MY SISTER, IRIS

MY  SISTER,  IRIS

There is so much to say about my sister – Where does one start?????

 My sister, Iris, was the first sibling born in our family.  She was eleven years older than me.  Then came my brother, Jack,  2 years later.  I believe I was the “surprise” that came 9 years later , and that made me the baby of the family.  Times were really hard then, with the breakout of World War II.  My Father was drafted in the Army, and my Mother was forced to work in order for all of us to survive.  Unfortunately, this pushed my sister into the role that no eleven year old should have to assume,  but she did!  She willingly took on the role of being not only my sister but now my mother as well and “big” sister to my brother!  A lot of responsibility for a pre-teen and she did it well!

I feel my sister was robbed from a lot of her childhood and I always felt bad about that but I do remember some wonderful,  happy  and  funny  times we later shared together!  One very early memory I have was when I was only around 5 years old.  My sister loved animals, especially dogs and horses!  Well, of course horses to definitely be her favorite, but she seemed to always be bringing home a stray dog or cat that needed a home when I was growing up.  One of our favorite and smartest dogs she rescued was a white spitz, named Trixie……This dog loved  Iris so much that one time I remember him doing a mess on Mom’s hardwood floor and I knew there would be TROUBLE,  so I yelled upstairs for Iris.  I will never forget – Trixie looked at me as if to say, “Tattletale” and  by the time my sister got halfway down the stairs, the mess was gone!  Yep, that’s how much Trixie didn’t want to make my sister mad at him!  I couldn’t believe it…………Iris looked at me and said, “Are you sure???”  Then we shook our heads and laughed so hard!

Later, when we were both married and had children of our own we were able to share many stories together of our childhood .  So many things we didn’t understand and so many questions we still have  to this day.  But we learned to come to terms with it all and both of us took good care of our parents until it was time for them to go home to the Lord.

Iris and I were as close as two sisters could ever be!  It was like we were joined by the hip!  We both had the same interests and sang in the Junior and Senior Choirs together, were confirmed at the same church and loved going to the Christmas and Easter cantata’s. We loved doing everything together!  We had so many belly laughs that only her and I could share – cause we knew each other so well!  Many times we were like a scene from I Love Lucy, and all we could do is look at each other and burst into that laugh that only her and I truly understood! All in the genes, you know!

The trips we shared together especially  to  Ocean City when we took all the kids, Mom and  Dad, we would  always opt to get the hot doughnuts in the early morning!  That’s when we discovered that close by, next to the laundry mat,  was an  ice cream parlor! We loved ice cream! What a find, we thought, and gave a big chuckle to each other!  You guessed it……..from then on, we couldn’t wait to do the laundry together!  There were many trips like this one – How ‘bout the trip to the Pocono Mountains and my brother, Jack, didn’t want to go!  When the rest of us got there, we found  there was absolutely nothing to do there – so since my brother was always the “clown” of our family and NEVER failed to make us laugh even in the worst of situations, Iris and I got all the kids to start laughing and act like they were really having fun – we called my brother on the phone and he said, “What is all that laughter and carrying on about?”  We laughed and said, “Oh Jack, we are having so much fun here, you have to come too!”  Well, naturally he did – and the rest of the trip was priceless!  We had such a great time!  Mom and Dad had all three of their children together and all the grandchildren.  The cousins all loved being together too!  If only we could turn the clocks back at times......

Well, yes!  I could go on and on but I just wanted everyone to know that my sister, as we all know and love her, will truly be missed!  I thank God for the time we did have with her.  I know she is in a better place and her "Spirit" will live on in our hearts and souls forever!  Those  happy times  will always be a part of me and I thank God for those “Rocking Chair” memories we made together!