What is your name : Margaret Evans

Who do you want the poem written for: My sister Ann (Dekreij) but it is also from my sister Tanya and my Parents to their daughter.

Why do you want the poem written: As a 40th Birthday gift for my Sister Ann from the whole family. Ann lives in Canada now and the rest of the immediate family live in Australia. We don't often exchange gifts and our correspondence is generally restricted to the occassional email, which usually comes around someones birthday, or the holidays. But we wanted to do something special because she is special.

What are the key messages you would like to send: That family is important and even though we are separated by a great distance, that we love her, that she is important to us, that we think of her often. That life is a happy state to be in and that having family and good friends around is a great blessing. That even though there is a long distance we are only a phone call or email away. The world is a small place (even though it can take 40+ hours to fly to visit)

Do you have any funny, sad, happy, embarrassing or otherwise memorable moments that you would like to share: Ann has always had a love of travel and has ended up living thousands of miles away from where she began. Ann was born on 5th May 1965 in the Netherlands (Holland) and with her family (Mum - Maria, Dad - Pieter, Sisters - Margaret & Tanya) moved to Sydney, Australia in 1971. From there the family moved across the country and after a few stops along the way ended up in Adelaide, South Australia. Ann then moved to Perth for work and lived in a great suburb called Peppermint Grove (it just sounds delicious doesn't it!)and worked for a diamond company. We always knew she sparkled.. After changing jobs a few times Ann moved to Canada and even though it was tough going at first she has stuck it out and remained. Now she is married to a great guy called Bob and they have a beautiful daughter Tylee who turned 5 this year. Ann also now is blessed with having Bob's two sons as part of her family, Jake and Ben, whom she loves with all her heart.
Ann has travelled to New Zealand, Japan, Holland several times . When her Oma (grandmother) was dying Ann flew from Canada to Holland to say goodbye. Unfortunately Oma died whilst Ann was in transit but it shows what a great heart Ann has. Ann is competitive but charitable, listens but has strong opinions.

Do you have any other comments or thoughts: Being of Dutch descent Ann is known for being stubborn at times (a trait that runs in our family!) but with the stubborness comes a true love of life, of good times and fun, and a devotion to her family as well as a great if sometimes quirky sense of humour. We all love good food, sometimes a bit too much, and some food Ann loves is not available in Canada so everytime Mum flies over for a visit the bag has to be packed with goodies.

What style of poem would you prefer (happy, sad, romantic etc.): happy. due to the distance, and the years that the family has been spread over the world, we each have got on with our lives and started families of our own but a happy capture of her life would be good.

Please choose which package you would prefer : Deluxe

Would you like a copy of the handwritten drafts: Yes

Do you have any last comments or thoughts: Could we please have the poem signed, or finished off, with the following:"All our love, Mum & Dad; Margaret, Mark, Darcy & Oscar; Tanya & Richard"If this is too long modify it if you can, as long as it is clear that the entire family is sending the gift.Ann's birthday is 5th of May but I would like the actual poem by 22nd April if I can so that we can add a few things in the box and send back to Canada (seems a long way around but that's the way it goes in an international world)

41st Year

Hello, our wonderful Ann, these words are just for you, because we?re proud of who you are, and we?re very proud of what you do. And we just wanted to say ?we love you?, but in truth, we didn?t know where to start, so we thought we?d share a few feelings, and give you some words, straight from the heart. Firstly, we?d like to begin by looking skywards, and thanking those in the heavens above, because we know we?ve been blessed to have shared you, we know we?ve been blessed with your love. Now, we don?t often manage to exchange gifts, and correspondence is generally the occasional e-mail, but we wanted to do something special, because you?re special, and mere mortal words, would undoubtedly fail. I hope that you know that it?s only distance that separates us, so just know that we?re always thinking of your smiling face, and even though it can take 40 hours to make a visit, this world is still such a beautiful (and very small) place. Because we?re only a telephone call or e-mail away, and at other times, you?re in our every thought, but it?s like we?ve got this world wide network, and I know we can all count on the other?s support. But we guess you?ve always loved to travel, and you?ve ended up a million miles from where you began, but I think Holland is just too flat, too ?tulipee?, Holland was never part of our long term plan. Because we moved to Sydney (and then to Adelaide), but then you moved across to the other side of the ?street?, and you ended up in diamonds, in Perth, in Peppermint Grove, (we always knew you sparkled and were kinda sweet!) But the mountains (or Mounties) of Canada were calling, and when the going got tough, the tough got going, and now you?re married to a truly great guy, and your love for each other has done a lot of growing. And now there?s Tylee, Jake and Ben, and you love them all as if they?re your very own, and we know that they too love you right back, they?re very grateful for all the love that you?ve shown. With New Zealand, Japan, Holland and Canada, well, we reckon you?ve covered the four corners of the Earth, but you?ve covered that World with your wonderful kindness, yes, Ann, we know your true and honest worth. You flew from Canada to Holland to say goodbye, but disappointingly, Oma just couldn?t wait, but that action showed what a great heart you have, or maybe you?re just Dutch, quite stubborn (a family trait). But with that stubbornness comes a true love of life, a love of the good times, fun and your family, and you also have a great, if sometimes quirky sense of humor, but no matter, you?ve made our worlds a great place to be. But truly, you?re competitive and charitable, you have strong opinions but you give a good listening ear, and now there?s a cause for celebrations, because Ann, you?re now in your 41st year! Look, I know we all love good food (a little too much), and sadly, Mom?s not due for a visit real soon, so in the meantime, please chew on these words, because you know we can?t say and send you any Coon. But in the meantime, just know that you?re truly loved, actually, we?ve never really said just how wonderful you are, because if our love for you were a distance, then it would be further than the furthest star. And we all wanted to say ?Happy 41st Year?, we guess that?s really what these words are for, here?s to you, Ann, you?re truly wonderful, and here?s to our everlasting love, for evermore.

Copyright www.agiftofpoetry.co.uk 2008

Allen Jesson

Comments:

We are all really excited about what Ann will think and I think she will be very happy.