The 2nd First Meeting

     Well from February 5, 2011, Jessica, who is my new found sister, and I started having casual conversations on Facebook but I was still reluctant to really tell anyone about having found her.  As time passed by though, we started talking a little more often and I became more at ease with her on this level.
     By now, (April 2011) I have learned that I have a nephew and three nieces as well as two step nephews and a step niece. When God blesses us with family, well He really loads us up.  I was operating a small consignment shop at the time, Second Blessings Consignment.
    
We experienced the most severe bout of tornadoes that I can ever remember on April 27, 2011. I immediately became a drop off location for tornado victims. I couldn't do much but I could at least take donations and get the items to the areas that were in greatest need.  Well, saying that, I had no idea how many donations would turn out.  I was so overwhelmed by t
he generosity of the community and i had no idea how I was going to get it all sorted by myself. So, I posted on Facebook that volunteers would be greatly appreciated.  Guess who was the first to offer to volunteer? You guessed it.  My sister, Jessica. 

     On the night of May 20, 2011, she and I chatted until 1 a.m. the next morning. The plan was that she was coming to the store to help.  She lives in Mt. Hope and they were devastated by the tornadoes as well and this was also her way of helping.  I was so nervous and anxious about meeting her that I don't think I slept much that night at all.

     Finally the day arrives, I meet my sister. Not only do I meet my sister, but she also brings her 2 oldest children, my nephew David and my niece Tessia.  It was so funny because neither of us had told our mothers about us finding one another.  We looked at each other and at the exact same time we pointed at one another and said, "My momma don't know about this."  It was so funny. We laughed and her kids were totally confused as to why our mothers didn't know.  Honest truth was we were both scared the moms were going to be mad at each of us. 
     We had the best time.  We sorted so many donations and had lunch together and Tessia, my niece, tried on prom dresses and pretended to be a princess and was determined to get to take one home to play dress up.  She didn't win that battle with her mom though.

     Then time came for them to go home and that was bittersweet.  But we agreed that this was the beginnings of a new relationship that we did not want to end.