My dear sister Karrie recently celebrated a birthday. Karrie has always been my emotional soul sister, while Tammie and Marsha both are sensitive and compassionate people Karrie and I are kind of bawl babies. But I mean that in the sweetest, kindest way. And I am thankful to have a soul mate in the bawling department.
Karrie has always, without a fault been the most loyal and kind person you could ever want in your life. When we were little she would humor me and play barbies with me even though everyone else thought they were for "babies". Our mom's dog, Rusty (RIP), whilst he was a pup decided that Barbie doll feet looked like quite the tasty treat so he chewed them off. Off all of our Barbies feet. All of them. Awesome. So, in the creative manner that we only knew how because we sure were not getting NEW Barbies because of this foot chewing fiasco came up with Malaria Barbie. Mind you, we were like 5 and 11 years old so we didn't really know what the side effects of malaria were but we knew it sounded "exotic" so that's what Barbie got. Malaria. That made her feet fall off.
Another great story about Karrie that shows her compassion, we used to rescue the poor birds that would get trapped in the barn then run themselves into the windows so many times they couldn't fly. We'd take them back to our "office" aka the playhouse and try to nurse them back to health...until...pause for dramatic effect...Marsha would come and get the birds from their sanctuary and feed them to her cat Tiger Eyes. Can you believe it? Oh, we would get SO mad at her.
Later on in my teen years, Karrie was one of the first people I would turn to about issues of being a girl, boy troubles and general teenage craziness. We also had a huge affection for ridiculously cheesy movies and would giggle and get all crazy about the plot lines (or in actuality the lack there of). Even after Karrie moved out of mom and dad's house she would come and rescue me to go on really silly adventures, I would go into detail but I don't think anyone else would really "get" it and I'm okay with that. We would drive around for hours singing at the top of our lungs Alanis Morrissette (which I would draw out the One Hand in my Pocket song on her dusty dashboard of her Grand Prix, Prixie), Joan Osborne and My Sherona eating more Tootsie Roll candies than one should consume in a lifetime much less a car ride. We would drive to Wausau to bum around just because we could. We spent time together just enjoying where we were in life, enjoying being friends and sisters.
(Here comes the water works for me at least) I think that when we lost mom each of us took things differently and had our own ways of coping with things. I really admire how Karrie handled herself with everything, she had her family that needed her, Rachel was just a little over 1 and she was a few months pregnant with Ryan; but I can clearly remember feeling her grief, sharing that feeling of being really scared of what losing mom meant. Before Mom got sick and our family got really serious Marsha and I would always pick on Karrie saying that she was Mom's favorite (which I now know couldn't have possibly been true because obviously it was me - TOTALLY kidding - Mom always did a great job of making us all feel very special when we needed it most) but I think the vibe we were picking up on at that time is that they had a connection, a bond that at that time that really needed to be nurtured. Maybe that was Mom's intuition of making sure all of her children had their ducks in a row. Mom had a phenomenal ability to really listen to our stories of anger, hope, love and give such great constructive advice. She would listen like she had all the time in the world and that at that moment you were the center of her universe. I've spoken with Karrie about this before and now that we are both parents I think we both value that so very much and hope that we can replicate that relationship with our own kids.
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| Karrie with her sweet baby boy Carter |
After Karrie got married and had Rachel and Ryan we would take road trips to go stay at Marsha and Kris's house in Fall Creek and have great chats about live, love, losing mom, trying to figure out how to be a grown ups. We would stay up late with Marsha and Kris playing endless games of Cranium, laughing until our sides hurt. I spent a lot of time with Karrie and her kiddos when Ryan was a little baby, I think because it was a comfort to be around her because there are a lot of things about her that remind me of mom. I would spend hours upon hours rocking, cradling, loving her babies. Wishing and hoping and praying that one day Ryan and I would finally get one of our own for me to love like Karrie loves her kids. And when that day finally happened, I could literally feel the joy that she had for us, as if it were a tangible living thing. My emotional soul sister really understood what it felt like and meant to me to finally have everything I had ever wanted.
While Karrie has not had the easiest of paths, she had always undertaken her obstacles and challenges with a ferociousness and spunk that I don't know of many (if any) other people would. She works tirelessly at her job in order to have precious time with her family in the off season. She works hard and plays hard and loves with every bit of her being.
Karrie, I hope you aren't too embarrassed by any of the dorky stories shared, I just wanted to let you know how much I truly appreciate you always embracing me for my goofy side, for encouraging me when I needed it, for crying with me and teaching me how to be strong and vulnerable in the same breath. Mom would be very proud of you Karrie, you are a beautiful, strong woman that puts her family first above all and loves with all that she has. I am so blessed to have you in my life, although I know we don't get as many opportunities to spend time together like we used to know that you are important and amazing and loved.
Happy Birthday Kate.
Love,
Mindy Jo
Oh Mindabelle! You sure know how to put into words all the things I don't! Thank you for always being there for me and understanding my feelings. I love you sooooo much!~
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