Connie's Day is Today!!

My youngest sister, Connie, celebrates her birthday today. I must apologize for the scratchy scanned picture but with packing and all I could find good pictures of her husband, each of her children and each of her grandchildren but none of her. That I will have to fix when we visit her next.

Connie is another one of those wondrous strong women who make our lives better just for who they are. This woman, my sister, is strong as an ox and has always been so. She is one of the hardest workers I have ever known. She has always been so too. She has also always been the most gentle of persons in her never ending love of animals. It is hard to remember her without ever having a dog or a cat. She has raised horses and pigs. She has barn cats and inside cats. But these hold a second place in her heart. For her children and grandchildren are her joys. She is the loving mother of two daughters and two sons. She is the doting grandmother of three granddaughters and four grandsons.

None of this even begins to tell what a special person Connie is. When I think of her I think of my baby sister who wrestled nightly with my brother. I think of my sister with the hardy laugh and fairly wick sense of humor. I think of a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, sister, daughter -- woman.

These past few months Connie has shown us all her incredible strength and resolve in the very straightforward and gentle way she has handled the care of our mother. Connie has taken the lead in this along with with my sister Carol. She has made the tough decisions and maintained a happy face. She has done this while managing numerous serious demands on her own life.

Thank you Connie for doing what you are doing. Thank you for caring so much and providing so much. Thank you for being my sister.

Happy Birthday, I hope you had a wonderful time in Denver.