The Hardest Goodbye

When we moved, I said goodbye to many great friends and a lot of family members:  brothers Chuck and Tip and families, nephew Chris and family, stepmother Dawn, stepbrother Jeff and family, stepsister Joan and family, the Potter cousins, more cousins, more family, and our kids Erin, Ben, and Andy.  Difficult to say goodbye to each of them, in different ways. 

But here is my sister, Susan.  Susan is the oldest of us four Speier kids, I'm the youngest, and of course there's a running commentary about how hard it is for the oldest child and how spoiled the youngest is. 

The truth is, Susan really did do a lot as we were growing up.  Because our mom was a single mom, many responsibilities fell to Susan.  She babysat us, did a lot of the chores, witnessed the most family upheaval.  She made sure our mom received Mother's Day gifts, and sewed Barbie doll clothes for me.  

Susan has a great sense of humor, is an artist, loves country music and dancing, helps me with the Sunday crossword puzzle, loves her two grandchildren like crazy, she makes the world's best spaghetti and the world's best chocolate-chip cookies, and is a cancer survivor.

Now she's facing another illness that has limited her activities, won't be able to visit Jamaica, and saying goodbye to her was heart-wrenching.  I love and miss her, I'm grateful for her, and I'm praying for God's gracious, miraculous intervention and healing in her life.