A Sad Week

Hello everyone.  Maybe you've noticed that I've not posted for over a week. If you follow me on Facebook, then you know that I lost a precious family member last week.  Today, I want to tell you a little bit about my sister-in-law, Missy, and I will  get back to my normal schedule soon.  It just doesn't feel right to just jump back in sharing new projects or new treasures for the shop right now....those things seem so trivial.  I feel like honoring Missy, if only for a minute.  

Melissa Ann McAlpin Hanks was "Missy" to those who knew and loved her---and that was/is a lot of people.  (You can't even imagine the outpouring of love and help from the community and their church--it was nothing short of amazing to witness.)  

My brother, Harold, and Missy were married over twenty-eight years, as a matter of fact, they married just four months after I got married.  I remember thinking that I was old enough to be getting married at 26, but they were too young!  They were somewhere around 21 or 22...Anyway, they built a beautiful life together and it was centered around God and their five children.  I remember there for a few years, we referred to her as "Fertile Myrtle" because she was always pregnant!  Their oldest daughter is the same age as our son, so our two children grew up together and are still close today. Missy loved those children. They are all now young adults, ranging in age from 27 to 19, if my memory serves me correctly.  When looking back over their life together, it's the kind of story that we all should hope to leave behind when all is said and done.

Missy loved Facebook. Whenever we were trying to find out about local news or something that we had heard through the grapevine, my 82 year old dad would ask me if I had checked in on what he lovingly referred to as MNN (Missy News Network) to see any updates.   Yes, she was the one who kept everyone informed, even tagging me when she would hear of escaped prisoners down in lower Alabama.  She was the one who always wanted to make sure we planned family gatherings (which she also did on Facebook!)  She was so Facebook savvy!  I sometimes wondered how she typed all of those posts so fast...

When I mentioned family gatherings, it reminded me of another thought...I'm already worried about who will bring the pecan pies to our Thanksgiving dinner. Missy made the best pecan pies in the world, and we always depended on her to bring them.  Her sister, Karan, tells me that she can give me the recipe, but I'm sure there was something special Missy was doing to make them perfect that I won't know about...I guess they'll enjoy some good pecan pies in Heaven if they have a Thanksgiving celebration there...If Missy's in charge, she will plan one, I'm sure of it.

Missy called me "Little Martha" because I love to cook, decorate, and make things...a lot like that famous Martha.  She always worried that she didn't know how to do those things, but, in reality, she was good at it.  I remember a snowman Christmas tree that she made that was the cutest thing ever!  I know there are pictures somewhere (probably on Facebook!) but it would be hard to find them looking through the thousands of pics she posted...She also did pretty baked goodies for holidays.  If it was for Christmas, it would have some pretty decoration on it that said "Christmas"...and for other special occasions, same story.  She was creative, she just never saw it in herself or fully appreciated the things she made.  I will miss her creative spirit and being called "Little Martha."

Missy was a beloved bus driver for the local school system for years and years...I'm not sure exactly how many, but I'm sure she was probably getting close to being able to retire from the job even though she was only 50 years old.  When the awful news of Missy's passing came, and the school put another bus driver on her bus to begin the new school year, they found a bus with the front dash area decorated with pictures of her family.  That was Missy...her family was never far away--they were ALWAYS in her thoughts and prayers.  Her children on the route will miss her as do her bus driving buddies.  They were a close-knit group.

In closing, I want to say that I will miss you terribly, Missy.  Watch over us...You know some of us need more help than others, so keep a close eye on them!  Enjoy visiting with your mom and dad, our mom, and all the other relatives who've gone before.  We will see you when we get there.  Thank you for all that you were to us.  Love you.

My brother Harold and his wife, Missy.

I will start back with my regular blog posting on Monday.  Have a good weekend, and hug those you love...You just never know what life will throw at you next.