Christmas Memories

Yep - that's me right side of picture.

I'm the middle daugther, but we won't go there in this post.

I have so many memories of my sisters.  We are normal ...  we remind each other of shared events.  The two younger were in our oldest sister's wedding 45 years ago, and both of them were in mine, 43 years ago.  I'm telling you we were close.

We had girlfriends who were sisters (4 of them) and all but one was deaf.  We all 3 learned sign language and the 7 of us ran together middle school and early high school, and drove people crazy with our antics.

We dated and argued over some of the same guys.  I had gym class in Junior High with my younger sister's husband - we had to do ballroom dancing in gym with each other, clueless he'd be my brother-in-law one day.  So many memories fresh on my mind this holiday.  My older sister met her husband on her first job out of High School, she was hired to be his secretary, but soon was dating him, and 6 months later planning a wedding.  He died a few days after their 43rd wedding anniversary.  That was 2 years ago.

Now my younger sister and I are headed to a wedding.  She has fallen in love with a wonderful widower who has proposed.  My husband will preach the ceremony and we'll pray for a wonderful life together.  Both bride and groom have walked in grief for more than the 2 years, as they both lost spouses to cancer, long sad illnesses. They talk about their future, knowing they each have a loved one from their recent past in mind at all times.  It's wonderful to know they laugh together, share fond memories, cry together and share scriptures for strength.

I'm gaining a brother-in-law, a married nephew with 3 children, and a married niece.  In a few short days our family grows by 8 people and I cannot wait to meet them. 

She is in the middle in this picture, she is in 2nd grade walking me, 1st grade and our baby sister, Kindergarten, to school, the first day, September '54.  Now we will symbolically stand on either side of her as she walks this new road, a widow, marrying a widower ... but never forgetting the 43 years with her hubby, or their children and grandchildren.