The Last Year

My sister, Sherry Deann (Hughes) Sarten passed away one year ago today very unexpectedly. She was 11 years older than me and wasn't just my sister but a second mom and in many ways one of my best friends. When I was little she taught me how to spot hot guys, she taught me how to read. When we were learning how to rhyme words in school I didn't understand the concept at all so my sister made up a rhyming game to help me learn. She always believed in me, stood up for me and would have done anything in the world for me if I needed her to.

One thing I know for sure is that she loved me unconditionally, with all of her heart. I know that because she made sure I knew that almost everyday. I loved living a couple of blocks from where she worked and when I worked from home she would leave to come have lunch with me. I loved all of our dinner dates at El Chicos, all the Kevin Costner movies she made me go see with her and I loved having her over for date night to watch The Voice.

My sister loved the TV Show friends and she is the reason that my son's name is Chandler. When they brought me his birth certificate to fill out my sister was in the hospital room with me and I remember so clearly her arguing with me trying to talk me into naming him Chandler Bing, like the Chandler on friends. Although his middle name is actually Shane, she still always called him Chandler Bing. 

I have so many wonderful memories and sometimes its nice to just stop and take stock of all the blessings life has to offer, I am a really really lucky girl. I miss my sister but it helps that we talk about her often, all of us do and I will make sure we always do because she deserves that. She touched so many people's lives and made such a huge impression on everyone she met and even though we don't get to make new memories with her, the ones we have will live on forever.