The Cast: Our Older Children
A daughter of my heart. A battle-seasoned warrior. Often found with a crochet hook in hand and Gilmore Girls on the TV. Yet, whenever adventure called, she was eager to respond. Whether that looked like kayaking with friends, traveling the country and even into Mexico with her college group, or a trip to Disney World, she was always ready to go, whether her body agreed with that or not.
I remember when the little people were little I really got to see the side of her that I began to call Miss Manners. She was so good about reminding them to say please and thank you and to use silverware and things like that. But then, she’d turn right around when someone got a little injury and tell them, ‘Just rub some dirt on it.’ She was such a character. And stubborn too.
When she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia at age 19, there were times when the doctors would put her on steroids that I didn’t think either one of us was going to live through. Steroids were in no way her friend. Her level of stubbornness would develop this angry edge and before I would know it we would both be so angry. The last time the doctors told me that they wanted to put her on steroids I told them, ‘Fine. You take her home then.’
And sassy. Boy was she a feisty one. So many times she would get her siblings so upset because she would tell them that SHE was the ‘favorite child.’ She even went as far as buying me a coffee cup that said “I love how we don’t have to say out loud that I’m your favorite child.” It was hard because she just had one of those kind of dry senses of humor when I’m not even sure if she knew when she was joking. So they would take her completely serious; not understanding that it wasn’t that she was the ‘favorite’ child, just often the one who needed the most help.
All that being said though, she loved her family, her siblings with a fierceness that I don’t even think they realized. She made time for every single one of her siblings, even The Entertainer, (which was a little bit of struggle for her as the two of them spoke very different love languages.) She would instigate connections and she tried to have a special connection with each one of her people. For example, she would sit and watch Lilo and Stitch and Cars with her youngest brother (who was her self appointed protector from before he was even out of diapers.) They loved the concept of Ohana. Nobody gets left behind or forgotten. We didn’t realize it then, but she truly was our family’s lynchpin.
Throughout it all, her faith in God and trust in His plan never wavered. She continued to be a light of encouragement to so many people in her life and those she connected with on Facebook. She had hoped to go into a more formal ministry, but instead God called her to be a witness in her own life. A testimony of unwavering hope in the face of relentless trials.
She fought fiercely against the leukemia for seven long years before the Lord called her home. No longer in pain. No longer lactose intolerant. But free to stand in the sun, dance on the streets of gold and eat as much pizza as she could possibly want.
Other Crew Members to check out
Image photo and design was a collaboration between Mel Seeley and Google Gemini.
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