Happy Birthday Kendra!

I can't believe you are 17 years old! One more year, baby!

I love you. "High as the sky, deep at the sea, and all the air that's in between."

I couldn't be more proud of one of my daughter's. You are truly a blessing in my life.

Love, Mommy

Happy Birthday Teryn, my Little T.T.

I can't believe you're 27 years old and a new Mommy.

I love you. "High as the sky, deep as the sea, and all the air in between".

I'm so proud and honored to be your mother. You're going to be a mother to Salem that will enable her to grow up to be as wonderful as her own mother.

Salem Sophia Chapin

At 6:52 pm, Monday, June 1st, I witnessed the birth of my first grandchild, Salem Sophia Chapin.  She weighed 7 lbs. 3 oz and she's the most beautiful baby I've ever seen.

Words cannot describe the emotions I feel towards someone I just met.  What do I do now?

My Girl's Are Leaving On A Jet Plane

Tomorrow morning I will be putting my two youngest girls on an airplane to N.C. for several weeks. As much as I'm looking forward to some alone time with my husband, I'm going to miss them terribly.

It helps that I will see them next week in Nashville (George and I will be flying there on Saturday) for the birth of our granddaughter, but once we get back home, it's going to be quiet around here. Gabby's going to miss them too.

These are the worst parts of divorce. Saying good-bye to your children when they visit their other parent isn't easy (especially when they'd rather stay home). But, I have to believe that being able to show my girl's what a healthy, normal, marriage looks like will have many rewards for them in the long run. And will prove to be worth the price of being apart. My girl's are healthy, happy and well adjusted and I am an extremely blessed woman. Yes, I will miss Kendra and Kolby.

I guess George and I will just have to find some creative ways to pass the time!

Dear T.T.

She's almost here. Can you believe it? I'm sure the time has crawled for you, but it has flown by for me. I can't believe it. I remember when I was pregnant with you and now here you are about to give birth to your own daughter. This experience has been truly surreal for me, as I'm sure it has been for you. Until your own daughter tells you she's expecting her first child, it will be hard for you to fully understand what I'm feeling during this time, but I still wanted you to know a few things.

First of all, the moment you conceived my granddaughter, you became a mother. Yes, I know within a matter of days, you will physically hold her in your arms, but you accepted the responsibility of being her Mommy the moment you knew you were pregnant. Have you realized that you've already begun making sacrifices for her, just like any good mother would do? By taking care of yourself, for the sake of your baby, you've joined the "Good Mommy Club". I know it hasn't been easy denying yourself many of the luxuries you enjoyed pre-pregnancy. You remember that glass of wine, size 2 jeans, sleeping on your stomach and yoga classes?

You traded them for morning sickness, sleepless nights, swollen ankles, heartburn, new clothes and let's not forget that swollen belly! See, you've already been taking care of her these past 9 months and made countless sacrifices for her already. And I'm sure you haven't minded or given it a second thought. I never did. It may not seem like it right now, Teryn, but every bit of what you've been through and are going through, is worth it. I promise you will never regret it. I never did.

You will be a mother to my granddaughter that makes your own mother proud. I know this because I've witnessed with my own eyes the kind of woman you've become. You're a wonderful wife and you will be a wonderful mother. You've always had that "mother" thing going on. You started taking on the role as the "other mother" from the moment each of your sisters were born. More times than I can count, I would just sit back and watch you with them. You are a natural.

Your daughter, my granddaughter, is a very lucky and blessed little girl. She has a Mommy who's intelligent enough to take the good of what her own Moommy taught her and to teach her own daughter the same. I also know that you're smart enough to do your best not to make the same mistakes I made with you or your sisters. And I wouldn't want it any other way.

I'm so excited about this time of your life, Teryn. This will be one of the happiest of yours and Chad's marriage. The birth of your first child. All the firsts that come with it. Her first smile. Her first word. Her first step. Her first day of school. Cherish each one of these moments. You will miss them. I sure do.

These last few weeks of pregnancy can be so uncomfortable, I know, but enjoy it. This is a special time that you can never get back. From the morning after she's born, you will miss being pregnant. Yes, seriously, you'll miss it, especially feeling her move. You and your daughter will never be as close as you are right now, so take it all in and remember as much as you can. There's something about this time of your life that will be precious to you all the days of your life.
Trust me. I know this. I'm a Mommy too.

Dear Baby C

Dear Baby Girl Chapin,

I thought I should introduce myself to you, being that you will be here soon. I'm your grandmother. Not sure what you're going to call me as of yet, but whether it's Gigi, Mimi, Nana or G-Mommy, it doesn't change the fact that I'm your grandmother. Your Mommy's Mommy. You see, just as you are living and resting comfortably in your Mommy's tummy, your own Mommy lived in mine 27 years ago. Can you believe it's almost time? You're almost here! It's taken 9 long months, but the day is soon approaching. Within just a matter of weeks, not months, we will hold you in our arms, gaze at your beautiful face and proudly claim you to be ours. It hasn't been easy being so far away from your Mommy during this time. But, I've enjoyed seeing her belly grow through pictures. And, man, has it grown!

I want to tell you something amazing. I already love you. I haven't even met you, but I'm crazy about you. We're not sure what your name is going to be. Your Mommy and Daddy want to wait until they see you and then they'll know. I want you to know that you were very wanted by not just your Mommy and Daddy, but all of us. Your Aunt's, Tawni, Kendra and Kolby have been waiting for this moment for a long time. As soon as your Mommy and Daddy got married, they were asking, "When are you going to have a baby?"

Your room is ready. It's beautiful. Your parent's have everything ready for you. You already own your first pair of Uggs (these are very expensive boots, your grandmother doesn't even own a pair!). And let's not forget about your hoity toity stroller! It's called a Bug-a-Boo, so please be careful not to spit up on that $900 ride of yours! I know that's a lot of pressure, but you can handle it. You have good DNA.

You come from a strong line of women. I know you are going to be a courageous and brave little girl, just like your Mommy. You're going to be compassionate, generous and kind, just like your Aunties. And I'm really hoping you have the musical talent of your Daddy.

What do I hope you'll get from me? My prayer is that you will only inherit my good qualities. You'll find out soon enough that your grandmother isn't perfect, but she tries hard to be the best she can be. I try to admit when I'm wrong and work hard at humbling myself to ask others for forgiveness when I've hurt or wronged them, which I've done more times than I'd like to admit. But, all I've ever wanted was for my own children to be proud of me. To be loved and respected by them and to be there when they need me.

I promise you that I want to do the same for you. I'll always be here for you, love you unconditionally, teach you, pray for you daily and accept you for who you are, (although you may have to cut me some slack at times!). I promise to always tell you the truth, even when it hurts. And don't tell Mommy and Daddy, but when you're with me, we'll eat, buy noisy toys and do whatever we want!

I'll see you soon, little one. Know that you have my heart. Just like your Mommy does.

Birthday Party Pictures