HAPPY FRIDAY!

My sister and I are very close. The main problem is that she is in Ohio and I am in Texas. This means that we have had to develop creative ways to stay in touch. I don't remember when it started, but we have been fairly consistent with what we call the "Happy Friday" phone call. Hardly a week goes by without one of us picking up the phone to call the other at some point throughout the day on Friday. Of course, the trick is to be the first one to say "Happy Friday" upon placing or receiving the awaited phone call. We won't dwell on the fact that I am the only one with caller ID and therefore have an unfair advantage in achieving winner status of our little contest to be first with the "Happy Friday" greeting. She gets back at me by using a calling card that shows up on my ID screen as some random phone number...often from Georgia, Colorado, or some other unsuspecting location. That way I am never 100% certain that it is indeed my sister placing the call which makes me more hesitant to yell "Happy Friday"...thus giving her the advantage to greet me first. With being the busy woman that she is, I could never quite figure out how she had the time to travel so much...calling me from a different state each week!! When questioned, she would assure me that she was happily stationed at home base in Ohio and the faulty location identification was due to her calling card. You can't always be sure about these things...maybe she is actually living a dual life...traveling the country in their Pop Up Trailer as a band groupie or something exciting like that. (Her husband does in fact have a prominent position as a musician in a jazz band) On second thought, I doubt that is the case as I know she has a very busy career as Jr. Associate Director of Human Development, Education, Transportation and Environmental Services there in her hometown. (ADHDETES - That was for those of you that need a "title". For the rest of us READ: Wife, Mother, Home Educator, Taxi Driver and Homemaker) This has, at times, posed an availability problem making it difficult for her to carve a few fleeting moments between music lessons and date night with hubby each Friday to converse with her favorite sister (READ: only sister). But not to worry, I am not bitter...so we miss a few Fridays now and again. Besides, we probably spent two hours on the phone the day before…so see… I'm a big girl and can handle it. After all, I, on the other hand, have my own busy career to deal with and am happily installed in my position as Sr. Associate Director of Continuing Human Development & Environmental Services-Texas Branch. (SDCHDES - READ: Old Wife, Mother, Homemaker & Homewrecker (we are remodeling :-) Anyways, I digress...Bottom line is, I am so thankful for our friendship and for all the fun things we do to keep in touch and connected. The fact that our children have graduated from homeschool and are gainfully enrolled in various classes in the University of Adult Life while she is still in the thick of things raising teenagers, homeschooling and running van pool, only proves to add richness and continuity to our circle of life. I want her to know she is a great Mom and the job she is doing will reap eternal rewards in the life of two very special young people. (And really, all who know her) Love you Sis! Happy Friday!

Photo Info: This past summer while in a local shop I ran across this bag of "Classic Candy". These pepto bismol colored mint candies were just like the ones Sis & I used to buy (40 some years ago) from the book store at church camp. After all, they made a great addition to the camp meeting service each evening, somewhere between the sing'in, preach'in and the Hallelujah corner. Of course I could not resist buying the bag and delivering it to her during our July visit. Yes, we are both sappy sentimentalists :-)