AMANDA

This is to my beautiful daughter, who has always been a sparkle in my world. The day you were born is
one of my proudest achievements, that your father and I could produce such a miracle.
You were one of the two most beautiful babies I had ever laid my eyes on, and I know I am biased but
just deal with it! As you grew you were a little handful, to a trouble maker of which you learned from
your brother what not to do.
As a teenager you became a beautiful dancer in every way shape and form. You always knew just the
right moves with very little effort, I guess I was a little jealous because I always wanted to learn to dance,
but we could never afford it.
When you went away to Connecticut so many times for formal training it hurt us so that you were so far
away that it couldn’t be an every day visit, and even though you tested the waters by being on your own
you came home even more accomplished.
When you first became pregnant with Lucian I was afraid whether you would make a good mother?
And once he was born I knew you had the touch, my only problem then was admitting to myself that I
was now a grandmother, (I’m still not convinced). He was an absolutely beautiful child with crystal blue
eyes and a head of dark hair, and although I wished you would have continued to dance, this was your
second greatest achievement, to have such a beautiful baby.
Not long after Lucian’s birth you blessed the family with a second son Cameron, but we had no idea
what this little bundle would have to endure.
Six months into your pregnancy you had gone for your ultrasound, and what should have been a
wonderful experience turned into a nightmare that no parent should have to go through.
Your son was in danger and looking at a lifetime of challenges, which continued to get scarier as the
days went on, but all we could do was wait for his delivery to see just how much he would have to
struggle through. He was born one week short of Christmas down at HUP in Philadelphia. It was a
difficult delivery, and once he was born we only got to see him for a brief moment, he was so beautiful,
and to look at him you would never had known he was a little boy in trouble.
He was immediately moved over to CHOP where he would begin a good year and a half of surgery, that
he went through as a little trooper, (I think you both went through more with each session).
He has a condition that is hard to treat and with Cameron’s other problems, it was like they were
operating on him every other day. He finally came home and this was the beginning of in home care
which you took on with such a professional hand, you just amazed us, but deep down inside we knew
you could do it. Cameron had more surgeries since then and will be having more but he has a will to
fight that amazes us all.
You are now going through nursing so you can give back some of what has been given to Cameron, and I
cannot tell you how proud your father and I are every day you are on this earth.
You are a blessing from God and I know your life will be filled with some scary times, but if you had to do
it again I know you would. So here is love to you baby girl, and I still think I am too young to be a
grandmother!

Debra Penna 2010©