Happy Birthday!

Mom...

I want to thank you for giving birth to our dear Susan.

I miss her and still think of her nearly every day.

Thank you for giving me the gift of a wonderful sister.

super heroines

I just remembered that Sue and I had super heroine underwears. I was Wonder Woman and she was Super Woman.

I think I was always a slight bit jealous that she looked more like her heroine than I did since I lacked the smooth brown hair sported by Wonder Woman.

I don't remember much more about Sue and Super Woman but I think she lived up to her heroine status.

It never gets easier

Here it is June 12 again, four years since that fateful day at the beach in Kenting, Taiwan. Still missing my Sue-Q. Still remembering her beautiful smile and infectious laughter. Still can't see tulips without thinking of her. Still loving her. Still longing to hear her voice. Still wondering why. Still don't like the ocean. Still trying to forget bad memories of that day. It never gets easier.
--Mom

Flowers

Each time I see tulips or calla lilies, I think of Sue. She loved flowers so, on her birthday, I always buy a lovely bunch of flowers just for her. The blooms liven up my kitchen just as her smile has brightened my heart.

Posting stories of Sue

Please email me if you have a story or memory of Sue that you want to post. Pictures are welcome, too! love, Amy

An April memory

It was three years ago today that I picked up an excited Sue from the Taichung train station. We deposited her few pieces of luggage at the apartment then hopped on my 125 cc scooter for a hospital visit. Another Susan--who lovingly calls me "mom"--was about to deliver her first baby. My Sue-Q of course was thrilled to be along for the ride. She had made some precious tiny booties for the new arrival, a rare gift for a Taiwanese baby. Alisha arrived strong and healthy greeted by her mom, dad, and us--her foreign grandma and aunt.

Today I made another trip to the hospital to visit Susan. It brought back memories of that day and sadness for the changes life brings. Perhaps today in heaven my Sue is cradling Alisha's baby brother who never took his first breath. Here on earth, we wrap our arms around each other and try to make sense of the trials of this life.

Missing my Sue-Q....
Mom

Missionary "Cousins"

An excerpt from an email received from Kristin (Pierce) Casper:

I noticed that you have a blog for stories about
Susan, and it brought to mind a clear memory I have of
her that I thought you might get a kick out of. I
remember being over at your house one Friday night and
Susan organizing a "routine" for all of us to perform
to the song Ms. Otis Regrets(She is unable to Lunch
Today). Sue had the room to herself at the time
(didn't you all rotate sharing?) and we played the
song over and over again while she worked on the top
hat and cane choreography. :-) Somehow I think our
parents wouldn't have been as impressed with us as we
were with ourselves! Do you remember that at all?

Firehouse Pottery

The other day I stopped by firehouse pottery to pick up an item that Chas had painted. It happened to be a very important green dinosaur that had somehow been mistaken for a smaller version when we picked up our things originally. They owner had been very nice earlier that day and agreed to do some searching for the one we were missing. When she asked me for the name it might have been under I told her "Amy Feistel" since that was who had taken the kids painting. "Feistel?" she said, "I recognize that name, do you have another sister?" My eyes teared up as I recalled how much Susan loved to take the kids there. I told her about Sue and how much she enjoyed their shop and what a special memory place it was for us. I think I made her feel a bit awkward and she may never know how much it meant to me that she remembered, but I know!