A Walk in the Park

Happy February 11th!

When I called my sister today, I wished her happy Feb. 11th. How could this be a happy day? 13 years ago it was the WORST day of our whole lives, the day our dad died.

Through these years, I have done various things to cope with the approach of this day. I had wonderful roommates in Washington, D.C. who would leave me a card and some flowers on this day. One year I wrote a poem. A counselor suggested one year as the anniversary approached to view this day as a day we celebrate Dad and all the wonderful things about him. Three years ago I gave birth to Matthew in early February. When we were thinking about getting pregnant with him, I told Mark I wanted a February baby so I'd have something happy to celebrate in February.

So yesterday morning, when I was facing a weekend with Mark at work, with house showings, cold weather, cooped up kids, and being very emotional myself, I thought how I am ever going to get through this? I pulled out my childhood photo album with Caroline and we looked at pictures of Dad and my family.

I made an interesting discovery. As I looked at photos of me from age 9 on, my little brother Stephen was always near me. He was asleep on my lap, sitting in my lap, peering over my shoulder, on my hip, sitting next to me while I opened presents. I thought, were we little buddies? Did he prefer me back then? From the pictures it indicated that he might.

Which is a great discovery since sometimes we "butt heads" as my Mom calls it, and clash a bit and have very different opinions on about everything....

This little brother who has lived relatively close to us in New Hampshire (close enough to come visit for Thanksgiving and baby blessings) is now moving to Arizona. And while I am happy for him and his new opportunities, I am sad I won't see my little buddy as often.

Then I thought this is what my Dad would have wanted, to have us all get along and love each other. I can't think of 5 other people I would prefer to be a sister to. We share the same father and mother yet all have very different lives. While I love living where I do, I hate that it's so far from them and from their children and that we really only see them once a year.

So, Yes, Happy February 11th. I am glad you won't come around again for another year, though.

PS Hey Mom and sibs, for next year, I found on Wikipedia some other things we could celebrate that happened on Feb. 11:

1990 - Nelson Mandela, a political prisoner for 27 years, is freed from Victor Verster Prison outside Cape Town, South Africa.
1997 - Space Shuttle Discovery was launched on a mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope.
2006 - U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shoots Harry Whittington in the face while the two are hunting together.

Birthdays:
1847 - Thomas Alva Edison, American inventor (d. 1931)
1909 - Max Baer, American boxer and actor (d. 1959)
1921 - Lloyd Bentsen, American politician (d. 2006)
1934 - Tina Louise, American actress
1936 - Burt Reynolds, American actor
1938 - Manuel Noriega, Panamanian general
1939 - Jane Yolen, American author
1941 - Sergio Mendes, Brazilian musician
1953 - Jeb Bush, American politician
1962 - Sheryl Crow, American musician
1969 - Jennifer Aniston, American actress
1979 - Brandy Norwood, American singer

posted by Kathryn @ 6:16 PM