In recent years, my sister and I haven't had the greatest relationship. Jess and I are four years apart, growing up, I was the bratty little sister. When I remember back to it, I really was a little snot! This one time, she locked me out of her room while she went to work. I climbed through the bushes and got in through her window, then I super-glued her makeup and deodorant shut. And another time she was having a party down in our basement living room, she wouldn't let me hang out with her friends so I got her diary, laid on the floor and began reciting passages from it through the vent directly above where they were. I was probably 10 or 11 years old-- and pure evil! Now, before you write me off as a rotten child, I can assure you these actions were well deserved because Jess was equally as sinister. For example, I was making something with paper mache at our kitchen table and Jess convinced me the mixture was made the same way as pancake batter. She ever-so-lovingly used my remaining paper mache batter to make me a short stack of "pancakes". I poured some syrup on and took a big bite; it was still gooey and cold in the middle, tasted awful, and I pulled a strip of soggy newspaper out of my mouth. Jess also marked off the middle of our room with duct tape, then we would both stand on the border of our respective territories and try to get the other to cross so we could fight. As much fighting, and as many downright awful things we did to each other, we were very close. The issues that we've had over the last couple of years aren't even relevant in our lives anymore.
About a month ago, Jess called on a Saturday and told me that right before our wedding she was diagnosed with stage 1 uterine cancer. After a few moments of "this isn't a joke, right?", she answered all of my questions. They caught it early, and are hopeful with the course of treatment, but it is still scary. She didn't want to tell us when she first found out for fear of ruining our wedding weekend. As much as I can appreciate the consideration, I would have liked to be face-to-face for that just so I could give her a hug. Tomorrow will be her 5th week of treatment. I was hoping to be able to fly out on a Friday night and stay the weekend with her while she recovers (since she has her treatment on Friday afternoons), but it just isn't in the cards right now. I didn't tell anyone about this, mostly because it was not my place, it was hers. Unfortunately, some very ignorant people don't know that, and take it upon themselves to gossip and seek out sympathy from others, even though they have absolutely not business doing so. The only reason I'm writing about it is because she has come out and told people first, it had to be on her time and no one else. Besides, if anyone is going to upset my sister it is going to be me (and I do say that with a smile on my face).
Last week, Jon called me at work-- and many times I have told him to only call if it's an emergency-- his tone at first seemed normal, but before I could get frustrated that he called for "nothing", he said he just got out of a meeting with the commander and they cut funding for his program. October 14th will be his last day working youth outreach for the Evanston Police Department. It wasn't the most ideal job: it was part time, they paid him as a 1099, and no benefits; but it was a job- and one he was good at. The vows we exchanged on our wedding day said that we would share in each other's troubles and triumphs.... I told him I didn't expect him to take me up on that so soon! (again, I say that with a smile) Fortunately, he never really stopped looking for jobs when he was hired on in Evanston, and he has two interviews later this month. Both are amazing jobs, hopefully we have something else to celebrate while we are on our honeymoon.
When I started writing this entry I titled it "When it rains, it pours"-- but I really do try to keep a positive attitude, so I changed it to something a bit more optimistic. Although, the follow up to that could have been "life isn't about surviving the storm, it's about learning to dance in the rain". Why are there so many sayings about water?
