Wishing my sister-in-law up in Heaven a Happy Birthday!  I miss her dearly and am so grateful for the time we had together. Every visit together was full of laughter and love and more laughter.  She was always supportive to me and my family and had the most admirable ability to communicate in an effective, upbeat, helpful, positive way.  Not just with her words, which were witty, but with a kindness from deep within.  She supported me when I first started Mel’s Green Garden, writing on my blog, I wish you lived nearby so I could hire you to clean up my space .  Which made me so happy.

She was good at so many things. She kept our families so connected even though we were miles apart.  We had so many memorable vacations together: us visiting them in Seattle when Chuckleberry was born; multiple Pak visits to Madison–to meet baby Anna, Christmas with all the Tracys, with just Ben when Obi was born, side trip from work when we had lice; California Legoland adventures; Jersey Shore Tracy/Bell Reunion; and our Rhode Island gatherings.  She made every visit special by capturing the memories with a lot of photos, even one of the big blemish on my nose. (I blame the stress of the lice.) Usually a big framed picture arrived weeks after the visit, and also a photo book.  I am also grateful she made every visit special with her presence, her laughter, her humor, her let’s-go-have-fun attitude:  boogie boarding, trips to Target, mini-golf, Seattle tours. She packed in the fun and memories. We were better people when you were around, Marla.

So Happy Birthday, Marla, I am so grateful you were born and were a part of my life. We are all still so brokenhearted that you are not here with us. We miss you more than words can say.  But thanks for sharing so much of who you are with us. We’re forever grateful for the love you gave us and the gift to not take anyone or anything for granted and to live every single day to the fullest Love you always–