Brooke and Lizzie
"When Brooke was just two years old, she found a lizard crawling around our garage. All day long, as she played
and ran and helped us work on the house, she never let go of Lizzie the lizard. Brooke, with great love building in
her heart for Lizzie, decided to give her a big, lovin' kiss. And Lizzie kissed her right back on the lip..and didn't
let go! Brooke had big tears running down her face as we pried Lizzie away. She pulled herself together and took hold
of Lizzie again. Chaney said, "Brooke throw that thing down.get rid of it." And Brooke with tears still
coming down her face, looked down at Lizzie and replied, "But I love Lizzie, Dad." Brooke held her lizard
the remainder of the day until Lizzie had absolutely been loved to death."
The Speedster Princess
One morning around 8 a.m., my sister, Aunt Zelle, comes busting through the hospital door. And in her arms was a brand
new Barbie Big Wheel…covered in Spiderman (the love of Brooke’s life) stickers. Brooke took off on that Big Wheel…and
from that day forward, we all took turns chasing Brooke round and round the hospital floor. What was great…was to watch
Nanny and Granny chase Princess Brooke…who was always wearing a princess dress and high heels…even on her bike. Brooke
would look back over her shoulder and laugh as Granny and Nanny would try to catch up with her. Her little mischievous
eyes were sending only one message… “CATCH ME IF YOU CAN.” Pretty soon, even the nurses were chasing her, fearing somehow
that her IV pole would get left behind by the Speedster Princess. As Brooke flew past her doctors, the doctors would
yell to the nurses, “What are Brooke’s platelets today?” From our room, I could hear Granny and Nanny yelling, “Help…somebody
help.” I would watch as Brooke would round the corner and pass our room…she would look at me with a little smirk on
her face. I looked back at her with much approval (don’t tell the grandma’s…it was just too funny). Next, I would see
the Grandmas come running by our room screaming and yelling for help. Brooke went round and round until she wore each
of us out…sometimes, we even recruited others to take Speedster Brooke for a few more high intensity laps.
Brooke and the Swimsuit Dance
Thanks to Granny and Nanny, both of my girls have about seven swimsuits each. We keep them in the laundry room in a big
basket. Whenever the girls wanted to go swim, they would go to the laundry room to pick out a swimsuit and get dressed.
Brooke always wanted me to join her in picking out the winning swimsuit for the day. She would wade through the basket
of choices throwing all the swimsuit rejects over her head. Finally, she would make her choice. Knowing that she was
about to look weally, weally cute, a sassy little smile brightened her whole face, and she would begin to sing her
special tune…”Oh yeah-ah, oh yeah.” When she was ready, she would sing, dance, sashay, and shake her little booty all
the way to the pool. I would follow up behind her and watch all her moves. It was without a doubt the cutest thing
I have ever seen. She did this dance EVERYTIME!!!! One day as she was doing this, I tried as hard as I could to make
a lasting impression of this event in my mind and heart, and last night, it came rushing back to me. As I lay in bed
last night thinking about Brooke’s swimsuit dance, I began to smile and then laugh and then cry. Although, the memories
are sweet…and painful, I will NEVER stop thinking about them…about her. She is a part of me…forever. I love the swimsuit
dance!!!!