Family Memories....

Day 12

As you can imagine when my daughter, Cassandra Sue died it was a very difficult time for our family. 

My mom and Nanny wanted to do something special. Mom and Nanny made matching baby quilts. I wrapped Cassie in one and placed the other one in my hope chest with all of her other belongings.

They also bought a small evergreen tree that we planted in our front yard. It was the "Cassie Tree". When we moved from Omaha to Ames, IA we took the tree with us. She did great was growing so big!

One day, Johnathon came into the house after playing outside and had the the top of the tree in his hand. He cut the top right off....oh my! My heart just dropped. He said he was trimming the tree and he thought we could put it in some water and have it in the house. Poor boy, he meant well. Well, Cassie's growth was stunted after this. She has never grown as tall as she would have but is very bushy and makes a good story to tell now, especially since my initial shock is over-with.

When we moved from Ames, Iowa to Texas, Nanny and Buddy Boy let us plant the Cassie Tree in their yard. This is where she still grows today. Texas doesn't have this type of evergreen...it's much too hot here.

Every trip we make to Omaha we stop and peek in their backyard to see how big she is. She is quite big now. She has been growing 18 years. 

Cassie Tree

Cassie and Johnathon