A SISTER'S CHRISTMAS

IMAGE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE
CATHERINE MOORE STAMPS



(Beauty at sister's house)

Jolaine and I had our annual 'Sister's Christmas' Friday.

Her home is 45 minutes Northwest of mine.

Not too far when you consider
it was 2500 miles further East when I first moved here to Arizona in 1998.

Jolaine and my nephew followed in less than two years,

and we were able to resume the
Sister's Christmas
minus our youngest sister, Jenny.

We would call Jenny back in Connecticut, but that only reinforced the missing for all of us..a combination of her physical absence
and the knowing of her disturbingly, difficult life.

Jolaine decorates her home beautifully and when I tell her this she laughs..

and tells me she learned from me.
(insert tiny chuckle from me...because..)

Truth is, she was born with the ability and I have loooong sense put decorating on the back burner.

I live a very bohemian life these last several year.
But I am touched my little sister believes I have the ability.

That's the thing when you are the oldest sister.
Everything you do seems wonderful to the little ones..

I am a fortunate soul to have had that honor all these years.

Jolaine's tree every year is GORGEOUS!!... and always dons the special ornaments collected and given
over the years.

(one of two resident cats - Siggy)

We have shared many a Christmas together
(and I have stories to tell)

When I began to collect Margret Furlong Angels many, many (holy moly MANY!) years ago,
I believe it was my gift to Jolaine that, then, began her obsession as well.

We gave them to each other every year, always the new editions... often filling in with ones we had missed years past.
( we each kept a list and referred to it yearly)

Our sister, Jenny, did not share our love the the angels, calling them 'Dough Balls'........yup, that's what she called them
with that unique giggle of hers...

but she loved giving them to Jolaine and I, regardless,
no doubt with monies she somehow accumulated and hid
through the year away from angry, cruel eyes.

Each Sister's Christmas was sure to include several exchanged 'Dough Balls', and Jolaine and I would give Jenny a Precious Moments ornament or something similar that she loved.

Laughter was always part of the mix
as she teased us about the obsession with these angels.

This year there are no 'Dough Balls' to exchange.

And there is no little sister to tease us about them.

But I believe she was with us as we exchanged special gifts this year.


My gift to Jolaine was this very special print from Kelly Rae.

~One entitled: Heart by Heart~


(along with an original piece of mine ~ LOVE ~ that was my Christmas postcard this year)


When I first saw it on her blog my heart skipped a beat and I knew I had to purchase it.

It looked to be three sisters and the little one had the butterfly that

Jenny identified with.

The beautiful symbol that will forever remind me/us of her.

Darling Kelly Rae gifted ME with a print that I will soon hang here in my nest.............

and Jolaine, who cried when she opened HER piece, had me help her hang it before I left.

I told Jolaine the story as she opened it.

I told her about Kelly Rae and her art, about her beautiful soul
and her incredible talent
.......about the print, itself.......and that I had renamed it for us.

I call it:

ONCE THERE WERE THREE

Merry Christmas

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

(((hugs))) and Merry Christmas! Thank you for the postcard you sent - it's beautiful!

Sharon Tomlinson said...

A beautiful post. Your sister's tree is so very pretty.
And the Kelly Rae print was one of my favorites too.

Rosa said...

What a precious gift. It is absolutely lovely. I know JW looks down on your and is still teasing you. You two are fortunate to have each other. Merry Christmas.

Lori said...

Merry Christmas Rella.

kecia deveney said...

it is beautiful - i love the name you gave it. a sweet gift for you both. merry christmas!
kecia

Sherry said...

Oh don't you just love Kelly Rae?