It's 2 in the afternoon and I am FINALLY sitting down to write my thoughts about my sister Lisa. First of all...happy BIRTHDAY!!! I love you, I love you, I love you. I've been thinking for days about what I wanted to write. How I could explain just how much I love you. We'll see if I can do it. :)
Lisa is my parents oldest...the firstborn in the wilderness, as they like to call her. She is the older sister to 7 siblings, the mom to 4 beautiful children. Obviously I don't have memories of Lisa as a kid, since it wasn't until she was 13 that I was born. I CAN remember thinking she was amazingly beautiful. Her beautiful eyes, her feathery hair, her pretty hands (my dad says she has the most beautiful hands in the world). I start having vivid memories of her once I was a pre-teen. She and her husband Tony have lived all over the place (military), sometimes so far away that we wouldn't get to see them for a long time. I did get to go with my dad to visit them in Maine. That was such a special trip. FREEZING cold, but so special. Once they moved their cute little family back to Delaware, I was in heaven. I was in love with her children, each one...David, Valerie, Christina, and Adam.
I can remember many afternoons and evenings at Fox Hall where they lived. I would babysit, hang out. I don't really know what I was doing over there all the time, but I loved it. As a teenager, I would observe my sister. My sister as a mother of 4. I would watch her do craft projects with her kids. I would watch her love them. Laugh with them. It was then, that I knew the exact type of mother I wanted to be. I wanted to be exactly like Lisa. She was present with her kids, available to them. She loved/loves them immensely. I took it all in when I was around them. All of it. I hope that I emmulate her now, even if just a little.
Oddly enough, with our age difference (she IS quite old), she is one of my very dearest friends. If I'm sad, I can call Lisa. If I need help with a primary lesson. If I am excited. If I'm bored. When we talk, we laugh. Lisa laughs a LOT. It's therapeutic for me to howl with her on the phone. We're obnoxious actually. Very silly, but I love it. She makes me happy. She has dealt with trials in her life in a beautiful, graceful way. When she gives me advice or council, I listen. She loves the Lord and she loves me, and quite often, she can say just the VERY thing that I need to hear.
Lisa and I don't argue. Well, we didn't until a few years ago. We have had a few spats since I've become more fiesty in my old age. What I treasure about our relationship though is forgiveness. She is quick to forgive me, to love me and laugh with me again.
See what I mean...laughing all the time. This is at the Hill Cumorah Pageant with her daughter Christy. Is she a knockout as a Nephite crowd member, or WHAT?
She is my beach buddy...and she loves me so much that she will let it slide that I put this smoking picture of her on here. :) I have so many memories of Lisa at the beach. Some of my sisters like to lay out, soak up rays all day. Not Lisa and not me. We need to be wet, cool, in the water. We have spent hours floating in the water together, laughing, hiding from jellyfish and seagulls, balancing our jiggly bodies on one semi-inflated raft, all while she plugs her left ear (or is it right?) to keep the water out of her busted eardrum. She is a beauty at the beach...especially the hair! I will just leave it at that.
This is Lisa with her 2 girls Val and Christy. She is going to be a grandma soon. August to be exact. Lisa. A grandma. SO wierd to me, but she will be so amazing.
I know...our hair is pretty fantastic in this last one, but I don't care. I love it anyway. Lisa, I just need you to know how much I love you. How much I crave being around you. I can remember Christmases when I was younger, just praying that you and Tony would not have to leave to get the kids home to bed. Games aren't the same without you. Funny conversations aren't the same. I think that I am partly who I am because of you. You are gentle, faithful, loyal, tender, kind. You are like sunshine to people. You make people feel important, like they are the MOST important. You make me feel that way. I love you so much. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
It's 2 in the afternoon and I am FINALLY sitting down to write my thoughts about my sister Lisa. First of all...happy BIRTHDAY!!! I love you, I love you, I love you. I've been thinking for days about what I wanted to write. How I could explain just how much I love you. We'll see if I can do it. :)
Lisa is my parents oldest...the firstborn in the wilderness, as they like to call her. She is the older sister to 7 siblings, the mom to 4 beautiful children. Obviously I don't have memories of Lisa as a kid, since it wasn't until she was 13 that I was born. I CAN remember thinking she was amazingly beautiful. Her beautiful eyes, her feathery hair, her pretty hands (my dad says she has the most beautiful hands in the world). I start having vivid memories of her once I was a pre-teen. She and her husband Tony have lived all over the place (military), sometimes so far away that we wouldn't get to see them for a long time. I did get to go with my dad to visit them in Maine. That was such a special trip. FREEZING cold, but so special. Once they moved their cute little family back to Delaware, I was in heaven. I was in love with her children, each one...David, Valerie, Christina, and Adam.
I can remember many afternoons and evenings at Fox Hall where they lived. I would babysit, hang out. I don't really know what I was doing over there all the time, but I loved it. As a teenager, I would observe my sister. My sister as a mother of 4. I would watch her do craft projects with her kids. I would watch her love them. Laugh with them. It was then, that I knew the exact type of mother I wanted to be. I wanted to be exactly like Lisa. She was present with her kids, available to them. She loved/loves them immensely. I took it all in when I was around them. All of it. I hope that I emmulate her now, even if just a little.
Oddly enough, with our age difference (she IS quite old), she is one of my very dearest friends. If I'm sad, I can call Lisa. If I need help with a primary lesson. If I am excited. If I'm bored. When we talk, we laugh. Lisa laughs a LOT. It's therapeutic for me to howl with her on the phone. We're obnoxious actually. Very silly, but I love it. She makes me happy. She has dealt with trials in her life in a beautiful, graceful way. When she gives me advice or council, I listen. She loves the Lord and she loves me, and quite often, she can say just the VERY thing that I need to hear.
Lisa and I don't argue. Well, we didn't until a few years ago. We have had a few spats since I've become more fiesty in my old age. What I treasure about our relationship though is forgiveness. She is quick to forgive me, to love me and laugh with me again.
See what I mean...laughing all the time. This is at the Hill Cumorah Pageant with her daughter Christy. Is she a knockout as a Nephite crowd member, or WHAT?
She is my beach buddy...and she loves me so much that she will let it slide that I put this smoking picture of her on here. :) I have so many memories of Lisa at the beach. Some of my sisters like to lay out, soak up rays all day. Not Lisa and not me. We need to be wet, cool, in the water. We have spent hours floating in the water together, laughing, hiding from jellyfish and seagulls, balancing our jiggly bodies on one semi-inflated raft, all while she plugs her left ear (or is it right?) to keep the water out of her busted eardrum. She is a beauty at the beach...especially the hair! I will just leave it at that.
This is Lisa with her 2 girls Val and Christy. She is going to be a grandma soon. August to be exact. Lisa. A grandma. SO wierd to me, but she will be so amazing. 
I know...our hair is pretty fantastic in this last one, but I don't care. I love it anyway. Lisa, I just need you to know how much I love you. How much I crave being around you. I can remember Christmases when I was younger, just praying that you and Tony would not have to leave to get the kids home to bed. Games aren't the same without you. Funny conversations aren't the same. I think that I am partly who I am because of you. You are gentle, faithful, loyal, tender, kind. You are like sunshine to people. You make people feel important, like they are the MOST important. You make me feel that way. I love you so much. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 
7 comments:
Well, this was the frosting on an already pretty wonderful day!! Thank you Amy. Don't know if I deserve all of the sweet things you said, but thanks. It's a gorgeous day, I have a delicious birthday cookie and had a yummy double fudge cake from friends at school and Survivor is on tonight....Can it possibly get any better???? Love you so much.
Well, this was the frosting on an already pretty wonderful day!! Thank you Amy. Don't know if I deserve all of the sweet things you said, but thanks. It's a gorgeous day, I have a delicious birthday cookie and had a yummy double fudge cake from friends at school and Survivor is on tonight....Can it possibly get any better???? Love you so much.
Okya, why oh why did it post twice??? Computer talent, nope.
This blog is so perfect. I wish I could say the things that are in my heart like you do,Amy.I absolutely love the pictures !! They are so "Lisa".Thank you,thank you for doing this for every member of our wonderful family.
You couldn't have possibly said this any more perfect Amy. Lisa to me, is the epitome of what a big sister is all about. You worded it so perfectly in that she has handled all of life's throws so gracefully. I admire how much you look up to her Amy, I do too. Love you Lisa.
If this isn't sweet sisterhood, I don't know what is. I love you both oodles and oodles. I miss you so much. And, Amy, YOU are unreal with words! What a tribute to your "elderly" sister.
Aunt Jane
Lisa is simply the best! Lisa, I can't comment on your blog because you don't post! But I'll comment here and thank you for your leading example to all of the grandchildren of Inez and Joel. Happy Belated Birthday! Amy, thanks for the pictures. I loved seeing grandmother and I loved all the pictures of Lisa. I hope we can all get together soon!
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