There are moments in time that will forever be etched in my heart and memory. March 10, 2019, encapsulates one of those moments. Preceded by ten days of a thousand other memories that will both comfort and haunt that particular web of time, frozen in my memory.
"She's gone", the voice said softly. I honestly cannot even remember which family member's voice was on the other line. But I can remember the feeling that enveloped the car I was in, on that dark night... the gut wrenching sob that ripped from my throat... the vacuum that sucked me into a place I had never been. My sissy was gone. I was not by her side when she breathed her last breath, but she took with her a piece of my heart. A part of me that I have difficulty living without.
Her Love is one of my earliest memories. She was ten when I was born, so she spoiled her baby sister a little.
We shared so much, in our 59 years together.
My Kindergarten and her High School shared a cafeteria - and she never failed to find me during that hour and smother me with love and kisses. She always made me feel cherished. Memories of her holding my head in her lap in church, stroking my hair and tickling my ears is a comfort memory of my childhood.
My Kindergarten and her High School shared a cafeteria - and she never failed to find me during that hour and smother me with love and kisses. She always made me feel cherished. Memories of her holding my head in her lap in church, stroking my hair and tickling my ears is a comfort memory of my childhood.
Even though she was ten years my senior, she shared her friends with me. Memories of fun car trips, silly stories and crazy jokes are tucked into my mind from the first half-dozen years of my life.
She was the best babysitter - basically gave my sister Debbie and I, the run of the house - as long as we had everything straight when mom and dad got home. She was easy going and easy to please.
I married young, and she taught me lots of things - how to decorate, and how to cook. (And man could she ever cook!)
We both loved weird snacks like fried pickles, hot pickled okra and boiled peanuts - and often shared them after church with our little families. As adults, we loved hanging out, cooking and eating, making a meal out of cornbread and buttermilk.
We shared special seasons of life together and a quirky sense of humor. We were both expecting babies at the same time and although Trent was to be her third baby; Brocc was my first, so she and Tony went with Jeff and I to birthing classes at the hospital. As the nurse explained the processes she and I were amused by her forced professional tone. When she told us they would bring the babies periodically "to be fed to their mothers"; bring babies to be fed to their mothers? No one else even flinched - but we both instantly had a visual of a naked baby on a silver platter with an apple in its mouth. We had to leave the room because we could no longer hold back the laughter.
We shared kids - when we lived close - our houses were both homes for all of our children.
We shared grandbabies. She loved mine and had a special relationship with each one of them. I adore hers, and feel like they are my own.
We shared her birthday... well after 1975 we did, when I got married on the first Friday after school let out - which just so happened to be June 7th; her birthday.
We shared our honeymoon. They were kind enough to drive us to the beach and to Carowinds; the motor in Jeff's car blew up the week before our wedding. That weekend is a whole story in itself!
She was my sissy.
She could fix a washer- dryer - toaster - sewing machine - or anything that could be taken apart!
She always had an open door and room for an “extra” to spend the night... a month... or as we saw when she rescued Tabitha- an abandoned baby girl ... a lifetime.
She was my business partner- travel companion- friend and confidante.
She should have been a professor or an interrogator...a CEO of any company! She could have been anything she wanted to be.
She was amazing. Talented. Brilliant. Charismatic.
But she chose to be the best mom, wife, sister, aunt and friend within her power.
I will always remember her gorgeous eyes- her loving my babies- and the way she loved her husband Tony.
She was proud to be a Morrison/Wilt/Nelson. She protected and covered for all of us - and would fight anyone who said we were less than perfect.
We had plans to celebrate this year. We were turning 60 and 70 years old. Happy Birthday in heaven sissy... we'll celebrate as soon as I get there.
We had plans to celebrate this year. We were turning 60 and 70 years old. Happy Birthday in heaven sissy... we'll celebrate as soon as I get there.
I love my family and if Pattie could speak to us today... she would tell us to - DRIVE FAST AND TAKE CHANCES! Love each other and love JESUS the most!
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