Saying So-Long

Moving across the country is going to be difficult on several levels, some apparent while others remain unforseen. I'm trying my best to brace myself for potential trials ahead, but I do not think any amount of emotional provision will prepare me for the day that me and my girls have to say good-bye to my little sister, Susan.

She is like a second mother to my girls. They love her and for good reason: she loves them as if they were her own.

Once, I called Susan last minute to my house to watch Gwen and Lily. She had not been feeling well that morning but came over anyway. Knowing that she didn't have much energy to spare, I made sure she knew that I was totally cool with the girls eating snacks and watching TV the entire time I was gone. They just needed a warm body. After my appointment, I came home and walked in to see Susan up and colouring dozens of little paper butterflies with the girls. Apparently they had been playing a pretend game of butterfly catching that led them to crafting their own. Gwen and Lily were so happy, I could tell Susan had been playing with them the entire time I was gone.

Susan and her husband Abraham moved just two blocks from our house last summer, and we love having them so close. We have supper together often, call each other when we are missing an ingredient (however, 90% of the time I'm the one running over  sending Tanner to get an egg or something), have movie nights, carpool to church, go to the park or zoo. What will I do without them?

When I told Susan that Tanner was applying again to Dalhousie, she jokingly said that she would be praying that he wouldn't be accepted. We had a good laugh about it, but when I told her the news of his acceptance, I could tell she was both totally happy for us and saddened at the same time. I felt much the same way.

I love my sister and I'm going to miss her when we leave.

So much.