Flower in the Rain

Tough day. It's my baby sister's birthday. She would have turned 47 today if she hadn't rolled her Hummer on October 2, 2008, and died as a result. So with your indulgence, I'd like to rewind last year's post, which was the first since she'd been gone.

In life, my sister had financial wealth and a closet stuffed full of high-dollar clothes to prove it. While she could be very Me-Me-Me, she was conversely very generous. She was particularly generous with her clothing, and regularly took less advantaged women into her closet and said, "Pick whatever you want." I had mentioned this practice in her eulogy and, afterward, women approached to tell me that they were one of those needy, but fortunate, women whom Dee had invited into her closet. As I have many of Dee's things in my own closet, I sometimes feel her there with me in the morning, when I'm getting dressed. She gives me advice on what to wear and accessories that go with it. It's this feeling of being near her that I hold very quietly and dear in my heart . . . in my closet where it's just Dee and Me-Me.

The pictures below are of us sisters, Dee, Eryn (our middle sister), and me the eldest. We were at our parents' home in Lott, Texas (2001), and this was one of my favorite memories with both sisters. We all lived so far apart, it was hard to get us together at the same time, and when we did, it was just like we were kids all over again.

All the girls: Eryn, Me, Dee, and Mom

Dad with all his girls: Ma-Dee, Mimi, and Star.

Sisters, Sisters. There were never such devoted sisters...

Here we are being silly, the way only silly sisters can. This was how we broke in Dee's new man (with my oldest daughter watching over us -- learning how to be a silly grown woman, of course).

My sister went on international mission trips for her church and dressed as a clown for all the kids, which suited her personality to a T. She was nothing if not the life of the party. She was an unstoppable force from the moment she entered a room until she left it. No one got out alive without her leaving an impression.

Dee also had a real talent for singing, and it was in her early forties that she really took that talent from her church choirs to the next level by performing as lead singer with a band called Outside Over. She rocked the house at every gig with her sultry, smoky voice. An unusually melodic blend of Stevie Nicks and Janis Joplin. She would absolutely love it, looking down on us all today, if you would drop by and say hello -- listen to her music on our tribute video here. That's Dee singing in the background (just some old cuts that the music guy at her church happened to save -- thank God), but that ain't your grandma's church music! If you make it to the end of the video, you'll see her sing at one of her best friends' wedding, a fabulous version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Enjoy.

I love you, Dee Dee. Your "power" is touching me today, and I miss you incredibly. Mimi..

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