I think God spoke to me today

The strangest thing happened to me today. This post isn't about Madison, one of only a few but I wanted to document it none the less and this seemed like an easy way to express myself.

I know when asked, I often talk about being an only child and that is mainly because in general conversation it is easier to say than explain I had a half sister with whom I grew up with but who died before we could be adults together. But the truth is, I did have a sister who loved and tormented me during my young years.  Her name was Christina and she would have turned 47 next month.

My sister is buried in a beautiful cemetery in Sonora just up the road from my dentist. I have been there with my Mom a few times to put out a new flag for the season and I have gone a few times alone to take flowers for the deer or just to sit quietly and look over the tiny city from the hill.  

I had a dental appointment today and for some reason she was on my mind as I drove through town. I thought it would be nice to take some flowers and then I realized I didn't know where to buy any.  After my unpleasant dentist appointment, I was still thinking of her and so I looked around and decided on a nice natural wreath with pine cones on it.  It smelled great.  She was very crafty and would have enjoyed it. I drove up the hill and put it on her stone. I stopped and looked over the hill and quietly thought about her and I when we were children and how I longed for her to be here with me now as adults.  I also thought of her adult son who I recently heard is expecting his own child. The thought of her being a grandma while I am a new Mom made me smile wondering what that might have been like.

I didn't stay long and drove on down the hill, back to work.  I am not sure why she was on my mind so much, I admit it doesn't happen often.   

Here is the strange part: When I am in the car I often look at the plates on other cars and wonder what the personalizations mean.  As I was driving back to work, I looked over at the car next to me and the license plate read: 

"LV USIS". 

 At first I was like "Who would pay $X extra a year to say that?" 

Then it hit me.  Maybe God put that message there just for me to see. Was she thinking of me too, or perhaps saying "Thank you" for the wreath? I shook it off, thinking I was being crazy, as if God was too busy to talk to little 'ol me.  I actually rolled my eyes at myself.  But then I thought, 'Why not me?'

We can choose to believe whatever we want, and I am choosing that she spoke to me through Him and it warmed my heart overwhelmingly, once I allowed it to.

Here are some of the things I remembered today: She was a great cook, she could make the best things out of NOTHING, and even when something didn't turn out she could turn it into something else. I remember one time she burnt up a batch of biscuits and then proceeded to pull out the paints and made a flower sculpture!  She could drive somewhere once and always know how to get there again without a map (0r GPS for that matter).  She taught me how to tie my shoes, helped me have the courage to take my earrings out after the required 6 week wait time (aka forced me to), and she told my Mom when she caught me using her razor shaving my leg for the first time, (I refused to shave the other one because I thought I was in trouble).  I remember her fighting for her right to watch soaps when I wanted to watch Sesame Street, (She was 6.5 years older than me), and she loved animals.  She used to hold me down on the floor and kiss me all sloppy all over my face while I screamed.  I hated it then and do it to Madison now.  She was who I hunted Easter baskets with and who I walked out with to see what Santa had brought us.

Thank you for the message Chris, I heard you, I love you and I miss you.