Our story began over 20 years ago with two sisters and a whole lot of love. My middle son, who was adopted, was starting kindergarten, and as he learned to read, I wanted books that reflected his story—something that would help him feel seen. But nothing I found felt quite right. So, as a determined mom with a graphics background, I decided to write and design one myself.

I printed it out at work (it looked pretty good, considering), and when I read it to his class, I felt this incredible sense of pride.

At the same time, my sister, Michelle, was navigating her own journey. Her son was born with a few medical challenges, and she was his fiercest protector—always finding ways to help him thrive. She was the kind of mom who made things happen in and out of school.

After I wrote A is for Adoption…, Michelle had an idea—B is for Bandages… and C is for Capable…

She had already written most of the poems before she even told me about it (classic Michelle!), and together, we polished them up. I printed them out so she could read them in her son’s class, just like I had done. She was feeling as proud in her son’s class as I had been in mine.

Then, life got busy. Work, kids, and other ventures took over, and the books were tucked away, waiting for their time.

Now, all these years later, I pulled them back out—not just to honor Michelle, but to keep her memory alive in the way she would have wanted: by sharing them.

I couldn’t find the original files (which would have made things a whole lot easier!), but thankfully, I still had the books. So, I redesigned and published them and put them out in the world where they belong.

Michelle may no longer be here, but her love, her passion, and her words live on.

And that is something truly beautiful.