Dear Evy:

Sweet girl, I’ve been emotionally exhausted. Between family pictures, your remembrance bear, my busy work schedule and funerals, I’ve been drained. So much has left me emotional without me getting to express my emotions fully. You kept me so calm during the family pictures. I wasn’t sure how I was going to be during the shoot without you present. We have never had professional photos taken of our family before. I usually just took my own of you and your sister, but it never included the whole family. Well I’m not allowing myself to have anymore regrets. So with Evy Bear in tow, we had our first family photo shoot. Our sweet friend, Amanda Donaho, reached out to us and offered her amazing photography skills. I did keep it together during the shoot, thanks to you Evy, but as the day crept by, the hollow aching inched its way into my chest. There are just little moments that I miss so much that it makes it hard to fathom you are really not here.

So as the aching grew yesterday, I laid your sister down for a nap so that I could let my emotions flow. I went out to the mailbox to collect Saturday’s mail. Inside was an envelope from the Aurora Public Library and Mary Alice Horton.

These books were added to the Aurora Public Library District collection in memory of your daughter, Evelyn “Evy” Sarah Legge by Sue and Steve Manford.
Book plates have been placed in the books as they are added to our collection. We are proud to honor her memory in such a special way.
Staff have such great memories of Evy coming to the Library. We miss her visits.
I think of you both, admiring your strength and praying for your continued spirit.

With every good wish,
Mary Alice Horton

I was in awe. So incredible sweet and touching. I have been to two baby showers since you passed. Most now suggest to bring a book instead of a card. So while I was looking for a book for Anola and her baby Bryce, I found the book “Wherever You Are my love will find you” by Nancy Tillman. I cried while reading it in Barns and Noble. I had to buy two. I wanted a copy for myself. It could fit so many situations, but to me, it was written for you Evelyn. It doesn’t matter where you are, near me, in heaven, in the clouds, buried, dust to dust ash to ash, or in my heart, but that my love will always find you. I then bought it for the next baby shower, Aunt Leah and baby-to-be Bentley. It will forever be the book I buy for all babies coming into this world.

My heart melted to see that these were the books chosen to be named in your memory. The note seemed like a message sent straight from Heaven, from you, to me. It was just what I needed to end my crazy emotional week and to start a new week. Thank you to the Library, Mary Alice and Sue and Steve Manford for this God Wink.