ONCE UPON A TIME

Once upon a time I had a sister.

Well. Not really. Once upon a time I had a neighbor. A. Friend. But she was like a sister to me. And she was as dear to me as she could ever have been if we'd really been sisters. We were not sisters by blood, background or heritage. We did not share a family tree. But we were sisters of the heart. And we shared a lot of LIFE together.

We shared meals, ballgames, camping trips, and canasta games. We shared clothes, fabric and patterns, cross stitch books, recipes, secrets and endless hours of girl talk. . . you know the kind - dishin' about our husbands, complaining about our weight, bragging about our kids.

Our kids. That's probably the most important thing we shared. My kids were as much at "home" at her house as they were at ours. Our oldest daughters and our sons were just about the same age and the best of friends. She adored my youngest daughter and spoiled her rotten.

For a long time she had two children and I had three. A few years after all our kids were in school and life had settled into an easier pace for us none-too-desperate housewives, a delightful surprise came along. Bonnie evened the "children" score to 3 and 3.

Here's that sweet "surprise" when he was three.
And this time next week, that sweet surpise is flying from Phoenix to Tupelo to pay us a visit!

Michael Edward Crabtree, I remember the day you were born! Dr. Sanders came out of delivery with your mom and dad and held your little naked self up for all the world to see. Your dad had tears and your mom was grinning ear to ear. She wanted you to be a boy SO badly . . . mostly because she wanted to be able to give you her father's name - Edward.

I spent the night at the hospital with your mother. Your hair had been all slicked down the first time I saw you. Later, when I went to the nursery window to really study your features, it had dried and was sticking straight out all over your head like you'd stuck your finger in a light socket. When I got back to the room, your mother asked, "who do you think he looks like?" I took a deep breath and said, "Well Bonnie, do you remember that monkey in Every Which Way But Loose . . ." We laughed so hard a nurse came in and SCOLDED us for disturbing other patients!

This was your first Christmas. You were only 5 months old but you opened all your own presents. Your daddy would hold the packages and you'd carefully pull the paper and bows off. I'll have to say, you got a little faster at opening them in later years! LOL

You were a delight to us all as you grew from a chubby cheeked little angel to an

delightfully dimpled mischievious imp! What a cutie! Mr. Personality!

You may have been younger than all the other kids but every one of them adored you

from video games, to Christmas and birthday gifts to shootin' hoops - you were always in the center of the action.

And then you left us and moved to Phoenix! I'm not sure who cried most - me and your mother or Roy and Harold!

This family photo was taken about the time you guys moved - 1985.

We got to see you far less over the coming years but loved you just the same.

This was when you came back to Tupelo for a visit in 1991. My granddaughter, Hillary, that you are meeting in the picture on the right is now a 21 yr. old knock-out!

Then the Crabtree grandchildren began arriving . . .

and here you are with Derek in 1993(or'94). Hard to believe Derek's at Georgia Tech now, isn't it!

This is you at 15

your 1995 school picture! Dimples shining!

In 1998 when Momma King passed away, we got to meet your family in Oneida and spend a

little time at the luxurious Tobe's Motel. GRIN It was a sad occasion but still GRAND to be together.

Your family at Christmas 2000 (above).

In 2001 you made another trip to Mississippi and Roy took you and your dad fishing on the waterway. This time when you come, Cooley's planning to take you to Pickwick.

In August 2005 Anthony flew Roy and me to Phoenix for what was a very precious and special time with your family. I will be forever blessed by that trip!

And here you are today sweet baby boy. No longer the little munchkin I used to hold in my arms but no less loved. We can't wait to see you, Michael! Your sister, nephew and aunt are coming to see you while you are here and we are unbelievably excited about seeing them too!

Once upon a time I had a neighbor-friend-sister who shared her greatest treasure - her family - with me. Thank you, precious Bonnie, I still love you and miss you like crazy and I'm sure looking forward to lovin' on your children next week!!