Happy Meredith Day!

November 11th is a day that people around the world celebrate the Armed Forces for their past, present, or future service. I always enjoyed listening to my students tell about their parents and grandparents that either served, or are serving their country. We are very lucky to have people willing to serve our country, because I know that I'm not strong enough to do it.

Although I am extremely thankful for veterans, I have someone else I like to honor on this day - my sister Meredith. She died 14 years ago today, and it's still just as hard as the day it happened, but I try my best to always remember all the ways she made me laugh, and the good times we had together. I was only 12 when she passed away from cancer, so I don't have a lot of memories of her, but I love hearing stories of her told by my family. Like the time her and my sister Denise were fighting, and Denise gave her a hematoma (Denise still claims that at the time, she deserved it!) - we always joke about that one. I remember her and Denise having Andre Agassi and Simon LeBon posters on their wall. Ooh, and Brian Bosworth, she also had posters of The Boz on her wall. Mere had a great sense of humor, and I have great memories of her laugh.

She was a phenomenal artist, and she was very crafty. Mere loved christmas, and she always made pom-pom bows for her gifts. They're now known as Mere bows in our house. She always made homemade cards, and I remember always asking her to draw Mickey Mouse for me! When I was getting teased at school one year, Mere and her husband Ron bought me a book called The Hallowiener by Dav Pilkey - it's still one of my favorite books, and it's a great book about bullying.

I think Mere got sick when I was about 8 or 9 years old, but I honestly don't remember because she was always so strong. Mere never complained, and even though she lost her hair and had to wear a wig, she always made the best of it, making jokes so people wouldn't feel uncomfortable. Her last Christmas card was a picture of her on the front with Ronnie pulling her wig off her head and she had a big wide, open mouthed smile. The inside said "Have a hairy Christmas".

I miss Mere and think of her all the time. I usually smile, because I see something and it makes me think of her. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family that I love so much, and we continue to keep Mere's spirit alive by thinking of her and sharing her stories. I LOVE YOU MERE!