her to. I miss her everyday but her battle makes her my hero.