Kindness is the Essence of Greatness: October 2013

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

I have wanted to write about Madie and MarShae's relationship for awhile, but other things have taken priority, and I also wasn't sure that I was ready to go down the path of what has now ended.

A little history... I always wanted sisters close to my age, because I felt so alone being sandwiched between 4 brothers. When MarShae was born I realized I would finally get to experience sisters close in age vicariously.

Madie was the family princess which was a natural occurrence because she and Taylor were almost 5 years apart in age. So with three older brothers and a sister, it was exciting for the entire family when Madie was born. Two years later when MarShae came along the spotlight was broadened to "the little girls". Often I would give directions, "watch the little girls", "put the little girls to bed", "would someone please go play with the little girls", "please clean up the mess the little girls made". I think in many ways their names disappeared for several years, and they were a unit. When Marielle was born over four years later she was easily added to the club. They were the M&M girls

Madie and MarShae spent so much time together playing make believe, dress up, watching and acting out movies or musicals, singing groups, shared rooms etc. If Madie liked something, then MarShae liked it too. That means if Madie didn't like something then MarShae also didn't like it.

With the different directions their four older siblings were going, the little girls had an excessive amount of time together. It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that they developed a twin telepathy. It just kind of happened. (I wasn't really paying attention to it too much because to be honest, my life was in crazy zone much of the time. Balancing schedules, and activities, not to mention that I seemed to spend a good part of my first 20 years of marriage either nursing or pregnant, especially when you also add the four pregnancies I lost.) As the family grew and children started leaving home, there became more and more time to divide myself to those left behind, and I became more aware. Our family dynamics really changed when Taylor left for college.

I will never forget about a month after he was gone, I was having a conversation with Madie, and she seemed somewhat annoyed. I finally asked, "Are you uncomfortable with all the attention that has now shifted to you?" She quickly replied, "Yes!"
I told her she'd better get used to it, and began working to reestablish a closer relationship with her.

I have thought numerous times over the past year, "what if I had left things as they were?"

Madie would have been more comfortable,
life would have been easier, (there were some difficult moments), and yet I wouldn't be able to say with her passing that I have minimal regrets, and for that I am grateful!
Back to the little girls.
The last couple of years that Madie lived at home their twin telepathy started getting my attention. We would be driving down the road and they would simultaneously start singing the same song, often in the exact same place. they'd look at each other and crack up laughing! They often would complete each other's sentences, it was ridiculous seeing it in action.

I will never forget just days before Madie died I was standing in the kitchen and MarShae freaked out, stating, "Madie just sent me the exact same text about "One Direction" that I texted her.
Madie immediately texted back " I think that it's awesome we both said that! It proves that our "twin telepathy is still working :D"

Right after I got word that Madie had died, (while I was freaking out by the front door with the police officer with MarShae trying to comfort me) MarShae said, " You always said we were like twins, and you still have me". I responded, "if anyone could live for two, it would be you".

It's crazy the things I remember about Nov 20,2012. I clearly recall that interchange with MarShae, but I don't remember much of my other conversations that I had with my children as I told them, maybe because I went into some kind of shock, I really don't know. I do remember very clearly talking to Taylor though, that is also a very precise memory, maybe because I kind of snapped out of my hysteria and was extremely calm when I spoke with him.
Regardless, in honor of "the little girls", I will let their pictures tell the rest of the story.

Dresses my mother made for me that I wore in the 60's

Birthday's always together!

They look like they could be in a sitcom

Check out the hair clips they managed to put in their doll

Madie's first day of 1st grade, MarShae is along for the ride

Matching sparkle shoes with their bff's Katri and Dannee

It's our little secret...

Christmas Day with twin dolls
(MarShae personally hated that her doll had short hair because she had finally gotten her hair grown out from her personal triple haircut in one week)

flower girls

Did I mention that I loved matching dresses?

The plastic table cloth

Dish time on tippy toes

Marielle is wearing the twin doll's dress

Houston Zoo 2002
(check out that hand hold)

One of many trips to Galveston

secret family treats
A Valentines tradition their entire lives

Ryan and Klara's wedding day

First photo shoot with Rachelle down by the creek, that came to be our escape into another world

Peter's birth 2009

Christmas 2009

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

Rangers Baseball game and some karaoke, summer 2010

The little girls idolized Ro, the big sis who showed them the ropes, with plenty of fun!!

Sterling and Kathy's Wedding

Madie's 17th birthday party!

May 2011 New York/ Conn trip

Sisters together at the birth of their nephew Joseph

Aug 2011 Galveston for Taylor's American Idol call back

Homecoming Week Madie's senior & MarShae's freshman yr

Music field trips to perform for Elementary Schools 2011

Youth Leader camp out March 2012

A lifetime dream of the little girls was to perform in a musical together on Klein High School's stage, where they had watched their brothers perform since they were little.

Madie's senior year, MarShae's freshman year "Once Upon a Mattress" became a family event, as Larry, Marielle and I spent many hours helping in various ways with the production.. No regrets!