day 13: meet sister nurse

the baby of the family with a one-of-a-kind middle name, Katie LiRussa

..LiRussa=little Russell ( because she is the female version of our daddy)

six years younger than me

she’s an AMAZING, responsible nurse who loves the Lord, her hub and their two littles-

A picture to describe our relationship for most of our lives

=roller coaster

I stayed in T-R-O-U-B-L-E at home for being mean to baby sister

I was mean to her.  really mean.  it’s a thousand wonders she even wants to be my friend I was so ugly to her.  I didn’t like her in my stuff, near my clothes , in my room or near my purple circle most days.

See? Mean.

I would kick her -daddy would spank me..as he should’ve ..I was hateful and rude and selfish to her more days than not.  I was the boss-she was the baby- and that’s the way I liked it…(I told y’all…without Jesus-I am NO GOOD)

a turning point for us came through the most unpleasant chain of events

our family owned and operated a small cafe

one busy,weekend night of sister’s freshman year JUST AFTER making the VARSITY baketball team-while waitressing she fell… carrying several glass mugs–

without the gory details- because there were lots

her right wrist was severed.

She was rushed to our local hospital for emergency surgery

repaired (with error) unfortunately

A few days later a nurse friend of ours insisted sister visit the hand specialist she worked for-

& PRAISE THE LORD she did..the hand specialist scheduled an immediate surgery to make right the wrong from just a few nights earlier..had she not had the second surgery she would not have the use of her hand today.

Following her second surgery our friend’s doctor suggested intense physical therapy 1-2x a week for a year

The doctor was an hour north of home. Momma and daddy were working five days a week.  I was in my second year of college-my schedule was the most flexible so I volunteered to take sister to therapy.

That horrible accident did us a world of good…during her year of therapy we had lots of car time…we laughed and cried..I cheered her on..she worked and fought hard! We talked and talked and talked…just the two of us.  and it was good.

her hand wasn’t the only thing God healed that year.

Since then we’ve had good days and bad days…Most recently sister and her hub built a new house.  It’s great and beautiful and I’m so very happy for them..  The not so great part is that J and I bough the store the same month they broke ground..so much to our dismay we were unable to help share the joys/burdens of building with them…sister’s feeelings were hurt…justly so.  She and I had a heart to heart just a few weeks ago as we’ve had to do many times throughout this journey called LIFE…

she shared her heart.  I listened and apologized.

my point: she’s worth it

In spite of our many, many differences–she’s a planner-I’m a spaz! She likes calm-I’m WAY TOO BUSY way to often..She likes to talk-I like to text..She’s organized and clean and I’m A SPAZ! but

we’re worth it.

Our relationship is worth the work!

Our differences keep us needy of our Savior..It’s by His grace that she and I can love each other-and  forgive each other because He forgives us.

And when all else fails we agree to disagree.

because in the end

I love her & She loves me and that’s the way it’s supposed to be.