SISTER ACT

I enjoyed having my sister Rebecca visit me this week. When I came home from the hospital in November following surgery for GBM brain cancer, she stayed a week and nursed me through some unpleasant medical situations. She was a blessing to me.

One afternoon on her recent visit, she treated me to cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory.

Below are old photos of us. Bubba, the sailor, proudly served the nation in the U.S. Navy on the U.S.S. Coral Sea. During his time on board, a contest was announced: the serviceman who submitted the best design for a new insignia for the ship would win a trip to Paris. Bubba designe, submitted, won the contest, and went to Paris! The U.S. S. Coral Sea carried Bubba's insignia for years, and we were so proud.

Later, Bubba was an engineer for Boeing, and his hobby was painting wildlife. He entered the Federal Duck Stamp Contest twice and placed! Had his life not been cut short, we feel he would've won. On his quest to win the Federal Duck Stamp Contest, he won the Nevada Trout Stamp Contest, and every fisherman in Nevada that year had a picture of Bubba's leaping-out-of-the-water rainbow trout.

In the family photo above, Bubba is 21, Rebecca, to the right of Bubba, is a charming 15-year-old, Terry is 7, and I'm the well-loved "oops baby" at 5. Mother is standing to the left of Bubba, and the shadow is my father taking the picture. I think Mother had us pose in that "squinting spot" to show the azaleas and moss-draped oaks.

On the left, Rebecca, Terry, and I are in a photo booth at the beach. Rebecca took us lots of places. She was the best sister. I always wanted to be just like her, from the meticulous way she folded towels to her giving, generous nature. I wanted to go to the same college she chose, meet the man of my dreams, marry, have a home, have children, and live a happy life. All of those things came true for me.

Thank You, God, for a role model in my sister. Thank You, God, for my family.