Beloved Sister

To my beloved Sister,

I know we had our differences these past few years and didn't have much to say to one another, but I am going to really miss you.

There are events in my life, I had planned on sharing with you; for one, my upcoming wedding next summer, the possibility of having children & sharing those moments with you, the Bluegrass festival, Christmas, and especially our arrival day. I know Mom & Dad are really going to miss you this winter, as am I. It's going to be more difficult than I can image, however we're going to know that you are with us in spirit and in our hearts.

You left us too early, 29 years old, you still had a lot more life experiences and living to do. I was thinking this morning about how you could remember what meal with had at previous Christmas dinners/family dinners we had when we were both in college and growing up. You were the one we came to when we couldn't remember if we had home-made chicken noodle soup or roast chicken with parsley. You never hesitated with the answer because you had a mind like a steel trap when it came to Mom's cooking.

Remember all of those card games we played growing up? Slap Jack was one which we would play also War. Do you remember the time we decided to use two decks instead of one. That was the never ending War game. When we got Phase 10, I remember playing it in the basement of our new house with friends and we both kept getting stuck on phase 6. Playing euchre on family vacations is one of my fond memories of the two of us.

During our youth, we went to the summer baseball camps held at the Kernels stadium. I cannot remember if we both had wanted to go, but I remember how enthusiastic you were on the field, to learn from your idols. You knew their stats by heart. I always found it weird because we were the only two girls in a camp full of boys. You were on top of your game and could catch better than most of them. I know that we'll always share that moment together.

After we'd been in the new house for several years, do you remember when we would call out, "We want a pitcher, not a belly itcher!" from my bedroom window to the neighbor boys? Then after we'd yell that phrase, we would duck below the window sill. Somehow they always knew it was us. Weird, huh? 

When you were in college and came home during the summers, I remember you letting me play Roller Coaster Tycoon on your computer. I remember playing that game and staying up late. Sometimes you stayed up with me and when you got tired you would go to bed and I would continue until I got sleepy. When I was afraid of loud thunder storms, you would let me sleep in your room, so I could get some sleep. You were a wonderful older sister growing up.

It's raining now and I'm hoping that the sun comes out tomorrow when we say our final good bye. I know that it's not "good bye", but rather a "see you later". I know Judy, Rosie, Tom A, Grandpa and Grandmas will see you on the other side and help you adjust. As all of your family and friends here will be help us get through this.

With all of my love,
Your younger sister