From the time we found out about Laurie's heart condition, we knew that she wouldn't be able to live a long full life, that she would be restricted physically from doing all the things other kids did as they grew up - running around, hopping, skipping, jumping, all the fun stuff. But from the very beginning she became accustomed to doing things in the house, playing with her dolls, My Little Ponies, Barbie Dolls, Rainbow Brite and other things, and she loved to read. She had read all of the Sweet Valley Twin and Sweet Valley High books up till she died. She has hundreds of books that she has read still in her room. I can't manage to part with them. We devoted our lives to being with her, never leaving her with sitters, only with our parents when we worked. We did everything together. She learned to love the indoors and as she grew older loved to listen to tapes, and watch MTV. We seemed to have the same taste in music. I would even watch MTV without her and tape the videos I knew she would want.
Her very first favorite group was The Monkees, and when they started showing the reruns she taped all 58 of them. I remember watching her as she laughed as she watched the shows. I loved them too. We managed to take her to see them at Astroworld twice, and they were fantastic both times, even without Mike.
Her next favorite show was The Young Riders. She watched them and taped all of their shows. She was heartbroken when they were taken off, but she at least had the tapes to watch. Her favorite was Stephen Baldwin. But we did manage to meet Brett Cullen, the marshall, at a cystic fibrosis fund raiser in Houston in 1990. He was so kind when we met him. He acted just like a regular person.
Then she began to watch the reruns of Scarecrow and Mrs. King. She joined Bruce Boxleitner's fan club and ordered some of his things, a shirt, pictures, etc. She also got a chance to meet him at the cystic fibrosis fund raiser. Her face was all aglow when she finally got to meet him. It was quite an experience for all of us.
NELSON was her next favorite singing group. All the walls in her bedroom are covered with their posters and pictures. And of course she bought all of the magazines that came out with them in it. When we found out they were coming to Houston she just about couldn't hold in her excitement. We took her to see them and they were great. I can still remember the look on her face when they came out on the stage. What a memory!
She has so many cassettes and CDs in her room. She really loved a lot of the groups. Her favorite music video at the time of her death was "November Rain" by GunsNRoses. I remember the night they first aired the video. We had the video recorder all set and ready to record it when it came on. I haven't been able to watch it since she died. I don't know, it just doesn't seem the same without her. |
