When she entered our family, there was not too much that was known about her condition. People told us to put her away and forget she existed. Daddy told us we could not tell anyone about her, but we would keep her. We prayed for her to live and God answered our prayers and blessed us beyond any blessing one could imagine. Daddy came to terms with the fact that he had fathered a child that was not "Perfect." She wrapped him around her little finger and she thrived.
When she was about five years old, she finally learned to walk and talk. When she was seven she started school. She graduated when she was 21. She learned many things and she was wise beyond expectations. She loved to read and spent many hours reading Brides magazine and Louis Lamour books. She did not want us to know she could read so if she thought we were watching her, she would turn the book upside down. She knew if we knew she could read we would expect more from her. She had only one job in her short life. It lasted one afternoon. When I asked her why she was fired, she told me it was because she took too many coffee breaks.
She loved to go to the movies and out to dinner. After daddy died, she and mama would go out at least once a week. She always asked mama to take them out with the promise that she would pay. When the check came or when it was time to buy the movie tickets, she would conveniently forget her money. Little did she know that the check mama wrote often came from her account.
She loved to dance and dreamed of one day being married. She was going to marry Tom Cruise or Elvis or Tom Selleck. We would tell her that it was her job to stay home and take care of mama. She did. Every night as soon as the sun would go down, she would go though the house and turn on the lights and close the curtains. It was like clockwork. You could not convince her to leave the lights off or the curtains open if the sun was down.
Sometimes she reminded me of Rainman. She had to be home at 5 o'clock every evening because that was what time Judge Wapner came on the TV. It did not matter where they were or what they were doing, if it got close to five o'clock they had to stop and head home. She knew exactly how long it would take to get home from where ever they were.
She was the delight of all of our lives. I miss her terribly. She is the favorite sister I mentioned in 100 things about me. ( I am crying. I thought I could do this.)
She is mama's and daddy's 12th child and my baby sister, Megan Marie Higgins.
This is a poem my brother wrote to her after she left us.
Oh Missy Meg, Our Meg-A-Loo
Our hearts are sore and missing you.
You snuck away and left us here,
But as you left, we heard you cheer.
"I'm going home, at last I'm free,
And God will hold me lovingly.
No more contraptured, bound and lame
No "Rhino-Runt" in Daniel's game." (don't ask me to explain this)
"I am alive, the earth is dead.
I hope you get that through your head.
You all suffer, whine and groan
But I am at your true love's throne."
With hale and fullsome happy heart,
I've left you all, I did my part.
I am now really truly His.
I am now where forever is."
Wait for us, sis, we will be there soon and then we will be family again.
I love you and miss you.
Taken @ midnight also, but with a flash.
