“Love From The Start”

From the pen and perspective of Darlene Liepke:

When I was small, my world how it changed
with just a grandma, I took her name
she kept me with her both night and day
lived in her house, I was there to stay
our house seemed so big, I had my own bed
a beautiful table where she kept me well fed
I didn’t know about a family of three, a mom, a dad, and a little girl… me
But gramma had love for a family of ten
these things I remember from way back then
she let me be spunky, she let me be free
I wrote on the walls, she let me be me
and her friends became family, helped with their hearts
made me one person, from all their parts
I became a grownup way too fast, learned things aren’t fair, learned things don’t last
but the one thing I take with me day after day is that families are different
in so many ways, it’s a mixture of laughs and tears streaming slow
teaching you things from your greats long ago
when I tuck my children tight in bed, hug them, and kiss them on the top of their head,
I will always remember what was placed in my heart,
family is love right from the start

– Darlene Liepke