Today Jocie would be sweeping gracefully into her twenties. I wonder what her twenty year old self would look like. Sometimes passing a stunning young adult red-head I think I know. I miss her...as much today as the day she vanished from my arms. Although there are a million, here are twenty things I miss about The Red One.
- Those astounding freckles that tell the story of her life
- Her cat noise "Reeer" in response to parental chastising
- Giggles from her girlfriends sleeping upstairs
- Shopping with her at Anthropology and Nordstrom and Juicy and Buckle, and everywhere else
- Her easy and contagious laugh
- The way she picked up Izzy the pooch and carried her around like a baby.
- Our conversations
- The way she bounds down sets of stairs
- Her ridiculous requests
- The nonsense that always follows her around
- Her long gorgeous red hair with highlights in every hue
- Skiing with her...sigh...
- Her larger than life presence in our home.
- Those long toes...usually with black or green or gold painted toenails
- Her mischievous antics
- The way she teased her baby brother relentlessly
- Her voice...oh how I miss that voice.
- Pairs of outrageous high heels left by the back door
- How she talked me into buying a pack of gum whenever we were out.
- The sister trio...The Brown One, The Blonde One, and The Red One
A close friend sent me a thoughtful note this week that resonates so deeply...
"Jocie is a super hero. We may not have met her in person (the way we've never met C.S.Lewis or Bach or Joan of Arc) but she inspires us, she has changed our family for the better."
Happy Birthday angel, I love you to the moon and back.
Happy Birthday angel, I love you to the moon and back.
