Dear Jessika,
Today is your birthday, and as I reflect on everything you have been to myself, family and daughters, I cannot help but think about how blessed Jhune and Jhenesis are to call you their godmom. I speak for the both of them when I say THANK YOU.
Because we've been friends since we were eighteen, we have been around for each other's milestones, including me having my first child. I never told you this, but I was sure you'd disappear--you know, like they say friends tend to do once someone has their first child. Having a child usually means (for whatever reason) the friendship is forever changed, and not in a good way. I kept waiting for that to happen, but it never did. In fact, soon after she was born, you asked if we felt like getting out of the house and invited the two of us out to eat. While at lunch, you simply fed her the bottle with one hand and ate your food with the other hand.
And we conversed just like we normally would.
In Jhune 2019 while having dinner with the girls, you said, "You and Jherrod need to go ahead and have another child so I can be the godmom." "Uhh we have two children already, and you have never asked," I responded, to which you followed with, "Umm that's not how it works." We laughed about it, but I made a mental note to work on a 'godmom proposal' once I returned home. I remember changing my mind so many times, throwing away ideas I felt weren't good enough, until I eventually found what I felt was the perfect gift. It felt like it took months just to get it right, but I desperately wanted to get it right. You deserved for it to be right.
Lucky for us, you said yes, and since that very day, my daughters have been extremely blessed.
"Expect a few random packages sometime this week." I can't recall how many times I have received a messgae like that from you. The amazing thing is, it's never a bunch of toys just to spoil the kids--you send them so many learning products to feed their brains and develop/strengthen their cognitive ability and creativity, you pick and choose each item with love, you introduce them to things I would not even think of, such as a clock to help Jhune tell time or star projector that allows them to turn their room a magical planet, you send books, so many books, and each book always has a personalized, written message. And lets not forgive the fabulous outfits :).
It is very telling that my children are so in love with you and always ask, "Can Jessika come to our house?" because... you don't even live in the same state. That is how present you have been despite living so far away. You even got to a point where you would block out one week a month just to fly to Houston to come and spend time with them/us... despite the demands of you having an entire private practice to run. You have been to gymnastics, birthdays, you have no problem coming just to sit or eat with us, never have I gotten the feeling like there's something better you could be doing with your time. It's clear that for you, time with our girls is dear to you. Not only did you not disappear, you constantly give your time whenver you can.
Some months ago, you sent me an article titled, "5 Promises to my Goddaughter," and I think that is the moment I realized how serious you are about the title. "Omg I love Jhenesis' hair like that," you once said. Then added, "Tell her I said so." "I am going to get her a speaking Buildabear just like that so she can hear my voice when I am not around." In short, you are invested. You are dedicated. Your love is genuine, and never once have I been jealous that my children ask for you because I am too busy thanking God that they have another woman to whom they can forever look to who has their best interests at heart and is a constant source of support and love.
So thank you. Thank you for being there for our prized possessions. Thank you for loving them like they are your own. Thank you for being a positive role model and for speaking greatess over their lives in the messages you write to them. Thank you for having a heart big enough to fit the two of them in it.
Love forever and always,
The mother of your goddaughters