Lives Intertwined

My sister-in-law, Debbie Cook, has been a part of my life since we met at work. We were both working at Kmart, and I had a display near the deli, where she worked. We started talking and before long became friends. Then I met her brother, who would become my future husband, and our friendship was sealed in a different way. We became sisters-in-law, as well as friends. We served as maid-of honor and matron-of honor in our weddings, and our lives have been intertwined ever since. Sometimes meeting a friend in your high school years, can make the friendship short-lived, or the friendship can later become an acquaintanceship instead of a friendship. And sometimes while the friends remain friends, time and distance can reduce the amount of time spent together. It’s not often that your kids become cousins and that you remain friends for life.

Nevertheless, that is what happened for Debbie and me. We don’t live in the same town anymore, and yes there is some time and distance, but sisters-in-law have a different connection than friends, so we still share many things. We both had daughters, and while Debbie and her husband, LJ lost their middle daughter, we both raised two daughters to adulthood. Of course, there have been differences, but we have both been married just over 50 years. She and LJ celebrated their 51st on June 8, 2025, while Bob and I will celebrate our 51st on March 1, 2026. It has been a long and happy friendship/sistership.

Life has taken us in different directions and down different roads, but we are still sisters-in-law, and really sisters. You don’t spend more that 50 years as family, and not become sisters, even if not by birth. Through the years we have shared the ups and downs of life in the same family. The loss of loved ones, the birth of new life, and the addition of new members through marriage. Every one of these life-events served to make us more than sisters-in-law. There will be other changes to come. Some of the changes are some we wish would not come, but they will come anyway. They are the kind of changes we don’t want to talk about or even think about. Through it all, we will remain not only sisters-in-law, but friends. Today is Debbie’s 73rd birthday. Happy birthday Debbie!! Have a great day!! We love you!!