Happy Heavenly Birthday!

 Wishing my big sister, Trace a happy heavenly birthday.

My sister and I were nearly 21 years apart, and she died when I was 18 and she was 39.

Since we did not grow up together, we were never close sisters the way I hope my girls (and boys) are close to each other as brothers and sisters, but her life and her death had a tremendous impact on my life, and I sincerely wish she and I had had the chance to grow closer in my adulthood.  I do feel we were robbed decades of times together that could have strengthened our relationship.

My hubby never met my sister (literally no one I met after high school ever met my sister), but when we were considering names for our first child, he understood the significance behind considering the name Tracey if our child was a girl.  On January 24, 2014 at 7:56pm, eleven years, seven months, and sixteen days after my sister died, our first child was born and my hubby joyfully announced that she was a daughter.

Shortly after she was born, we looked at each other, and then looked at our baby girl and said, "Are you Tracey Ann?"  Tracey after my sister, and Ann as a middle name which is his mother and sister's middle name.  And yes, we all three agreed, that was her name.

We have chosen several family names since the first one of Tracey Ann, and we always find similarities between special traits in our individual child and the special person for whom we chose their names.

As I've mentioned before, my older sister LOVED animals.  She had A LOT of pets -- both throughout her life over the decades, and at one time... A LOT OF ANIMALS.  Well, who am I to talk... I have A LOT of children (LOL).

But something I don't bring up often is the fact that she owned a store in a suburb of Minneapolis called ROMANCING THE STONES, where she sold beautiful home pieces and jewelry made from rocks and minerals.

Knowing this, and knowing that it is not something I ever discuss with my kids, I find it incredibly fascinating that my Tracey thoroughly enjoys learning about rocks and minerals.  And not just learning about them - sorting them, studying them, reading about them, polishing them, and naming them. 

Just another of those incredibly special things shared between my Tracey and my sister Tracey.

Happy Heavenly Birthday, Trace!