dear boys,
my name is morgan manley, i'm only writing it now because somewhere down the line you might not know me. i dont foresee that happening, but life has a funny way of changing in the worst ways.
i met your mom our junior year, if i remember right. back then her personality was so bright and bubbly that we probably wouldn't have become friends if things were a little different.
i was a quiet withdrawn kid, an introvert. your mother is very much an extrovert! you'll probably already be aware by the time you read this that children that age are less then accepting. her hyper fun personality attracted a lot of attention. so in turn the other girls in school started to resent her. i think ultimately that's what brought about our friendship. it was in science class that my friend Sydney, your mom, and i formed a group to do a project.
we all quickly became friends. and I've been here ever since. you mom has had it hard, I've seen it with my own eyes. there are some things i wont tell you, because its not my place. but i will tell you about her as you were growing up. your mom fell hopelessly in love with your biological father while we were in high school. he was still a kid then. he didn't treat your mother well, as im sure you know.
i was around when she got pregnant with you Dakota. she was terrified! her and your father were on and off so much that she was scared to think of herself as a single mother so young. but your mamma is strong, one of the strongest people i know. well your mother had a hard time trying to adjust to being a new mom and try and hold a relationship together. your father didn't help much, unfortunately he didn't want the responsibility. but from the moment you mother saw each of you she knew she had something to fight for. Dakota you were still just a baby yourself when your mother found out she was pregnant again. she was just starting to get used to one baby, if that's even possible, but now here comes little drew! i was of course worried as well, she was stressed, tired, and still holding on to what shouldn't be. but it was going to be ok, i knew that.
i helped your mother with both of you. more so after you were a bit older Dakota.
i wouldn't have changed it for the world. the day came when little drew was to be born. i got a text and around midnight i think, saying she was in labor. i asked her if i needed to come over and she said to wait, that she was going to wait till morning to go to the hospital.
i thought she was crazy! but your mamma knew what she was doing! later the next day i was in the hospital with her and Chasity. your father was not there and she was progressing pretty well. obviously he was the one she needed and wanted in this stressful time. so Chas and i hopped in my car and sped off to his house. she went in and told him to come with us. he wouldn't get in the car (he didn't like me haha) so we told him to walk the few blocks to the hospital. unfortunately he did not show up. so me and Chasity held your mothers hand as she gave birth to drew. i hope you both know how amazing your mother is. you are her everything, the reason she works so hard. that night i stayed at her place with you Dakota. i watched never ending Thomas the train with you, fed you, and held you till you fell asleep.
i slept so lightly that night, worried you would wake up! but it was me who woke first, getting an early morning text from your mom wanting me to bring you to the hospital. you see it was the first night she had ever spent without you, so she was freaking out a little. i told her we would be on our way as soon as you woke up. after you got up i got you dressed and we went to the hospital to see your mom and new brother. we walked in and the joy on your moms face was obvious. we put you in her lap and for the first time you met little drew. it was funny too! Dakota, you wouldn't let your mother take him back! you would hold on and try to kiss his head! after that, your mother and father started to drift apart, for the best really. i still remember the time, not too terribly long ago, that i got a call from bailey. she was crying on the other end. she admitted to me that she was stressed and didn't know what to do. she told me that drew had thrush and was crying nonstop, and Dakota, you were ripping the house apart with you two year old energy. i told her that is was ok, and that i would be over soon.
i had just gotten off work at 11 pm and went strait over. sure enough it was exactly as she described. so i held drew, which was the only thing that helped keep him from crying, and played cars with kota so she could calm down and relax for a minute. she pulled it together quick too! there's a few thing i know about your mother, one, she loves you both with all she is. two, every decision she makes is with you in mind. and three, your mother is too trusting sometimes. she doesn't always make the best decisions, but please understand as you read this someday, she was and is still learning. your mother is strong but can also be fragile, like the rest of us. take time to tell her you love her, because i know she loves you a lot! compliment her. you can get mad but don't stay that way for long. look at everything with logic. be understanding. don't hate your father, learn from what he did wrong. don't be like how your father was. respect women, especially your mother. sex doesn't equal love. always use a condom! hitting anyone is wrong. hitting someone who loves you is even worse. remember words can kill. don't do drugs! get help if you think you ever need it. work hard. don't expect praise but accept it when it comes. aspire to be someone your mother is proud of. aspire to be someone YOU are proud of. and lastly, know that i love you two like my own little nephews and your mom like my sister. no matter were time takes us, im glad i got to meet all of you.
thank you both,
"grandma" Morgan
