A visit with the Sister-in-Law, Sans the Sister-in-Law

Early last week Steve let me know he'd be out of town Friday afternoon through Sunday. I thought it would be a great chance to run to Brady for Will and I. He could play with his much beloved cousins (Ben and Jerimiah) and I could deliver some stuff to Missy, my sister-in-law, that I had gathered for her.

I like Missy.

I know that seems simple, especiallys since I don't really "dislike" many people. Both the women married to my brothers and the women married to my brother-in-laws are all pretty special women, in their own ways. There are aspects of their personality or lives that click with me. But I'd have to say that Missy feels the closest of them all.

I'm sure it's a combination of many things. We are both native Texans. She's been married to my brother for over twenty years. We grew up in the same area and financial situations. Our first round of children were the same age together. Besides, she's a genuinely nice person. In the last five years, Missy's given birth to two boys, lost two children, had a brother injured and paralized for life, lost her father, had to spear head a law suit to help support her brother, and spent the better part of four years having to give one of her sons shots weekly and run him to the hospital for stays 5-6 times a year due to an immunity issue he finally outgrew.

She's also lived the closest to my crazy mother and taken more than her fair share of shit for the privledge. Through it all, she's remained a strong, loving woman that is still a joy to be around.

I was really looking forward to seeing her one-on-one and just visiting. Not that I dind't want to see my brother. But every time I've gone to visit Jessy, it hasn't worked out that I've actually spent any time with him. He's always got friends around, is working, heads off with the guys, or is drinking heavily (which is fun to watch but not much visiting gets done).

Will and I drive up at their place about 10:30 Saturday morning to find that Missy has taken a much needed and well deserved day off. Her and her daughter, Breanna, snuck off to Fort Worth for the day. Momentarily, I was like, what a waste of a trip.

But Jessy, and all three of his sons were at the house. No other company. He didn't run off and leave me. He wasn't drinking. We sit out in the front yard and watched the kids play. We rode bikes in the road with the boys. We watched them play games in the living room. He bought us lunch at a local BBQ place where the boys could run and play on the patio without disturbing anyone.

As I relaxed and fell into the grove of the day, I really enjoyed it. It was peaceful, relaxing, there was no pressure at all. We actually talked. Not about anything huge, just life.

While I drove to Brady expecting a visit with my siser-in-law, I got an unexpected gift in her absense. A visit with my brother.