Sisters Forever!

Growing up as an only , lonely child, I used to dream about having brothers and sisters, especially sisters. Who knew years later, I would find my siblings, and I would have three sisters, and four brothers. God knew, and He gave them back to me. That has given me many hours of imagining what growing up with them would have been like. Brothers to protect the little sisters, brothers to pull the red wagon for you to ride in. Brothers to share a piece of candy, and brothers to pick you up, when you fall down. My brothers were raised to be kind, caring, and protective. In the short 14 years I have been in my family, they are and were there for me with advice, from Brother Bill, prayers from Brother Mac, and laughs from Brother Mike. Brother Frank passed away just as I came into the family, but he too would have been a good big brother!

Sisters! Oh how fun to have sisters. Sisters to share secrets, sisters to play with dolls, sisters to have a tea party. I was told that my sisters Carol and Virginia saved baby sitting money, and when I was born bought a pink sweater and matching hat for me. When I didn't come home with our Mom, they waited and waited. Finally, they used the sweater and hat for their dolls. Time faded the memory of Mom having their little sister, but when we were reunited through God's plan, it was like I had never been gone. Since then we have shared many conversations, illnesses, family loss, and many prayers for each other. The one thing we never got was a tea party.....until a few years ago.

My sister Carol and her husband Jim were celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary. Their children went together and paid for John and I to fly to California, to meet for the first time, and so John could renew their vows. My sister Virginia couldn't be there, but sister Dottie also from California was. What a joy that trip was for sisters reunited! The day after the Anniversary celebration, a niece who lived across the street from sister Carol, formally invited we sisters to a Victorian Tea Party. Amid candles, lace, antiques, and china tea cups, we had a dress up tea party that would have delighted any little girl. We had feathered hats, shawls, boas, and all sorts of goodies. We laughed, reminisced and called our sister in Omaha. We looked at family pictures, and I learned about a family I was denied. God knew I would bless my adopted family, and I would learn and grow into who He designed me to be, but He also knew He was adding me back to the family that had no choice but to let me go in 1943.

Since then, brother Bill went to be with Jesus, brother Mike has been ill, brother Mac has finally retired, and sisters Ginny and Carol have had strokes, and illnesses. We are very much connected through phone, and even if

we don't talk or get together often, we are surrounded by children, nieces, nephews, and more love than I could ever imagine. We pray for each other, we love each other, and we still learn new things about each other all the time. Our Mom did not get to be a part of our reunion, but before she died, she told our Brother Frank, "Find her, whatever you do, find her." He couldn't but God could. One more thing she told Sister Carol, "I want all my children home." We are Mom, even miles apart, we are home, and the sisters had their tea party!