When I asked her why she was up in her room all the time (which is very rare) she said that she wanted to do something nice for Sierra to remind her of home, and to remember her by while she was away. Writing stories, and letters is Lexie's forte. Not many people are into handwriting letters today, and knowing that she did this sure made me smile. She faithfully writes in her journal as well as writing letters to friends and family. I sense how writing makes her feel, and she was going to town with the letters she was preparing for Sierra.
The times we spoke to Sierra over the phone while she was in Utah Lexie would say, "Please don't forget to open a letter a day until you come home." Sierra loves her letters, and of course said that she was definitely reading one a day, and really appreciated the time and effort that she put into it.
When Sierra came home to talk about the letters she said to Lexie that she certainly has a gift of writing. She told her how her letters were so animated, funny, and inspirational. In some of the letters she drew a crossword puzzle for Sierra to work on. Since Sierra has a penchant for history Lexie drew different continents on the first letter so she could play "guess what continent this is" for her to do on the plane. She also jotted down a lot of Harry Potter jokes. She especially loved the letter in which she wrote this riddle for Sierra to solve:
First think of the person who lives in disquise who deals in secrets and tell naught but lies.
Next tell me whats always the last thing to mend the middle, and the end of the end.
And finally give me the sound often heard during the search for a hard to find word.
Now string them together and answer me this...which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?
Did you solve it yet?
As I was reading some of the letters they reminded me of the way Amelia writes in these books. I have always loved Amelia's books, and no matter what age our girls are they find her stories hilarious. Heck I read them and I love Amelia! That is how I find Lexie's handwritten letters...cute, funny, and amazingly bold!
One of my personal favorites is the one in which she tells Sierra that she isn't doing these letters just to complete a value in her personal progress:
Dear Sierra, July 16, 2012
I just want you to know that I am not doing this so that I can complete my personal progress and get it done with, but because I love you. I want to show you how much you mean to me. You can tell I hardly use these markers.
Love,
Lexie
Apparently Lexie drew pictures in the last six letters using colored pencils, markers, and even added stickers.
When I read the final letter I felt so much appreciation for Lexie in all the writing that she did by hand. I could tell that she put a lot of thought into the things she was writing and how honest she was with her writing. It put a huge smile on my face, and reading all those letters made me feel good knowing that they were written with love, and in good taste. This is what her final letter read:
Dear SIERRA, July 18, 2012
So this is the last letter. It is gonna feel weird knowing that no more letters coming your way. I really hope that you have liked what I have written for you. I hope that they have made your days feel better whenever you have read them. Anyway I hope that you have liked them a lot. I love you very much and I look forward to seeing you when you come home.
Heart, Heart,
Lexie
P.S. You can now throw away all the stickers that were attached to your letters!
I was smiling, laughing, nodding, and chuckling while I read those ten those ten letters, and I am so grateful that Lexie has the talent, but mostly the motivation to write. I know that I have taught her well, and who knows...maybe one day she will compile all of her notes, thoughts, quotes, & letters written to various people, siblings, & parents into Alexandra's Letters.
That would be nice. Very nice!
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