So many similarities.

September 19, 2010.

Spent the entire day with my sister.  Ate snacks and had our hair professionally styled.  Laughed, talked, and just enjoyed each others company.  Helped each other into beautiful gowns.  Spent the evening eating wonderful food, listening to music, and sipping cocktails.  Later in the evening, joked about how many bobby pins were in our hair, and how much conditioner it would take to get all of the hair spray out. 

This was our e-mail to each other on September 20, 2010:

Hi Laura,



Your phone was in my purse this morning!! I don't know if you have a key so I'm going to put it in between the screen door and big door in the backyard... Not front doors.


Amazingly enough, I feel slightly hungover and very bloated today. George said he feels a bit queasy too! How about you??
Love,
Les

Little did I know, that would be the last interaction I would have with her for a LONG time.

Around the date of September 22, 2010, I took this picture, which touched a lot of people's hearts:




Simple, yet it said so, so much.  See the tan line around where her wedding ring normally went?  She wouldn't be able to wear it for nearly a year.  Her hand was completely flaccid.  I had to physically take her fingers and wrap them around my hand.  I snapped the photo, but I didn't let go of her hand.

Flash forward.  February 18, 2012.

Spent all day with my sister.  Ate snacks and had our hair professionally styled.  Talked, laughed, and enjoyed each other's company.  Helped each other into beautiful dresses.  Spent several hours at a ceremony celebrating life, family, community, and love.  Later, we listened to music, ate some appetizers, and sipped on some cocktails.  We talked about how many bobby pins were in our hair.  Later, we said good night and we all went home.

That night, I took this photo:

 

The difference?  She grasped my hand.  There was strength behind it.  Her rings are perfectly in place.  And again, we didn't let go.

We may not be physically holding hands every day, but that night, we held hands a lot.  And whether we are physically holding hands or not, we will ALWAYS be connected.  We are sisters, and nothing, not even tragedies, can change that bond.