Today I have been remembering my sister Sarah, who would have been 43 today. She died in 2004 from cancer caused by a rare genetic disease that she and my sister Stephanie both had, Bloom’s Syndrome. It is a disease that causes cancer. Stephanie died in 2001.

Sarah and Steph were both pretty good people, I mean as much as sisters can be. Because of the Bloom’s they were both exceptionally short at 4’6″ and weighed maybe 70 pounds as adults soaking wet. Though through the majority of both their lives I was better known as their chief antagonist, I really do miss them. Steph had a heart of gold and Sarah was one of the funniest people to ever walk this earth. When we were younger she often wore bunny ears, and she once even gave an instructional speech for school on how to do the “Bunny Hop.” I understand she got an “A.”

One of my favorite memories of Sarah was one night very late when she and I were watching TV. It was about 1 in the morning. I was a senior in high school, and she was, I think, in 8th or 9th grade. A commercial came on for this scary movie with this killer-type guy staring right out at us. In a great panic she covered her eyes and started shaking and said “tell me when it’s over, tell me when it’s over!” So I did, but before I said it was okay, I opened my eyes just like the guy on the screen, and moved right in front of her face! It was too good to pass up, and I thought it was a riot.

Needless to say, there was A LOT of screaming at that point! Sarah went berserk and screamed her brains out and then leaped at me and tried to take my eyes right out of my head with her own hands. By the time my mom came out of her room, both of us were screaming! She had scared me probably more than I her….after all, I was just kidding around, she however was really going to kill me I am sure. But live and learn….I never messed with her again!

Sisters can sometimes irritate you beyond belief, and most days I really wish they were still around to do it too because I miss them. I usually have a Margarita on Sarah’s birthday (her favorite) but tonight I just forgot that part so writing will have to do. If heaven is a perfect place, which I believe it is, she is probably having one right now for me! And I hope to have one with both of them, many many years from now, when I get there myself!

Here’s to ya Sarah. Happy birthday……I miss you.

Tom+