Happy Birthday Week to my Sister in-law & Friend

I met my sister in-law when I was only twenty years old. We had an instant rapport from the get go. In fact, from the time we first met, people thought we looked more like sisters than our husbands looked like brothers.

We had the pleasure of being newlyweds together. I'll never forget after Diane joined the family and moved to Bakersfield to begin her married life the amazing creativity and zest for life she brought with her. She carted her plants and all of her worldly possessions and began the work of making a home. Her cooking skills far surpassed mine and still do.

Diane's resourcefulness has always impressed me. Her creativity was evident from an early age, as you can see by the picture below, created by Diane when she was only five years old. As early as five, she was already designing her wedding dress and veil (she's the one on the left). She actually did make her wedding dress and she didn't stop there. She also made her groom the pants and shirt that he wore. And as if that was not enough, she also baked her own wedding cake.


As you see below, the vision of that five year old little girl was brought to life years later on her wedding day. There was no Martha Stewart empire back then to dictate how a little girl's dream would be fashioned. With the eye of an artist she entered adulthood.

Below is an old photo of the two of us paddling through Hart Park one very hot summer day.

We had our babies five months apart. She had her daughter first and was eager to help me when my eldest daughter was born. We shared a duplex and I was so sad when my brother in-law decided to move their family to Nashville.

Diane's artistic talent continued to grow as she pursued her love of art, eventually becoming an art teacher at a local high school.

We have had our adventures in life both separately and together. After my mother passed, Diane and I went to Germany (my mother's homeland). I do not know what I would have done with out my sweet sister in-law at that difficult time.

I'm hoping we will have many more trips together.

Happy birthday, Shatzee! I hope your birthday brings with it delightful surprises and much happiness!