Dearest Madeline,
I just returned from spending the past two days with you and Kate and your mommy and daddy. What a big girl you've gotten to be. You are so very polite. You say "yes mam" now. Sometimes you even say it when you mean "no mam". You can say the complete alphabet. You sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' and "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" and many other songs. You seemed so glad to see me and your mommy said you had been saying "Granna coming". We all went to Sunday school and church together. I watched you and Kate while your mommy and daddy worked on the fence and then went on a date. You now have a nice fenced-in backyard so that you and Kate can play outside.
Since I spent the night and slept in the room next to yours, I heard you wake up early and I rushed in to get you. I don't think your mommy was pleased as she wanted you to sleep later. I wanted to get you up so we could play before breakfast. I had planned on helping your mommy clean the house this morning, but we aborted that plan and decided to go shopping.
We went to Stein Mart to buy your mommy a new spring outfit. You were in the dressing room with her and I was holding Kate right outside the door. After she tried on a couple of things she asked if you were with me. I said "no she isn't." We started searching the store checking every where in every department. I ran to the front and asked if anyone saw you. The manager asked all of the clerks to look under all the rounders of clothes and to lock the door We were so frightened and kept calling your name. We were told not to do that. We were so frightened and wondered if someone had taken you. We prayed silently as we searched. We looked for several minutes but it seemed like an eternity. Suddenly a woman came out of he dressing room and said she heard a child and she opened a dressing room door and there you were up on a bench in the corner. Your mommy had looked under all the dressing room doors but couldn't see you up on the bench. You had gone in there and dirtied your diaper. Your mommy grabbed you and said "when we call Madeline you say mommy or granna." We were so very thankful you were safe. We both said a prayer of thanksgiving. I can't imagine life without my Madeline. I love you more dear child with every passing day!
Then Jesus told them this parable: "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says "Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep." I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. Luke 15: 3-7
