To my Tory Kat
 
Today is your birthday.  It is almost inconceivable to me that you are seven years old today, but you are.  The last seven years have flown by.  I have watched you grow up so fast, from a sweet baby to the capable young lady you are becoming.  It is hard for me to admit you are becoming a  capable young lady.  I don't want to admit that you don't seem to need me as much as you used to, in the same ways as you used to. 
 
True, you don't need me to wash your hair for you, or give you a bath.   You don't need me to feed you, or cut your food for you all the time.  You don't need me to tie your shoes for you anymore, or zipper your jackets for you.  You don't need me to always make your bed for you, or dress you anymore.  You don't need me to help you with your seatbelt, or opening the car door, or even reading the directions for some of your activities.  You don't need me to read you books anymore, or help you color in the lines.  You don't need me to build your sandcastles for you, or to carry you into the pool. 
 
Realizing you don't need me to do all those things for you anymore brought tears to my eyes.  Where did my baby go?  What could she possibly need from me anymore ?  And then I realized....
 
You need me for kisses all over the face before bedtime, and hugs around the neck~because without them, you simply can't get to sleep.  You  need me to listen to all the things you did in school today because you want me to get as excited about you being the calendar girl as you were.  You  need to cuddle against me during a thunderstorm.  You need to tell me you love me after you fight with me, and you need to hear me tell you I love you no matter what.  You need to chase away the monsters in your bedroom at night sometimes, and you need me to reassure you that the bears your big brother tells you about outside are NOT coming in to get you.  You need me to protect you from the spiders, even though you know I'm as scared of them as you are.  You need me to remind you to flush and wash your hands~every single time!  You need me for soft touches to your forehead, just to reassure you you are not getting a fever.   You need me to shudder and ewwww! at every single bug you bring me just so you can giggle at me.  You need me to cook your favourite dinner on your birthday, and stay up all night the night before wrapping presents. 
 
So today baby, Happy Birthday.  I love you more than anything in my entire life.  I can't remember my life before you came into it,  seven years ago today.  I don't even want to.  You are my shining star, and I thank the heavens for you every day.  There is nothing you cannot do, cannot be.  Your smile and laugh are my joys, and I hope that I see and hear them every day.  They are what *I* need.  I love you, my lil girl. 
 

Attention Stitcher X (and everyone else who ever sent a hateful anonymous email/ezmsg):

During the fuss and the muss of JPC closing, I'm sure you snuck in, struck with your poisonous words, and left. You even deleted your user account, so that no one could or would be able to respond to you. A classic hit and run.

The cowards way.

Yes, I said it, a coward. ANYone who doesn't have the guts to sign their name to something is a coward. If I have something to say, I sign my name. I mean, if I feel passionate enough about something to write about it, I have the responsibility to stand behind my words. Sending one line emails, filled with vitriol and hatred, while it may be passionate, is also childish. And in my opinion, behaviours like this are the main reason that JPC on the TWBB has become a place so filled with controversy, hatred filled debates, sniping, backbiting, and secrets and why the forum is going away.

I don't know that for sure, but I do know that there is just so much childishness that anyone can put up with. If you are so sure of your beliefs, why not stand behind them publically? Why do you hide ? Or do you hide because you might be shown the truth, not the speculations that fill your mind? I know this, the mean and hateful things said in an email from Stitcher X to a close friend of mine are absolutely NOT TRUE. Unless you are TW, Miss Stitcher X, then you really DON"T know why JPC is being deleted. I sincerely doubt however, that TW would stoop to an anonymous ezmessage, and not sign her name.

I can't believe that such accusations are flying around, and I can but hope that we all learn how to act like the adults we are supposed to be. No one person is to blame for this, we all bear part of the burden. Let's shoulder it and move on.