One Year Later, You are Still Right Here with Us Sister

 The joy on my sister's face is how I will always remember her. Joy being with her Allen, being around family, and the joy she just lived. Teri was content being at home with her man, cooking the feasts she fed her family, or spending her Sunday afternoons perfecting her natural fingernails. Teri's favorite places were home, Oak Creek and Laughlin. Like our Dad, she loved the slot machines and always found an excuse to put a few nickels in. The memories we share at Oak Creek go back to when we were kids. It is where she and Allen fell in love. Where Mom worried that high school Allen never seemed to use the bathroom. Yes, she did keep track of weird things but Allen loved her anyway. Where our families have grown and now they share it with their families. Home is where Teri and Allen were together and perfectly happy to just be together. Their daily routines were a comfort and so familiar. When Covid hit they didn't change a lot of their routines. Except for keeping family visits to outside on the porch. The two of them hunkered in and Teri reached out to her family to make sure we were being safe. 

She prayed. Teri called to let me know she was praying for me. Whether it was our Saturday morning coffee phone call chats or her like clockwork every two hour calls to check in when I was on a roadtrip, her calls let me know I was in her prayers.

 It makes me a bit jealous that Mom and Dad are spending this Thanksgiving with her in heaven. I know that I am a part of our family of four even now. But oh how lonely I feel missing the three of them. Dad calling her Terhead. Mom whipping up her famous desserts, and Teri making sure everyone is included. You can bet there was never weedy salad or weird vegetables like artichokes or brussel sprouts on our holiday table. Just iceberg and green beans were the safe bets to serve. I smile that I have branched out to other foods but I still stay away from the weird ones like okra and eggplant. Guess I am still a Friedman after all. Mom always wondered why Teri and I both liked our foods burnt, especially popcorn. Mom swears she never burnt our food so it didn't come from her.  I have memories of mom standing over the sink scraping the black off her toast. Why she didn't just turn down the toaster setting I will never understand. 

Teri appeared to live a simple life with simple pleasures. What I know is that she was content. Her lifestyle gave her the opportunity to spend time being there for all of us with what we needed.....her calls, connection and prayers. I miss my sister but know that she is with me even a year after her last breath. 

In Him,

Joyful

11-24-21 Hug Mom, Dad and Ryan for me sister...