Happy Easter Woman!

Just thinking about you alot today. Remembering all the easters of the past. Mama Specs always used to give us giant easter baskets, always remembering our favorite types of candy (Em LOVED haribo gummies, while I loved reese's eggs). We'd laugh as mama specs would always find a way to slip in an informational packet from nursing about some kind of life lesson (ie: tattoos, teenage pregnancy, etc) and we'd scream "moooooooooom! why did you put this in here!!" and she'd just laaaugh. Our aunt peggy dressed up like the easter bunny a few years when we were younger, and all of our cousins chased her around yelling "fraud!" We'd have gigantic family get-togethers at our house, and we'd always have to get the house ready with the parents. Emily always somehow nudged her way into the kitchen to help mom cook and i was made to do the boring household chores such as vacuuming and dusting, booooo!

We went to a friend's Easter gathering this year, and i was stressing about what I could bring. I like being known as a woman who knows how to cook, and I wanted to show off something new. I had a vivid flashback of me, Em, and Mama Specs sitting in the kitchen one easter rolling phyllo dough for tiropetes. Perfect! And it was a huge hit this year - they were gone as soon as I uncovered them. Em would be proud - the Specchio good cooking will live on.

But most of all, I thought of my last Easter with Emily. It was very very special for many reasons. First of all, she drove to NC from Blacksburg to fly with Joe and I to Philadelphia. We stayed overnight at Joe's sister, Jessica's house. Emily was nervous and felt scared she was intruding, but I told her nothing pleased me more than having both Joe's and my family unite and start celebrating holidays together. Emily decided to come along, and it was the first and only time Joe's family - parents, sister, and soon to be brother-in-law, met her, and of course, just like everyone else, fell in love with her. They were so happy she came, and when news came less than a month later of her passing, understood all the more what wonderful, vivacious woman we've lost. Even more special during that last Easter, was that Joe had a special extra secret packed along in his luggage - my engagement ring. He used that trip to ask my family - Emily included - for their blessing for our engagement. Emily was one of the first to see the ring, and Joe tells me she was absolutely glowing with excitement. I know it must have been so hard for her to keep it a secret from me all through the trip and days after until I called her to tell me Joe had proposed. But, it was all worth it to hear her scream with excitement when I told her how Joe proposed, and we both had tears of joy and anticipation of the future. It really hurts knowing we were robbed of being sisters through the rest of the experience - the planning and actual wedding. But I must be thankful for what I have had, and that easter along with the engagement, are one of the fondest memories of my life and wonderful sister.

Happy Easter, my little wo. I was blessed to have you for a whole 21 years as such a positive part of my life, and you continue to drive me towards doing all that I can do, both for me, and for you.

Love always.
Big Sis.